From Matthew 21:42-46 / The Cornerstone

We now come to the 3rd portion of Jesus’ exchange with the Jewish leadership in the Temple during His last week.

He has already put forth 2 parables: The first was one regarding who it is that REALLY serves God; those who say “I will” but in the end, do not, and those who at first say “No”, but grow convicted of their sin and at last obey. This, He clearly applies to the tax collectors and prostitutes who heard John’s preaching and repented versus the Jewish leadership who scorned John’s prophetic ministry and wrote him off.

The second was that of the “master of a house” who, after leasing a vineyard to tenants, came looking for His proper yield, but found those who had the care of it rebellious and wanting it all for themselves – even to the point of killing the Master’s son.

He will give yet another in 22:1-14. But even before that one, verse 45 says they got the message. “They perceived that he was speaking about them.”

But moving beyond the parables, Jesus goes on to cite Ps. 118 and brings this down to an actual Scripture prophesy being fulfilled in these very circumstances. He says that He Himself is the “cornerstone” of the Psalm, and that as Isaiah 8 also proclaims, all those who reject Him, will not escape unscathed. And in an unambiguous condemning word tells them plainly that “the kingdom of God will be taken away from YOU and given to a people producing its fruits.” (Emphasis mine)

These are the spiritual leadership of God’s covenant people. And Jesus says they are about to lose the “kingdom” they think they rule over inviolably. The Judaistic system they know, represent and champion, will not be theirs anymore. Something cosmically profound is about to transpire, and it all has to do with rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, the cornerstone upon which God’s Kingdom is truly founded. And if you don’t have the foundation, you don’t have the building either. John will reiterate this in crystal clarity later: “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 1:23)

And make no mistake here, no one, irrespective of any religious affiliation – Jew or Gentile – has God the Father as their God, if they reject Jesus as God’s Son. No one. There is no ambiguity here. None.

Nothing, nothing could possibly have been more offensive in the moment than for Jesus to say this. That the entirety of God’s kingdom rests upon Him, and not their brand of Judaism.

Now the key issue in this final portion revolves around that Jesus says in vs. 44 “The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Note first: That some will find taking Jesus as God’s Son and the promised Messiah, simply too much. They will be offended at Him. And in doing so, in stumbling over Him, they will themselves be shattered in due time.

This applies not just to the Jews of Jesus’ day. It is the same problem the Latter Day saints have, and that of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and other Christian cults, as well as Roman Catholicism and all other religions. Men will not yield to Christ His proper place. They will make Him one of many prophets or wise men, or “a” Savior, or a key to salvation to which other things must be added like good works, specific rites and rituals, etc, etc, ad infinitum. But that He alone saves by His atoning work on the Cross? That faith in Him alone is what is needed for one to be reconciled to God? That He is the singular, uncreated Son? That His blood is sufficient, and that alone? His exclusivity, divinity demand of faith in Him and His finished work alone are simply too much. They stumble over Him. And in the end, this will be their destruction. They will be utterly and irreparably – shattered.

Note second: Those who imagine they can sit on the fence regarding Christ, or who simply choose to ignore His person and work and opt either out of religion altogether, or find some other system preferable – will still be shattered. Maybe they didn’t reject Jesus outright, but simply sought a different way. They will not escape either. In due time, on the final day, He will fall on them, even if they did not as others, stumble over Him. It is a most sobering reality. He will one day judge all of mankind. All of mankind.

Everyone must reckon with Him.

Note third: the glory of the Gospel here. First, in that Jesus confronts His detractors with the truth once more. While men breathe, there is still time to repent. Oh that multiplied millions might still even now before His return and it is too late! But even in this moment in the text, they are met with truth. How gracious He is. He could have not engaged them at all, and been perfectly just.

And it is with this Gospel connection that Peter will Jesus as the cornerstone in Acts 4 “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Peter was gripped by this theme he repeats it again in 1 Pet. 2:6-8 “For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.”

And notice how for the Believer, we are reminded that trusting alone in Christ as God’s cornerstone will prove in the end to be certain. We will not be put to shame that we rested all on Him and Him alone. Such certainty belongs to those in Christ.

Paul too will come to the same place when expostulating on the wonder of where trusting Christ brings we Gentiles who were once so far off from the covenants and promises of God: “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph. 2:19-22)

Oh Christian, you stand in the most secure place in all the cosmos when you cast yourself upon Jesus as foundation of all we have and will have in God. He truly is our sure and unshakable cornerstone.