A cornerstone the builder rejected

“A stone which the builders rejected that became a cornerstone.”

The line is first found in Psalm 118 and again in Matthew 21 and finally in the first letter of the apostle Peter. The phrase, of course, is very familiar to us because we encounter it frequently in our daily reading but I have never really taken the time to really examine the origin and intent of the scripture. The commentaries I reviewed suggested the line referred to an event that took place during the building of the great temple. A large oddly shaped rock was delivered to the construction site but the laborers could find no use for it so they set it aside. Later, when the temple was nearly finished they needed a large stone to fill a gap in the lintel so they could finish the building. It turns out the seemingly useless rock sent to the site long before had a critical purpose after all because the rock fit in the space perfectly. The stone that had been rejected became the cornerstone of the temple.

Since we are not far removed from Easter we remain keenly aware that Jesus became the new temple of the new covenant. In Matthew 21:42 Jesus said: Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes'?”

He clearly is referring to himself as being the stone that will be rejected when he is crucified but upon his resurrection, he will become the cornerstone.

Is this not a common theme in our faith? Men reject but through divine intercession what has been rejected will become not only accepted but critically needed.