#DailyDevotion Jesus Is YHWH, The Stone Rejected
Matt. 2142Jesus asked them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures: ‘The Stone the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone. The Lord has done it, and we think it is wonderful? 43That is why I tell you, God’s kingdom will be taken away from you and be given to a people who will do its works. 44Anyone who falls on that Stone will be smashed to pieces, and if It falls on anyone, It will scatter him like dust.” 45When the ruling priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew He was talking about them. 46They wanted to grab Him but were afraid because the people thought He was a prophet.
Jesus quotes Psalm 118. Here are some other pertinent quotes from that Psalm: Psalm 1181 Thank the LORD because He is good and merciful forever… 8It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust men… 10All the nations surrounded me. in the LORD’s name I have defeated them;… 16 the LORD’s right hand is working mightily. He then picks up on the theme of cornerstone and quotes Isaiah 2816This is why the Lord GOD says: “I am laying a stone in Zion, the well-tested Stone, the precious Cornerstone as the solid Foundation. Anyone who believes in Him, will not have to run away…It is fitting that verse eighteen concludes this thought, “Then your treaty with death will be canceled; your agreement with the grave will not stand.” For it is in their rejection of Jesus that their treaty with death, our treaty with death is cancelled.
Jesus being the rejected cornerstone is picked up by the Apostles. In Acts 48“Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. ‘Rulers of the people and elders,’ he said to them. 9if we’re questioned today about helping a crippled man, how he was made well, 10 all of you and all the people of Israel should know this man stands healthy before you by the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, Whom you crucified but God raised from the dead. 11He is the Stone rejected by you builders and has become the Cornerstone. 12No one else can save us, because in all the world there is only one name given us by which we must be saved.”
Paul also sees these passages as important to our faith. He says, Romans 930 “What does it mean? Non-Jewish people who didn’t search for righteousness found a righteousness we receive through believing, 31while Israel, pursuing a Law with its righteousness, didn’t find it. 32Why? They didn’t try to get it by faith but thought they could get it by works. They stumbled over the stumbling block, 33as the Bible says: ‘I’m putting in Zion a Stone they will stumble over and a Rock they will fall over. But if you believe in Him, you will not be disappointed.’”
Peter in his letter must not have forgotten what he said in Acts, 1 Peter 24“Come to Him. He is the living Stone Whom men rejected but God selected as precious. 5You also are being built as living stones into a spiritual temple, to be holy priests who bring spiritual sacrifices that God gladly accepts through Jesus Christ. 6The Bible says: ‘I am laying in Zion a Cornerstone, chosen and precious, and if you believe in Him, you’ll never be disappointed.’ 7He is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe ‘He is the Stone which, rejected by the builders, has become the Cornerstone, 8the Stone they stumble over and the Rock they fall over.’ When they disobey the Word, they stumble over it; that’s the end appointed for them.” Don’t let Jesus be a stumbling block to your salvation but the chief cornerstone of it.
Merciful and Wise Father, you make Jesus the chief cornerstone the builders rejected and have told us to look to him for salvation and we will not be disappointed. Grant us this faith for the sake of your son Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.