How is Psalm 118:22 fulfilled in the New Testament? Psalm 118:22–23 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” Immediate Setting within Psalm 118 Psalm 118 is a victory hymn sung during the pilgrim festivals. The psalmist, representing the covenant community, recounts rejection and divine vindication. Verse 22 moves from personal testimony to messianic prophecy, introducing a “stone” rejected by earthly builders yet chosen by Yahweh to crown His architectural plan. Stone Imagery across the Hebrew Scriptures • Genesis 49:24—Yahweh is called “the Stone of Israel.” • Isaiah 8:14; 28:16—Messiah prefigured as both stumbling stone and sure foundation. • Daniel 2:34–35—A stone “cut without hands” topples human kingdoms. The collective witness prepares the reader to recognize an anointed individual whose acceptance or rejection becomes the hinge of salvation history. Second-Temple Jewish Expectation Intertestamental writings (e.g., 1 Enoch 38:4–6; 4QFlorilegium from Qumran) apply cornerstone language to the coming Davidic ruler. By Jesus’ day, Psalm 118 functioned in the Passover liturgy (Hallel), so the crowds were primed for a messianic interpretation when they shouted, “Hosanna” (Psalm 118:25) at the triumphal entry (Matthew 21:9). Jesus’ Authoritative Citation in the Synoptic Gospels During Passion Week Jesus tells the Parable of the Vineyard Tenants, then asks, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?” (Matthew 21:42; cf. Mark 12:10–11; Luke 20:17). 1. “Builders” = the religious leadership (chief priests, scribes, Pharisees). 2. “Rejected” = the impending crucifixion. 3. “Cornerstone” = resurrection and enthronement. By placing Himself inside Psalm 118:22, Jesus claims messianic identity, predicts rejection, and announces divine reversal—linking prophecy to verifiable historical events within that same week. Crucifixion and Resurrection as the Critical Fulfillment Moment The Sanhedrin’s condemnation (Mark 14:64), Roman execution (Mark 15:24), and empty tomb (Matthew 28:1–10) together enact the psalm: human builders cast the stone aside; God raises and installs it as the load-bearing cornerstone. The resurrection is the decisive “marvelous” act (Psalm 118:23) that authenticates Jesus’ messianic claim (Romans 1:4). Acts 4:11—Apostolic Proclamation Peter, standing before the same Sanhedrin that condemned Jesus, declares: “He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone’” (Acts 4:11). Verse 12 immediately adds, “There is salvation in no one else,” showing that the cornerstone prophecy establishes the exclusivity of Christ’s saving work. 1 Peter 2:4–8—Theological Expansion Peter exhorts believers to come to Jesus, “a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and precious to God” (v. 4). He combines Psalm 118:22 with Isaiah 28:16 and 8:14: • For believers—secure foundation and honor. • For unbelievers—stone of stumbling and offense. Thus, Psalm 118:22 governs ecclesiology (living stones built into a spiritual house) and soteriology (faith vs. unbelief). Pauline Cornerstone Motif Ephesians 2:20—The household of God is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.” Romans 9:32–33—Israel’s pursuit of law without faith leads to stumbling over the “stumbling stone,” merging Isaiah and Psalm 118 to explain national unbelief and Gentile inclusion. Cornerstone and the New-Covenant Temple In biblical architecture the cornerstone sets orientation and unites walls. Jesus, resurrected and exalted, unites Jew and Gentile into one temple (Ephesians 2:21–22). His body, once destroyed, is rebuilt in three days (John 2:19–22), perfectly mirroring Psalm 118’s temple imagery (vv. 19–27). Rejected Stone → Builders’ Judgment Jesus ends the vineyard parable with judgment: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people producing its fruit” (Matthew 21:43). Historical fulfillment surfaces in A.D. 70 when Rome razed the Temple—visible confirmation that rejecting the cornerstone destabilizes every edifice built without Him. Historical Corroboration of Jesus’ Rejection and Vindication Non-Christian sources—Tacitus (Ann. 15.44), Josephus (Ant. 18.3.3), and the letter of Mara bar-Serapion—record Jesus’ execution and the continued devotion of His followers, aligning with the gospel narrative that human builders rejected Him while His movement flourished. Practical and Devotional Implications 1. Assurance—Believers stand on an unshakable foundation. 2. Evangelism—Only the cornerstone saves; all must align with Him. 3. Warning—Religious privilege without faith invites judgment. 4. Worship—Marvel at the Lord’s doing; celebrate every Resurrection Day as the living reality of Psalm 118:23. Summary Psalm 118:22 is fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ’s rejection by Israel’s leaders, His death, and His vindicating resurrection, explicitly cited by Jesus (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10–11; Luke 20:17), proclaimed by the apostles (Acts 4:11), and theologically expounded by Peter and Paul (1 Peter 2:4–8; Ephesians 2:20). The prophetic image of the rejected cornerstone becomes the organizing center of God’s new covenant temple—the church—and the cornerstone remains the decisive criterion by which every person and every worldview is measured. |
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