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Response to Misha'al Al-Kadhi: The Rejected Stone
A response to 6.13
The Rejected Stone
Mr. Al-Kadhi claims that Jesus (pbuh) spoke of the kingdom
of God being taken away from the Jews and given to the
rejected stone (which he interprets as being the descendants
of Ishmael). He gives Matthew 21:33-46 as a reference.
He then states that prophethood was transferred away from
the nation of the Jews.
That is incorrect. (Corrupting the word with his pen might be
the less polite but more accurate description of it.)
The verse reads, "The stone which the builders rejected,
the same is become the head of the corner: this is the
Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?". This
doesn't say or mean anything like "the kingdom of God
being given to the rejected stone". What was Mr. Al-Kadhi
thinking about when he made this statement?
"Prophethood being transferred away from the Jews"?
Where does one read that from within those verses? It has
already been shown in section 6.8 that the covenant and
prophethood did not extend to Ishmael and his descendants.
In this parable, the householder represents God the Father,
and the son is the Lord Jesus Christ. The husbandmen are
a picture of Israel. "The kingdom of God shall be taken from
you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof"
- that is, taken from the non-believing Jews and given to
the Church (made up or Jews originally). To Christian
believers, Peter wrote, "But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9),
"Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken" relates
to Christ's first coming. He is the Rock on which the
church is built (1 Corinthians 3:11). To fall on that Stone
is to come to Christ for salvation in this day of grace.
"But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to
powder" refers to those who reject Christ and that Stone
falls later in the judgement about which Daniel prophesied
(Daniel 2:34,44-45). Revelation chapter 19 also shows when
Jesus comes with great power and great glory to defeat his
enemies at his second coming.
"Where does the text state the "son" shall come back to
life but the other dead servants shall not?"
These words are not part of the parable. Why? Ask
Jesus. I don't want to speculate incorrectly.
Mr. Al-Kadhi states, "Jesus (pbuh) is speaking to the
Jews as a racial entity. The men standing before him did
not kill, beat, and stone the previous prophets, rather
their forefathers did".
How does he know anything about these men? He doesn't even
know their names, but thinks he can know what they've done
in their lifetime? Does Mr. Al-Kadhi even forget that these
men were probably the ones cheering when they saw Jesus
hanging on the cross?
According to Matthew 21:45, the Jews knew that Jesus was
talking about them ... that's why they tried to arrest
Jesus but feared what the crowd might do (verse 46). Let
me tell you, these Jews really got upset with what Jesus
said about them.
Mr. Al-Kadhi then states, "some have misunderstood this
verse to refer to Jesus (pbuh) as the rejected stone.
This can be seen to be a misinterpretation by simply
reading the above verse carefully".
Does Mr. Al-Kadhi even take his own advice on reading verses
carefully?
What is the imagery depicted by the cornerstone? Answer:
the stone laid at the corner where two walls meet and
connecting them.
Who is the rejected stone?
The reference is to Jesus. Many scriptural verses show this:
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief
cornerstone" (Psalms 118:22).
[His humiliation: he is the stone which the builders refused;
he is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, Daniel
(2:34). This stone was rejected by the builders, by the
rulers and the people of the Jews (Acts 4:8,10,11). They
refused to own him as the Messiah. They denied him in the
presence of Pilate (Acts 3:13) when they said, we have no
king but Caesar.
His exaltation: he is advanced to the highest degree both
of honour and usefulness, to be above all, and all in all.
He is the chief-corner-stone in the foundation, in whom
Jew and Gentile are united, that they may be built up
one holy house. He is the chief top-stone in the corner,
in who the building is completed, and who must in all things
have the pre-eminence, as the author and finisher of our
faith - Bethany Commentary of the Old Testament, copyright
1985, p. 1154].
"He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against;
for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles
over - a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be
broken; they shall be snared and taken" (Isaiah 8:14-15).
Both houses ... Israel and Judah. The very stone (Jesus)
would have been a sanctuary for those who believe but
would have become a fatal stumbling block for unbelievers.
"Therefore, thus says the Lord God, See, I am laying in
Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious
cornerstone, a sure foundation ... and I will make
justice the line and righteousness the plummet" (Isaiah
28:16-17).
Jesus was tested by the devil (Luke 4:1-13) and by men
(Luke 20:1-38). Jesus is the precious stone (1 Peter 2:7).
Jesus is the foundation of the church (1 Corinthians
3:11).
The building up of Jesus' church; having laid the foundation
(v 16), he will raise the structure, as builders do, by line
and plummet, (Zechariah 4:10). Righteousness shall be the
line and judgement the plummet. The church, being formed
on Christ, shall be formed and reformed by the scripture.
"THIS JESUS IS THE STONE that was REJECTED by you, the
builders; it has become the CORNERSTONE. There is salvation
in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given among mortals by which we must be saved"
(Acts 4:11-12).
"... built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus HIMSELF as the CORNERSTONE. In him the
whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy
temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:20-21).
"Come to him, a living STONE, though REJECTED by mortals
yet chosen precious in God's sight ... for it stands in
scripture, See I am laying in Zion a stone, a CORNERSTONE
chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will
not be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:4-6).
The disciples and the prophets are talking about Jesus.
Jesus is the rejected stone.
The Rebuttal to "What Did Jesus Really Say?"
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