What Old Testament prophecies connect to the events in John 10:31? Setting the Scene John 10:31—“Again the Jews picked up stones to stone Him.” The leaders hear Jesus declare oneness with the Father (10:30) and reach for stones. That reflex of violent rejection isn’t random; it echoes several Old Testament prophecies that foretold how the Messiah would be treated. Prophetic Expectation of Rejection “Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed.” – Hostility toward the Anointed was predicted from the start. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” – Rejection isn’t a surprise; Isaiah saw it centuries earlier. “My own flock detested me, and I grew weary of them.” – Even the Shepherd’s own people would turn on Him. Messiah as the Rejected Stone “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” – The very ones holding stones reject the true Stone God has chosen. “He will be a sanctuary—but to both houses of Israel, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense… many will stumble; they will fall and be broken.” – Messiah Himself is the “Stone” they trip over, marking their unbelief. Hatred Without Cause “Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head.” – Jesus applies this psalm to Himself (John 15:25). The sudden rush to stone Him shows that causeless hatred in action. Violence Foretold “Dogs surround me; a band of evildoers encircles me.” – Though ultimately fulfilled at the cross, the motif of a hostile mob begins here in John 10. “I offered My back to those who struck Me… I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” – The path to the cross is paved with escalating violence like this stoning attempt. Prophecy Fulfillment Snapshot 1. OT foretells Messiah would be rejected (Psalm 2; Isaiah 53). 2. OT identifies Messiah as a “Stone” rejected by builders (Psalm 118; Isaiah 8). 3. OT predicts unjust hatred and violence (Psalm 69; Psalm 22; Isaiah 50). 4. John 10:31 fits every strand: leaders seize stones, reject the Cornerstone, and fulfill Scripture—without grasping they’re doing so. Takeaway When we watch the crowd lift stones, we’re seeing prophecy move from parchment to pavement. The Word never fails; every forecast of the suffering, rejected Messiah converges in events like John 10:31, reminding us that God’s plan, announced long before, is unfolding exactly as written. |
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