What does "The stone the builders rejected" symbolize in Luke 20:17? Text of Luke 20:17 “But Jesus looked directly at them and said, ‘Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”?’” Old Testament Source: Psalm 118:22-23 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the LORD; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:22-23) Originally sung as part of the Passover Hallel, the psalm celebrates Yahweh’s deliverance of His people. Jewish rabbinic writings (e.g., Sukkah 52a) already regarded the psalm as messianic before the first century, setting the stage for Jesus to apply it explicitly to Himself. Cornerstone Imagery in Ancient Construction In first-century Judea masons laid an enormous squared stone first; every other block was aligned to it. Archaeologists have documented Herodian ashlars in the southwest corner of the Temple Mount measuring over 12 m long and weighing 570 tons. If that key stone were discarded, the entire superstructure would be compromised. Jesus borrows this architectural reality as a living parable. The Builders Identified Immediately after the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Luke 20:9-16), “the chief priests and the scribes” (v. 19) realized He spoke the parable “against them.” They are the builders—Israel’s religious establishment entrusted with God’s vineyard and with “building” a people prepared for Messiah. Their rejection of Jesus during Passion Week fulfills the psalm. Rejection and Vindication 1. Rejection culminates in crucifixion (Luke 23:18-24). 2. Vindication comes through resurrection (Luke 24:5-7; Acts 2:32). God’s raising of Jesus installs Him as the true cornerstone that the leaders had cast aside. The seamless prophetic correspondence between predicted rejection (Psalm 118; Isaiah 53), historical crucifixion (certified by multiple independent sources: Synoptics, Paul, Tacitus Ann. 15.44, Josephus Ant. 18.64), and attested resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) confirms the symbol. A Foundation Stone for a New Temple—The Church “Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:20) Peter, who heard Luke 20:17 firsthand, repeats the text twice (Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:6-8). The church is God’s new sanctuary, measured against Christ. All ethnic barriers dissolve; those “built together” become “a dwelling place for God” (Ephesians 2:22). Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offense Isaiah 8:14—“He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel.” Paul (Romans 9:32-33) and Peter (1 Peter 2:8) link Isaiah 8 with Psalm 118 to explain why some trip over the gospel while others are established by it. The same stone produces two opposite outcomes: judgment for the rejecter, salvation for the believer. Danielic and Eschatological Overtones Daniel 2:34-35 foretells a “stone…cut out without hands” that shatters worldly kingdoms and fills the earth. Jesus merges Psalm 118 with Daniel 2 in Luke 20:18: “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will crush him.” Initial rejection at Calvary leads ultimately to global dominion when Christ returns. Prophetic Continuity and Manuscript Reliability Psalm 118 appears in the Dead Sea Scrolls (4QPs-A) dated c. 50 BC, establishing a pre-Christian textual witness. Luke 20 is preserved in P75 (c. AD 175-200) and Codex Vaticanus (c. AD 325). The gap from autograph to extant copy is less than two centuries, unparalleled among ancient literature and affording high confidence that the words attributed to Jesus are accurately transmitted. Archaeological Corroboration of Rejection Theme • The “Trumpeting Stone,” toppled from the southwest corner of the Second Temple and found in rubble from AD 70, visually illustrates a massive cornerstone cast down—an ironic historical echo of the builders’ rejection that Jesus foretold (Luke 19:44). • Ossuary inscriptions such as “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus” (controversial but instructive) underline the physical reality of the very figures involved in the gospel accounts. Theological Dimensions Christology—Jesus self-identifies as Yahweh’s chosen stone, equating Himself with divine prerogatives. Soteriology—Acceptance or rejection of this stone determines eternal destiny (Acts 4:12). Ecclesiology—Unity of Jew and Gentile is achieved only by alignment to the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:14-22). Eschatology—The stone will crush all rival powers at His appearing (Luke 20:18; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Personal Application Every individual is a builder. One either aligns life to the risen Christ or discards Him, to eventual ruin. The invitation stands: “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6) Summary “The stone the builders rejected” in Luke 20:17 symbolizes Jesus the Messiah—first rejected by Israel’s leaders, then exalted by God as the indispensable cornerstone of salvation history, the church’s foundation, and the coming Judge-King. His resurrection certifies His cornerstone status; Scripture, archaeology, and manuscript evidence converge to confirm the symbol’s historic and theological certainty. |
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