42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” 45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
In verses 42 through 46, Jesus continued the parable of the tenant farmers to show that His authority was from the Father. This parable focuses on one element of the foregoing parable of the tenant farmers—rejection of the son.
21:42
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?
After the religious leaders condemned themselves (21:41), Jesus quoted the Messianic Psalm 118:22 to show that people would reject the Messiah when He came. This is the same Psalm they sang in the Triumphal Entry.
Christ is the stone the builders rejected but He became “the chief cornerstone.” The cornerstone was the stone that aligned all other stones in the building. The leaders of Israel (builders) rejected Jesus as the Messiah while building their religious organization. They missed the chief cornerstone for rubbish (Acts 4:10-12; Eph 2:19-20; 1 Pe 2:6-8).
21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
Jesus announced that God would take the kingdom from them and give it to a future generation of Israel. This will take place in the Millennium after His Second Coming to claim His kingdom (“nation”).
21:44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken;
People who trip over the stone on the ground will be “broken” and fall into judgment because they have rejected the Son in His first coming. Jesus is the stone of stumbling.
but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
This same stone falling onto someone will grind him to powder. The rejected Stone will one day become a Stone of judgment.
21:45 Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.
The religious leaders got the point that Jesus spoke of them.
21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.
They would have dealt with Jesus summarily but they were afraid of the crowd’s reaction. Later they would say to Pilate, “Let Him be crucified!” (Mt 27:21-22).
PRINCIPLE:
Everyone will be accountable for the revelation they’ve received.
APPLICATION:
Jesus not only carries grace, but He will judge those who reject Him as their Savior. He will judge many religious people. Religion itself holds no water as far as He is concerned. The great issue is what we will do with the Son of God and what He did on the cross.
