What is the meaning of Luke 20:17? But Jesus looked directly at them • Luke places us in the temple courts where the chief priests, scribes, and elders have just challenged Christ’s authority (Luke 20:1-8). • His steady gaze communicates divine discernment—He sees through their outward religiosity to the unbelief beneath (John 2:24-25; Hebrews 4:13). • Eye contact also signals courage; He refuses to be intimidated by earthly power (Isaiah 50:7; Matthew 23:13-33). • For believers, the scene reminds us that the Lord still looks “directly at” every heart, calling for sincerity over pretense (1 Samuel 16:7). and said • When Jesus speaks, heaven speaks (Luke 4:32; John 7:46). • He does not offer speculation but issues a judgment that carries eternal weight (Matthew 24:35). • His words confront these leaders—and us—with a choice: submit or resist (Deuteronomy 30:19-20; John 12:48). Then what is the meaning of that which is written • Christ immediately turns to Scripture, treating it as the final court of appeal (Psalm 119:160; John 10:35). • By asking a question, He invites His opponents to read their own Bible honestly—something they prided themselves on yet failed to do (Matthew 22:29). • The lesson: every spiritual dilemma is ultimately settled by returning to what “is written” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? • Quoting Psalm 118:22, Jesus identifies Himself as “the stone.” • “The builders” are Israel’s religious leaders—experts who should have recognized the Messiah yet are now discarding Him (Acts 4:11). • Rejection is not defeat; God elevates the rejected stone to “cornerstone,” the essential foundation and alignment for God’s house (Ephesians 2:20-22). • This prophecy unfolds literally in Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, followed by the birth of the church (1 Peter 2:4-7). • Those who stumble over Him face judgment (Isaiah 8:14-15; Luke 20:18), while those who rest on Him receive salvation (Romans 10:9-11). summary Jesus’ unwavering gaze, authoritative voice, and appeal to Scripture expose the blindness of religious self-confidence. Psalm 118 foretold that the very leaders charged with building God’s people would reject His chosen Stone. Yet God overrules their dismissal, making Jesus the Cornerstone of a new spiritual house. The verse calls every reader to move from rejecting to resting on Christ, for in Him alone is a sure and eternal foundation. |
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