What does "the stone the builders rejected" symbolize in Psalm 118:22? The Verse in Focus “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Psalm 118:22) Immediate Context • Psalm 118 is a victory psalm, sung at temple festivals. • The speaker celebrates God’s salvation after fierce opposition (vv. 10-18). • Verse 22 inserts a vivid construction image: masons toss aside a stone they deem unusable, yet that very stone ends up bearing the whole structure. The Prophetic Picture • Throughout Scripture, “stone” language points to the Messiah: – Isaiah 28:16 speaks of a “precious cornerstone.” – Isaiah 8:14 warns that the same stone will be “a stone of stumbling.” • Psalm 118:22 captures both ideas—rejection and ultimate honor. How Jesus Fulfills the Image • Jesus applied the verse to Himself after telling the vineyard parable (Matthew 21:42: “Have you never read… ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?”). • Peter echoed it before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:11) and in his letter (1 Peter 2:7). • Paul ties Jesus to the “chief cornerstone” that unites Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:20). The Builders and Their Rejection • “Builders” = the religious leaders entrusted with guiding Israel (cf. Matthew 21:45). • They examined Jesus, found Him unfit for their plans, and crucified Him. • Their rejection fulfilled God’s predetermined design (Acts 2:23). The Stone’s Exaltation • Resurrection: God reversed the leaders’ verdict, raising Jesus (Acts 4:10). • Ascension: He is “exalted at the right hand of God” (Acts 2:33). • Foundation: The Church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). Personal Takeaways • God often chooses what people discard; His wisdom overturns human assessments. • Alignment with the Cornerstone matters: building on Christ brings stability (Matthew 7:24). • Rejection of Christ leads to stumbling (1 Peter 2:8). The “stone the builders rejected” ultimately symbolizes Jesus the Messiah—rejected by human authorities yet established by God as the essential, load-bearing cornerstone of redemption and the Church. |
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