The stone which the builders rejected

Matthew 21:42

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Here again, we have a supplanting and an upsetting of the common views of the day. The Jews did not believe Christ. In fact, they sought to kill Him, they sought to silence Him, and they sought to destroy and dismantle His teachings. They did not like what they heard. They were the main object and brunt of His condemnation, but He did not condemn the publicans and harlots. Rather, He sought to win them to Himself. What was their problem? The Jews had their own ways. They were set in their ways! They were incorrigibly stubborn! They wanted to reign over the people! They did not want this prophet of Nazareth to lead the people and teach them against their own customs. Therefore, they rejected Him. They refused the head stone of the corner. They would not accept Him nor believe Him.

And so is it often even now. For you see, most are rejecting the Stone. The Rock that is the only rock has been rejected by many. Many have terribly and tragically turned from Christ to the weak and beggarly elements. They have turned to lesser things—to men, to their own ideologies, and to the errant philosophies of the world. But Christ is the Head of the corner! The cornerstone! There is none other but He! “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner”! And this truly is “the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” It is the Lord’s doing! It is marvelous! Christ will one day reign supreme. He is the way of salvation, and the only way of salvation. The Pharisees and scribes had no such thing. They did not look to the Stone. They refused the Rock.

And here is the principle of perpetual application. Mankind often ignores the greatest thing in favor of the lesser thing. They don’t understand what is truly right, truly important, and what is divinely arranged by God. And all of our thinking can be skewed this way at times, against what we ought to look to and towards those things that are unimportant. May the Lord now help us! Don’t be deceived! Don’t be discouraged! Don’t be deluded and distracted and diverted from the truth! For you see, the main body of many, including Christian people, could be looking at the wrong thing. How does the Lord want us to see it? Christ is the Head of the corner. He is the One to whom we must look. Look to Him for truth today and not to other sources. And may He reveal His truth to those who truthfully and sincerely look for it. For this will be the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

“Father, we pray that our eyes may be eternally fixed on Thee. Often, we become influenced by the views and ideas of others more than by Your ways, and therefore miss the cornerstone. He that is the Head of the corner is often overlooked. But may that not be so with us. Keep us in Your Word faithfully, understanding the foundational and cardinal principles of Your ways. For we want to stand upon that Rock. May You help us to do so. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.”