◄ What Does Mark 12:10 Mean? ►

Having rejected: 1) The prophetic warning of John the Baptist to turn from their sins and produce righteous fruit. 2) The heavenly witness of the Father and the Spirit at His baptism. 3) The undeniable testimony of His messianic signs as proof of His heavenly calling, the leadership of Israel were further berated by Christ. He exposed the sinful desires of the leadership of Israel, which were to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ and claim His inheritance for themselves. And the means through which Jesus did this was the use of a scathing parable that exposed their evil hearts and condemned them of their blasphemous intentions.

The parable described the sad history of the chosen nation of Israel who repeatedly and persistently broke His holy covenant, rebelled against the God of their fathers, rejected His repeated entreaties to repent of their sins, and declared that the ill-treatment of many of God's messengers stood as witness against them (for they wounded some and treated others shamefully, beating some and killing others).

Having turned their back on the Lord their God for many generations, the religious leaders of Israel rejected the Word made flesh. They denied the living Truth Who had been sent from the Father. They spurned the only Way by which they must be saved. They rejected the Rock of their salvation. And the conclusion of the matter was summed up in the prophetic words of the Psalmist, which referred to the coming Messiah: "The Stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."

Christ's blistering words of condemnation against the wicked leaders of Israel, also stood as an undeniable proclamation that He was indeed their Messiah and was prophesying of His forthcoming betrayal and death. I AM the Stone that the builders rejected was His undeniable claim. I AM the Messiah of Israel, and I WILL become the Head of the Corner, despite your rejection of Me and your rebellion against the Lord God of your forefathers.

To the blinded eyes of the religious leaders of Israel, Christ's proclamation was blasphemy. To the believing hearts of all who are saved by grace through faith in His death, burial and resurrection they are Words of great comfort.

Despite their rebellion God is faithful to His people, and one day Israel will cry out: "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord," and they will declare: "The Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad."

Heavenly Father, how I bless and thank You that You tell us the end from the beginning. I am filled with awe and wonder when I read Old Testament prophecies like this one being fulfilled in Jesus in the New Testament. Thank You, Lord, that Jesus was the stone that the builders rejected, and yet in Your grace, He is the Cornerstone. He is King of kings and Lord of Lords, my Saviour and my Redeemer. To Him be all praise and glory, AMEN.