HE is the stone which, has been set at naught by you the builders, which, is become the head of the comer (Acts 4:1111This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. (Acts 4:11)). I think it may be profitable to linger over this passage, and to give a little of the history of this despised and rejected STONE as we find it in Scripture. Mention of it occurs in all parts of the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. We find it in Moses, and the Psalms, and the Prophets, as well as in the Evangelists, the Acts, the Epistles, and the Apocalypse. Let us consider—
1. THE PLACE WHENCE THE STONE IS TAKEN.— We have the first mention of the STONE in Gen. 49:2424But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) (Genesis 49:24), where Jacob is speaking to Joseph and blessing him (verse 22): "Joseph is a fruitful bough, oven a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (from thence is the Shepherd, THE STONE of Israel"). In this, the first mention of it, it comes before us in a parenthetic kind of way. It is only an obscure hint we get of it. But now that Christ has come, died, risen again, and gone into heaven, and that the Holy Ghost has come down, and now that the apostles have been sent out to preach in the power of the Spirit, and that miracles are being wrought, we find the apostle saying openly, "He is the stone which has been set at naught by you the builders, which is become the head of the corner.”
In Genesis it is not easy, at first sight, to ascertain the reason why it should be mentioned. But I think, when you find in the history of Joseph so beautiful a type of Jesus in his sorrows and trials, and in his subsequent exaltation and glory, you will see how appropriate it is that it should begin from this.
“Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall." This gives us the idea of great fruitfulness. The vine planted near the well is refreshed in its roots by the well's moisture, and its branches, which are fresh and vigorous, are trained so that the tendrils may climb up and hang on either side of the wall. Its fruitfulness comes from being near the well, and its fruitfulness appears by its running all over the wall, and hanging down its clusters of rich luscious grapes even on the other side. This tells of Joseph's glories; but they were preceded by the deepest trials. "The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him and hated him." Joseph was evil-entreated of his brethren, and hated of them, because God had given him dreams of glory and exaltation over them; and also because he had told of their bad conduct to their father: and he had been cast into a pit, drawn out, and then sold into Egypt (Gen. 37.) But his "bow abode in strength;" and the reason is, because "the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (from, thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel); even by the God of thy Esther, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee.”
This reveals to us the Lord Jesus Christ, and points to the quarry, if we may so speak, of death and resurrection, out of which "the STONE of Israel" was to be taken. It was from a condition of deepest humiliation that the hated and rejected JESUS rose to the highest height of glory, just as Joseph was cast into the pit and then into the prison in Egypt, and from thence was raised up to take the highest place in the administration of that ancient kingdom. JESUS, like Joseph, has been raised from the lowest depths of humiliation to God's right hand, the place of glory and honor and power. "From thence," from a condition like this, of utter rejection and degradation, the Stone of salvation has been taken. It is out of death and resurrection that we, as well as God's Israel, get the STONE of salvation. But this Stone is mentioned again when we come to the prophets. We find in Isaiah 28:1616Therefore 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)—
2. THE STONE IS PRESENTED AS A FOUNDATION.— "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. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place." They had been saying, "We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves." But He shows them that this is no foundation, for He will lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet, and their agreement with hell should not stand. His judgment would sweep all away; but He says, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation.”
How many there are who are making lies their refuge, and who are acting as if they had made an agreement with hell, so that the overflowing scourge should not overtake them! Am I on to this foundation? or am I resting on any work of my own? is a needful question to put to one's self when so many are resting in "the refuge of lies." Nothing that pertains to me will stand before the hailstorm and the overflowing flood of wrath: all is sand. Have I under me God's "sure foundation"? Let me not be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand, 'and when the storms carne and the winds blew, it fell, because it was built upon the sand; but be on this sure foundation, and be like the wise man who built his house on the rock. O beloved! let us not Test unless we feel the Rock under us; for nothing else will prove the Stone of salvation.
It was to His erring Israel that the Lord so warmly commended this stone; and to Israel it was first and primarily presented for their acceptance as a foundation for spiritual blessing and world-wide prosperity. But we know from the Gospels He was not accepted by the builders. In Matthew's Gospel Messiah is presented as son of Abraham and son of David, according to one prophet, then another and another. His royalty is traced in the beginning of that Gospel (ch. 1.); then Micah is cited for His birth as their ruler (ch. 2); then He is presented as the light from Galilee, according to Isaiah (ch. 4.); then as the King that was to come to Zion, "Behold the King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass" (ch. 21.) He was thus presented to Israel in a variety of ways, and at different times, and commended to them as "a sure foundation" when the nation lay in ruins; for everything had given way, and the Romans were in possession of their land; but He was rejected as their Messiah-King, and they said, "We have no king but Cæsar." How sad I Here was their Messiah, whom God had commended to them as the foundation-stone of Israel—by angels, by His forerunner, by His living voice from heaven, and yet He is rejected!
(1.) The Lord Jesus was tried by Satan, first in the wilderness forty days, and then again just before entering on His last sufferings—at the first by temptation, at the last by terror!
(2.) He was tried also by man. The Scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians (Matt. 22) all carne to Mm, and they tried what was in Him, and found nothing but perfect holiness, obedience to His Father's will, goodness to men, and devotedness to God's glory. He was without sin; "holy" when born, and holy in life; and He offered Himself "without spot unto God." And oven the Roman judge who condemned Him washed his hands of His blood, and said, "I find no fault at all in Him.”
(3.) And He was tried by God, when on the cross of Calvary; in the midst of the preternatural darkness, He laid our sins on Him, and hid His face from Him, for the first and the only time; and He was thus tried as our sin-bearer, to see if He could still glorify the Father, and He did so perfectly; for even then "He trusted in God," and said, "My God! My God! why hast Thou forsaken Me?" "Not My will but Thine be done," was. His language of perfect submission; and on Calvary He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit." His life and death formed one blessed whole of obedience and love; and God's "good pleasure" was in Him in life and death. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," was His testimony at Jordan's river and again on "the Holy Mount," and this was the voice of His act in raising Him from the dead. Jesus is indeed a "tried stone.”
And then He is "a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation." God only knows how "precious" is His Christ, and He commends Mm. He is precious as the Son of God; precious as the Christ of God, the Word made flesh; precious in His spotless life of goodness; precious in His sin-atoning death of shame; precious as the risen, living Priest within the veil; precious as "the head Stone of the comer" in the heavenly glory: "To you who believe, He is precious.”
And it is as a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, that He is presented as a "sure foundation" for salvation: "Neither is there salvation in any other." How very few are sure of their salvation by knowing that Christ is to them on God's part "a sure foundation;" who know that He has shed His blood for them, and that they are resting on Him, and that He is made unto them of God "wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption!" and represented when "preached to them with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." Do we know it? Ah! blessed be God there are many who do know Him in His love and grace, in His death and resurrection, and in the power of His precious blood as He is revealed in the Scriptures, and as the Holy Ghost has revealed Mm in our hearts. Knowing Him thus we can say, He is indeed "a sure foundation;" the only foundation: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which, is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:1111For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)). "And salvation is in none other. For there is none other name given under heaven among men whereby they must be saved" (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)). He is a "sure foundation," and resting in that name you cannot be lost, for He is called Jesus "because He caves His people from, their sins" (Matt. 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)).
There is none other foundation for pardon, life, and glory; but He is a "sure foundation," and once on Him, we "shall not make haste" hence (Isa. 28:1616Therefore 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)). We have in the Epistles "He that believeth on Him shall not be ashamed or confounded" (Rom. 10; 1 Peter 2) The believer will never be able to say, I have trusted in the blood of Christ to cleanse me, and I am not washed from my sins: I have trusted Him as my righteousness, and I am not clothed: I have trusted in Jesus as my life, and am yet dead: I have trusted Him for salvation, and am still lost. Ah, no! God says "Thou shalt be saved. Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
He that is on the sure foundation-stone, Christ, shall never be moved whatever transpire. When we see professors going down-hill and practicing sin, 1 John 3:6-106Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1 John 3:6‑10) (though he that is in Christ can never be lost), then we begin to ask on what foundation were these persons building? Not God's "sure foundation," for, if they ever had a real hold of Christ by a living faith, would they stumble on the stone and be broken? But he that is on Christ is on a rock, and shall never be moved; for He is the rock of our salvation, "and His work is perfect.”
3. THIS STONE WAS "SET AT NAUGHT." —Christ was refused of the Jewish builders, even although "approved of God" and commended by Him. Though "chosen of God and precious," the Lord Jesus was "disallowed, indeed, of men." They went forth in multitudes to look at God's Stone of salvation, and they deliberately refused Him and cast Him aside with scorn, saying, "Not this man, but Barabbas;" "Away with Him, let Him, be crucified." Man has ever disallowed God's will in all He has set up for blessing, as said Stephen when recounting God's various dealings in grace with Israel, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.”
Jesus, anointed of the Holy Ghost, ever going about doing good, and "approved of God," has also been "despised and rejected of men." They only had the desires of their hearts when they saw Jesus nailed to the cross: God had His heart's wish when He set Him upon His throne in the heavens! We have seen this STONE in humiliation, and in His life presented to Israel; and re-presented when preached to them, "with. the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." Psa. 118 tells the result, for there God, who knew the end from the beginning, speaks (as if it had already taken place) of Him as the rejected Stone:— "The Stone which, the builders refused." The STONE has been "REFUSED" after being presented in all its preciousness, in all its strength and suitableness, and commended by God Himself! Truly He "endured the contradiction of sinners against Himself.”
In such circumstances this Scripture is referred to by our Lord Himself in Matt. 21:4242Jesus 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 21:42)—"Jesus said unto them, Did ye never read in the Scripture?" (We are expected to be reading it; and see what pains God has taken to set before man the preciousness of Jesus by putting so many passages about Him in His word; and yet people think it a trouble to turn up the Bible and take out the precious things He has put in it.) Christ expects us to know the word, for He says, "Have ye never read in the Scripture, The stone which the builders rejected?" etc.
What was He speaking of when He asked this question? He was giving them the parable of the householder who planted a vineyard and hedged it round about, and put a wine-press in it, and let it out to husbandmen. This was a picture of God's sending Him as His last resource for their recovery and blessing as a nation. "Bid 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," (Matt. 21:37-3937But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But 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. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. (Matthew 21:37‑39)). Then He applies it, and says, in effect, "This is just what you are about to do to me." And it has now been done; for "of the Just One" they have been the "betrayers and murderers" (Acts 7:5252Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: (Acts 7:52)). For when He was taken before Pilate, and he would have let Him go, because he could find no cause of death in Him, they cried, "Crucify Him! crucify Him!" "They caught Him, and cast Him out, and killed Him." No doubt GOD took the opportunity of man's wickedness in nailing Him to the cross to lay our sins upon Him there; but that did not alter the fact of the enormity of their wickedness.
The apostle Peter refers to this again is his first epistle, and calls Mm "the Stone which the builders disallowed." Now that he speaks to the council of the Jews about the healing of the impotent man, he says, "He is the stone which was set at naught of you the builders, which has become the head of the comer." "The Stone of Israel" was set at naught by these Jewish builders! God would have Christ His promised foundation-stone laid in Zion, and would have them to build upon it; and they "disallowed" Mm. They would not have Him on any terms; but when presented, they cried, "Away with Him! away with Him! Let Mm be crucified!" And the apostle Peter, in writing his first epistle, alludes to it thus:— "The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the comer; and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." They were appointed to stumble, being "disobedient." "But unto you who believe He is precious.”