Luke the beloved physician wrote how Jesus began, “to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid”, and in chapter twenty and verse seventeen of his book Luke shared how Jesus asked, “what is this then that is written, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?” where we read:
And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written,
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
The verse reads, “And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he beheld them” or “and Jesus observed, looked upon and turned His eyes toward the religious leaders”, “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “what is this then that is written” or “what is therefore and on this account delineated or formed in letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material”. Luke shared how Jesus looked upon the “religious leaders” and asked them the following question which was “written” in the scriptures.
The verse continues, “... The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?” Luke added the words, “the stone” or “the building rock or stone” “which the builders rejected” which means “that the constructors and erectors of edifices repudiated, refused and disapproved”, “the same is become” or “the selfsame building stone has appeared in existence and been made” “the head of the corner” which means “the supreme, prominent and chief belonging to the external angle or secret place”? Luke shared how Jesus referred to the scripture found in Psalm Chapter one hundred and eighteen and verse twenty-two which declares how the “rejected stone” became the most prominent one in the building.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus employed the Holy Scripture to emphasize His point about that which was “rejected” being of most prominent importance. God sent His Son Jesus to a rejecting world, and yet He is the prominent One in God's Kingdom. The story is told of how “stones” within the temple of God were quarried outside of the temple location. The “chief cornerstone” was sent early in the process, and the builders set the stone aside. When they later needed the “chief cornerstone” to tie in the entire building, no one could locate the most important stone. Finally, someone remembered the “stone” that was sent early in the building, and they retrieved it. Though it was “cast aside”, it was actually the most important “stone” in the building. Jesus is the most important One in God's Kingdom, and those who are wise will believe and trust in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” and allow Him to be in the most prominent place in their hearts and minds. When they do, they are forgiven of their sins and promised everlasting life with God where Jesus will be the “chief” One to whom all people shall bow their knee and confess with their tongues.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus said, “whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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