This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
The rejected stone is Christ, rejected by the Jewish leaders as builders, and His being made the head of the corner and chief foundation of the whole building is God's own doing and marvelous to behold. Jesus applied this prophecy to Himself after the parable of the vineyard, to expose the priests and rulers who were plotting His death for rejecting God's messengers and His Son when they might have received Him. Its fulfillment means the kingdom of God would be taken from the unfruitful nation and given to a people who would bear its fruits, ending in the destruction of their city and temple and their dispersion. He is the sure foundation laid by God Himself, who has borne every test and the weight of human guilt, so that all who build on Him and lay their burdens on Him are never disappointed but find perfect safety and rest. Those who fall on this stone will be broken, and on whomever it falls it will grind to powder, so rejection brings certain judgment.
The Rejected Stone Exalted
The rejected stone is Christ, and the builders who reject Him are the Jewish leaders, the chief priests and Pharisees, the priests and rulers of Israel. He is the heir cruelly slain in the parable of the vineyard, who becomes the principal stone of the whole building. His becoming the head of the corner, the chief cornerstone and principal stone, is the Lord's doing, done by God Himself. That reversal is marvelous in human sight and in the eyes of those who recognize it.
Jesus spoke the words to the priests and rulers after the parable of the vineyard about the heir cruelly slain, while they were plotting His death. He spoke to expose their rejection of God's messengers and Son, to make them condemn themselves out of their own mouth, and to show the justice of what would follow. They could have received Him as God's Sent One and praised Him, but they rejected Him. The words had often been repeated in the synagogues as a prophecy of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applies them to Himself.
The prophecy points to an actual occurrence in building Solomon's first temple, when a stone of unusual size and peculiar shape brought for the foundation was rejected by the workmen as an annoyance in their way and long lay unused. Exposed to air, sun and storm, it revealed not the slightest crack, while other stones chosen for the corner crumbled under immense weights or could not bear sudden atmospheric changes. At last it was tested by severe pressure, accepted for the corner to bear the great weight resting on it, proved able to resist sun, frost and tempest, and was found an exact fit, with the safety of the entire building depending on a wise choice.
Christ Himself is the originator of the Jewish system, its very foundation, and the antitype to whom all the sacrificial services pointed. He is the cornerstone of the Jewish economy and of the whole plan of salvation. In infinite wisdom God Himself chose and laid Him as a sure foundation and tried stone. He has borne every test, endured the pressure of Adam's guilt and the guilt of his posterity and the burdens cast on Him by every repenting sinner, and come off more than conqueror of the powers of evil. So the entire world may lay burdens and griefs on Him and build on Him with perfect safety, and all who trust in Him and make Him their dependence are never disappointed but find relief and rest in perfect security.
Judgment and Kingdom Transfer
The fulfillment means the kingdom of God shall be taken from the unfruitful Jews who failed to bear its fruits and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits, to a people who will bear them. That transfer stands in the setting of the vineyard parable, where servants and then the beloved Son and heir are sent for fruit and slain, exposing the leaders' rejection of God's messengers and Son. In that setting the exaltation of the rejected stone to the head of the corner is the Lord's own doing and marvelous, accompanying the taking of the kingdom from those who did not bear its fruits.
The withdrawal of national privileges had already begun and would end in destruction of the temple and city and dispersion of the nation. That included the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple as retribution for killing the servants and the beloved Son sent for fruit. Those who rejected Him would face judgment, for though rejected and abused He would be exalted to the chief cornerstone.
Its fulfillment warns the leaders of their danger, condemns them out of their own mouth, brings their rejection and guilt to light, and shows the justice of God in taking the kingdom from them. God's purpose stands despite rejection, and Christ's rise to the place of honor fulfills God's purpose. That exaltation had a special application at Christ's first advent when the Jewish builders rejected Him, and it has a lesson for later believers. Whoever falls on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder, so those who rejected Him would face judgment.
God's Marvelous Work Today
The successful securing of land, after repeated refusals and earnest prayer, is the Lord's doing and a cause for rejoicing. God Himself also directs missionary paths that look like mistakes so that light may reach people who desire truth. Losing the way even with a guide who knew the road, finding no water, cutting through forest to a log shanty for bread and milk and lodging, praying and singing with the family and leaving a pamphlet, becomes divine arrangement when years later twenty converts are found at a camp meeting through that seed sown.
A remarkable outcome can be recognized as the Lord's doing and appear marvelous to those who witness it. When a patient expected to die survived a dangerous operation after prayer for help, with Dr. Caro asking God for help, the successful result was marvelous in the physicians' eyes and the patient was grateful to God. Powerful preaching of Christ's righteousness in the law, together with a large and attentive audience, is likewise God's work and wonderful to those who witnessed it.
The rejected stone is Christ, rejected by the Jewish leaders as builders, and His being made the head of the corner and chief foundation of the whole building is God's own doing and marvelous to behold. Jesus applied this prophecy to Himself after the parable of the vineyard, to expose the priests and rulers who were plotting His death for rejecting God's messengers and His Son when they might have received Him. Its fulfillment means the kingdom of God would be taken from the unfruitful nation and given to a people who would bear its fruits, ending in the destruction of their city and temple and their dispersion. He is the sure foundation laid by God Himself, who has borne every test and the weight of human guilt, so that all who build on Him and lay their burdens on Him are never disappointed but find perfect safety and rest. Those who fall on this stone will be broken, and on whomever it falls it will grind to powder, so rejection brings certain judgment.
The Rejected Stone Exalted
The rejected stone is Christ, and the builders who reject Him are the Jewish leaders, the chief priests and Pharisees, the priests and rulers of Israel. He is the heir cruelly slain in the parable of the vineyard, who becomes the principal stone of the whole building. His becoming the head of the corner, the chief cornerstone and principal stone, is the Lord's doing, done by God Himself. That reversal is marvelous in human sight and in the eyes of those who recognize it.
Jesus spoke the words to the priests and rulers after the parable of the vineyard about the heir cruelly slain, while they were plotting His death. He spoke to expose their rejection of God's messengers and Son, to make them condemn themselves out of their own mouth, and to show the justice of what would follow. They could have received Him as God's Sent One and praised Him, but they rejected Him. The words had often been repeated in the synagogues as a prophecy of the coming Messiah, and Jesus applies them to Himself.
The prophecy points to an actual occurrence in building Solomon's first temple, when a stone of unusual size and peculiar shape brought for the foundation was rejected by the workmen as an annoyance in their way and long lay unused. Exposed to air, sun and storm, it revealed not the slightest crack, while other stones chosen for the corner crumbled under immense weights or could not bear sudden atmospheric changes. At last it was tested by severe pressure, accepted for the corner to bear the great weight resting on it, proved able to resist sun, frost and tempest, and was found an exact fit, with the safety of the entire building depending on a wise choice.
Christ Himself is the originator of the Jewish system, its very foundation, and the antitype to whom all the sacrificial services pointed. He is the cornerstone of the Jewish economy and of the whole plan of salvation. In infinite wisdom God Himself chose and laid Him as a sure foundation and tried stone. He has borne every test, endured the pressure of Adam's guilt and the guilt of his posterity and the burdens cast on Him by every repenting sinner, and come off more than conqueror of the powers of evil. So the entire world may lay burdens and griefs on Him and build on Him with perfect safety, and all who trust in Him and make Him their dependence are never disappointed but find relief and rest in perfect security.
Judgment and Kingdom Transfer
The fulfillment means the kingdom of God shall be taken from the unfruitful Jews who failed to bear its fruits and given to a nation bringing forth its fruits, to a people who will bear them. That transfer stands in the setting of the vineyard parable, where servants and then the beloved Son and heir are sent for fruit and slain, exposing the leaders' rejection of God's messengers and Son. In that setting the exaltation of the rejected stone to the head of the corner is the Lord's own doing and marvelous, accompanying the taking of the kingdom from those who did not bear its fruits.
The withdrawal of national privileges had already begun and would end in destruction of the temple and city and dispersion of the nation. That included the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple as retribution for killing the servants and the beloved Son sent for fruit. Those who rejected Him would face judgment, for though rejected and abused He would be exalted to the chief cornerstone.
Its fulfillment warns the leaders of their danger, condemns them out of their own mouth, brings their rejection and guilt to light, and shows the justice of God in taking the kingdom from them. God's purpose stands despite rejection, and Christ's rise to the place of honor fulfills God's purpose. That exaltation had a special application at Christ's first advent when the Jewish builders rejected Him, and it has a lesson for later believers. Whoever falls on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder, so those who rejected Him would face judgment.
God's Marvelous Work Today
The successful securing of land, after repeated refusals and earnest prayer, is the Lord's doing and a cause for rejoicing. God Himself also directs missionary paths that look like mistakes so that light may reach people who desire truth. Losing the way even with a guide who knew the road, finding no water, cutting through forest to a log shanty for bread and milk and lodging, praying and singing with the family and leaving a pamphlet, becomes divine arrangement when years later twenty converts are found at a camp meeting through that seed sown.
A remarkable outcome can be recognized as the Lord's doing and appear marvelous to those who witness it. When a patient expected to die survived a dangerous operation after prayer for help, with Dr. Caro asking God for help, the successful result was marvelous in the physicians' eyes and the patient was grateful to God. Powerful preaching of Christ's righteousness in the law, together with a large and attentive audience, is likewise God's work and wonderful to those who witnessed it.