In the New Testament, Jesus confronted the leaders of Israel for their part in the continued rejection of God’s servants who were sent to Israel. By their rejection of Jesus, they were complicit in the persecution and blood shedding of all the prophets and righteous men throughout Israel’s history.

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute. That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. ~ Luke 11:46-54

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ~ Matthew 23:29 -38

These two sections of scripture may seem as if they have absolutely nothing to do with the cross and resurrection of Jesus, but in fact, they do because they are part of the backdrop that leads to the scandal of the cross. 

With these two sections of scripture in mind, let’s read again from Matthew 21:33-42 where Jesus gives the parable of the vineyard.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. ~ Matthew 21:33-39

Notice how the parable of the vineyard runs parallel with the words of Jesus to the leaders of Israel in the two opening sections of scripture above (Luke 11:46-54 and Matthew 23:29 -38).

Within the story of Israel, the death of Jesus is the culmination of the rejection of the God of Israel by his people. This is a sobering truth, but it is also one that will bring us into a greater sense of humility and love for the grace and mercy of God because we all deserve judgment.

Thankfully, the parable of the vineyard does not end at verse 39 with the death of the Son. We have 3 more verses that lead our eyes to the resurrection of God’s Son.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? ~ Matthew 21:40-42 

Jesus is the stone the builders rejected, and as we move forward we are going to unpack that even further, but for now I want to draw you attention to what is said immediately afterwards, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.

The rejected stone (rejected by men) is the stone that God has chosen as the cornerstone. According to the scriptures, this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes!

In the Bible, when we read about Jesus as the stone the builders rejected, this refers to the sufferings of Christ. When we read about Jesus as the cornerstone, that is resurrection language. The resurrected Christ is the foundational stone of the house of God in God’s new creation.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. ~ Isaiah 28:16

In the parable of the vineyard, Jesus asks “Did ye never read in the scriptures that the rejected stone would become the cornerstone?”

This was God’s foreordained plan and is that which had been told to us by the prophets. The stone which the builders refused has become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. ~Psalm 118:22-23

I can not stress enough how important it is for us to grasp the impact of these words, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” This is the Lord’s doing. Not the theories, but this. In our first lesson I referenced that there are multiple theories (views) that are taught regarding the atonement. These theories serve as a framework endeavoring to explain the cross. Yet none of them have as their foundation the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone, which is the Lord’s doing within the story of Israel.

The theories (moral influence, ransom, Christus victor, satisfaction, penal substitution, governmental, and scapegoat theory), all have aspects of truth, but none of them can open our understanding regarding the cross and resurrection like the biblical narrative can.

We are just getting started in this study, and I hope you will continue to follow along. Until our next lesson, remember that Jesus, who was rejected by men, was chosen by God and this is the Lord’s doing! And when you see it, it will be marvelous in your eyes. 

Until lesson #3, blessings…