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March 22 – Mark 12:1-12

“‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’” ~ Mark 12:10-11


The cornerstone is the key stone in a foundation, and the entire structure rests on it. Jesus is the “cornerstone” of all creation and the church:

"For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." – Colossians 1:16-20 (NIV)


Everything was created through Jesus, and “all things hold together” in Him. Through Him, believers are redeemed, and God is reconciling Himself to all creation. We need Him more than the air we breathe and the water we drink. Yet, when He came in human form, He was rejected by the nation God had prepared to host Him. And they didn’t just rejected Him; they killed Him.


God knew this would happen. The cross was part of His grand plan for our redemption. Jesus was clear about this, telling His disciples three times before His final arrival in Jerusalem that He would die and rise again. In today’s passage, He predicts His death again through “The Parable of the Tenants,” and this time the prediction comes with a warning for the nation’s religious leaders.


In the parable, the vineyard is Israel; the vineyard owner is God, and the tenants are the religious leaders. In the first century, it was common for a wealthy person to buy land and leave it in the care of tenants, who would give the owner a portion of the crop grown on the land. The owner would send an emissary to collect his portion of the harvest. In this case, the emissaries are the prophets God had sent to Israel over the centuries, who had been regularly abused or killed. And now, the Son of God had come—the Son of the Landowner—and they would kill Him, too.


In Jesus’ time, if a landowner died without an heir, then the property went to the tenants who were working it. That’s why the tenants in the parable kill the son—they like having the land and all the harvest for themselves. The Jewish religious leaders liked the power and control they had. They liked the status quo. Jesus threatened that, so they had Him killed. As Jesus tells this parable, He lets them know that He knows what they are up to and that they are inviting God’s judgment and the revocation of His blessing. Even though Jesus’ death was God’s plan for redemption, those who rejected Him would face the consequences for doing so.


“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (v. 9). This final warning was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, killing many people. (Prophets warned the Christian community, and they left the city before its destruction.) The “others” to whom the vineyard was given were the Gentiles. The vineyard was opened to anyone who would accept Jesus as their cornerstone.


Jesus IS your cornerstone. All of creation depends and rests on Him, which means your life does, too. Draw near to Him today. Bring your burdens and struggles to Him. He is strong enough to bear them for you. He is strong enough to hold you up if you are going through a difficult time. Praise Him for His steadfast love for you that is deep, eternal, and unmovable. Rest in that love as you go about your day.

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My name is Melissa Anderson. I'm a spiritual director and ordained pastor who loves God, people, and words. You can read more about me by clicking the button below.

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