Chief Corner Stone

And He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time. At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out. The owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!” But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:
‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone’?
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” Luke 20:9-18


After the temple confrontation with the chief priests, scribes and elders, in which they could not answer His question regarding who authorized John's baptism, Jesus began to instruct the people who were listening to and observing this exchange. The ignorance and hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders had just been exposed for them all to see. He had begun to spell out their failure to fulfill their duty to God's people. He explained it in a parable of a vineyard.

The vineyard represents Israel. God (the man) planted that vineyard, left it in the care of others and went away for an indefinite time. The owner, at harvest time, sent a slave (an Old Testament prophet of God) to collect His portion of the fruit. The prophet was mugged and thrown out empty-handed. As was the next, and the next. Finally, God sent His Son, hoping He would be treated with respect. Not so. They only saw the Son's visit as an opportunity to get rid of the Lord's heir and take the vineyard for themselves. They killed Him and congratulated one another.

What would God the Father do about this? What would any loving, powerful father do about this? He personally came, took the vineyard from the usurpers, destroyed all of them and gave the vineyard to someone else. The people were horrified at this illustration. Surely, this would never happen. Jesus made it clear it WAS happening.

There was about to be a change of dispensations. Israel, the vine-growers of the Old Testament, had had their stewardship and had let greed and power lust distort everything God had purposed for His people. Not only were they not ready for the Messiah, they were hostile to Him when He appeared. Now it was time for a new stewardship, a new covenant, which would be entirely spiritual in nature and would encompass the whole of humanity. God had decreed it, and it would be so. Very soon. The Son was here to make it happen. It would mean His death; but in His death, burial and resurrection was the guarantee of New Birth to Eternal Life for those who believe.

Psalm 118:22: The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. There is no Kingdom without God the Son. They not only need to recognize, acknowledge and respect Him; they must totally depend on Him for their salvation. He is the only way. They who don't know the Son don't know the Father. If they stumble on the Son, they are broken to pieces. If He strikes them, they are demolished. He is the Rock of Offense Who cannot, Who will not be ignored. Without Jesus means without hope.