The Rejected Stone
The stone rejected by builders becomes the cornerstone.
The motif of the rejected stone appears in the New Testament as a metaphor for Jesus Christ, who is identified as the stone that the builders rejected but which became the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17). This imagery draws on the Old Testament theme of rejection by human authorities, where the Lord’s chosen one is spurned yet ultimately exalted by God. The passages show that rejection—whether of God, his word, or his anointed—is a recurring pattern in Israel’s history, culminating in the rejection of the Messiah.
Lore & Background
In the Old Testament, rejection is a central theme in Israel’s relationship with God. The people rejected God as king, demanding a human monarch (1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 10:19). Saul, the first king, rejected the word of the Lord, and in turn the Lord rejected him from being king (1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Samuel 15:26; 1 Samuel 16:1). The nation as a whole rejected God’s statutes and covenant, leading to their own rejection and affliction (2 Kings 17:15; 2 Kings 17:20). Prophets like Jeremiah and Hosea declare that the Lord rejects those who reject his word, law, or knowledge (Jeremiah 6:19; Jeremiah 8:9; Hosea 4:6). In the New Testament, Jesus explicitly applies the rejected stone imagery to himself. Jesus also predicts that the Son of Man will be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed before rising again (Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22). He warns that he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation (Luke 17:25). The Pharisees and lawyers are described as rejecting the counsel of God against themselves (Luke 7:30). The rejected stone thus symbolizes Christ, who was despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3), yet became the cornerstone of God’s redemptive work. The pattern of rejection—of God, his word, and his anointed—runs throughout scripture, from Israel’s demand for a king to the crucifixion of Jesus. Yet the passages also show that rejection does not thwart God’s purposes; the rejected stone is exalted.
Reader's Guide
The passages portray the rejected stone as a figure of reversal: what human builders discard, God makes central. In the Old Testament, rejection is consistently linked to disobedience and idolatry. The people reject God (1 Samuel 8:7; 1 Samuel 10:19), Saul rejects God’s word (1 Samuel 15:23), and Israel rejects God’s statutes (2 Kings 17:15). The consequence is divine rejection—of Saul as king (1 Samuel 15:26; 1 Samuel 16:1), of Israel as a nation (2 Kings 17:20; Jeremiah 6:30; Jeremiah 7:29), and of Judah (Jeremiah 14:19; Lamentations 5:22). Rejection is also a human action against God’s messengers: the Pharisees reject God’s counsel (Luke 7:30), and people reject the law (Jeremiah 6:19) and knowledge (Hosea 4:6). In the New Testament, the rejected stone is explicitly Jesus. He is the one despised and rejected by men (Isaiah 53:3), and the builders—the religious leaders—reject him (Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Luke 17:25). Yet this rejection becomes the means of his exaltation as the cornerstone (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17). The passages do not explain how rejection leads to exaltation; they simply state it as a divine act. The motif underscores that human rejection does not nullify God’s plan; rather, the rejected one becomes foundational. The only exception is Mark 6:26, where King Herod does not reject Herodias’s request, leading to John the Baptist’s death—a negative example of failing to reject evil.
Did You Know?
- The phrase 'the stone which the builders rejected' appears in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, and Luke 20:17, all quoting the same Old Testament passage.
- In 1 Samuel 8:7, God tells Samuel that the people have not rejected Samuel but have rejected God from reigning over them.
- Isaiah 53:3 describes the suffering servant as 'despised and rejected of men,' a description applied to Jesus in the New Testament.
- The only passage where someone does not reject is Mark 6:26, where King Herod does not reject Herodias’s request, leading to John the Baptist’s execution.