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THE REJECTED CORNER STONE
MANY truths delivered by our Lord militated strongly against the carnal notions of his hearers: they were ready on many occasions to reply, “This is an hard saying, who can hear it?” But he invariably appealed to their own Scriptures in confirmation of his word. Nor could any better method of silencing their objections be possibly devised. He had just warned the priests and elders that they would kill their Messiah; and that God would on that account transfer his Church to the Gentiles [Note: ver. 13–16.]. They, not conceiving that either of those events could ever take place, cried, “God forbid!” Our Lord, in reply, referred them to their own Scriptures, and added a most awful declaration of his own, in order that he might impress the passage more deeply on their minds. We shall consider,
I. The passage appealed to—
The words in their primary sense refer to David [Note: David’s establishment on the throne of Israel had been opposed to the uttermost: Saul had laboured incessantly to kill him: after the death of Saul, two tribes only acknowledged him as their king: it was seven years before the other tribes became subject to him: and then all the surrounding nations sought his destruction. But God made him triumphant over all: in remembrance of which mercy he penned the words before us. See Psa_118:10; Psa_118:22.]—
But they most undoubtedly have a reference to Christ also—
[Christ is represented in Scripture as the stone that should both support and connect the Church of God [Note: Isa_28:16.]: and the passage referred to in the text particularly declared, that he should be rejected by the very persons whose duty it was to edify and build up the Church. It announced however the determination of God to frustrate their designs, and to establish him as the head of the corner in spite of all their endeavours to destroy him. In this view the passage is quoted no less than six times in the New Testament: and its full accomplishment was triumphantly proclaimed before the very builders who had rejected him [Note: Act_2:36; Act_4:11-12.]—]
The particular manner in which our Lord appealed to them is worthy of notice—
[He “beheld” the objectors with a mixture of indignation and pity. He referred them to the words as to a passage well known among them, and generally considered even among themselves as applicable to the Messiah. His very look, together with the pointed manner of his address, intimated to them, that they were at that moment ignorantly fulfilling that prophecy, and that nothing but the most inveterate prejudice could induce them to persist one moment longer in such glaring impiety.]
The importance of this appeal will more strongly appear, if we consider,
II. The declaration founded upon it—
The latter part of the text is understood by most as intimating the more aggravated punishment that persecutors would incur beyond that of other unbelievers [Note: They suppose also that there is an allusion to the manner in which persons were stoned to death, viz. by casting them down first upon a large stone, and then throwing large stones upon them.]. Perhaps we may rather understand it as importing,
1. That all, who stumble at Christ, greatly endanger their own souls—
[Many are the grounds of offence which Christ affords to proud and ungodly men. To some the sublimity, to others the simplicity, to some the strictness, and to others the grace of his Gospel, becomes a stumbling-block. Hence some professedly “deny the Lord who bought them,” while others, “call him Lord, but will not do what he commands.” These equally stumble at Christ himself [Note: 1Pe_2:8.]. And as he who falls upon a great stone, will bruise and maim his body, so does he who thus stumbles at Christ wound his own soul [Note: What pangs of conscience, and dread of death and judgment, do such persons experience!]. Solomon, expressly speaking of Christ, attests this awful truth [Note: Pro_8:30; Pro_8:36.]—]
2. That they who provoke him to cut them off in their impenitence, will perish certainly and without a remedy—
[Many have rejected him for a season, and found acceptance with him at last; but they who abide in unbelief must inevitably perish. The despised Jesus will fall upon them at the last day, and grind them to powder: the weight of rocks and mountains would not more effectually crush a potter’s vessel, than he will his obstinate and unbelieving enemies [Note: Psa_2:9.].]
Surely this is a declaration which deserves the deepest attention—
[They who oppose the truth of Christ, think that they shall retard his work; at least, they do not apprehend that they shall endanger themselves. But they “kick against the pricks [Note: Act_9:5.].” As well may persons hope to wound a rock by casting themselves down upon it, as that they shall ever prevail against the Church of Christ: the injury will ultimately be sustained by themselves alone. The voice of God therefore in the text is like that of David, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way [Note: Psa_2:12.].]
Advices—
1. Attend diligently to every word of God which ye read or hear—
[The knowledge, which the Jews had by means of the Scriptures, rendered their guilt in rejecting Christ incomparably more heinous than that of the Roman soldiers; and we who enjoy the still clearer light of the New Testament, must contract ten-fold guilt if we reject him. How shall we be able to endure that appeal which will be made to us in the day of judgment, ‘Were not such and such things written respecting me? were not my invitations, promises, and expostulations set before you? were you not forewarned of the evils which a rejection of me would bring upon you?’ — — — Give earnest heed then to the word ye hear, lest, instead of proving a savour of life unto life, it become a savour of death unto death [Note: 2Co_2:16.].]
2. Examine carefully what regard ye are paying to Christ—
[All do not make him the head of the corner: many reject him still. If we be not with him, we are against him [Note: Mat_12:30.]. All that disobey him, as truly stumble at him, as if they were his avowed enemies [Note: 1Pe_2:8.]. Inquire then whether ye make him the foundation whereon ye build, and the corner-stone that unites you in love to every part of God’s spiritual temple. By this must ye know that ye are his true disciples.]
3. Be thankful if you have attained even the smallest knowledge of Christ—
[There is no hope whatever for those who, in a Christian land, die ignorant of Christ [Note: 2Th_1:8.]. But they who know him, have nothing to fear. To them is promised eternal life [Note: Joh_17:3.]. When the whole assembly of the ungodly shall be banished from his presence, they shall stand with great boldness [Note: 2Th_1:9-10.]. When the wicked will be crying to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them, the followers of the Lamb will be triumphing in their God. This promise is sure to all the seed [Note: Rom_9:33.]. Let Jesus then be more precious to all our souls; let us willingly consent to his being the head of the corner; let us, as lively stones, ever seek to be built up upon him [Note: 1Pe_2:4-5.]; and, though we should be despised and rejected like him, let us never be ashamed of owning him as all our salvation and all our desire.]