Mark 12:10
Have you never read this Scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Have you never read
This phrase is a rhetorical question posed by Jesus, emphasizing the expectation that the religious leaders should be familiar with the Scriptures. The Greek word for "read" is "anaginōskō," which implies not just reading but understanding and recognizing the significance of the text. Jesus is challenging the leaders' comprehension and application of the Scriptures, highlighting their spiritual blindness despite their scholarly status.

this Scripture
The term "Scripture" refers to the sacred writings of the Old Testament, which were authoritative and foundational for Jewish life and faith. In this context, Jesus is pointing to a specific passage from the Psalms, indicating that the events unfolding in His ministry were prophesied long ago. The use of "this" underscores the immediacy and relevance of the prophecy to the current situation.

The stone
In biblical symbolism, a "stone" often represents strength, stability, and permanence. The Greek word "lithos" is used here, which can denote a building stone or a precious stone. In the context of this verse, it refers to Jesus Himself, who is the foundation of God's redemptive plan. The imagery of a stone is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, where stones were used in altars, memorials, and as metaphors for God's enduring promises.

the builders
The "builders" symbolize the religious leaders and authorities of Israel, who were responsible for guiding the people in spiritual matters. The Greek word "oikodomountes" suggests those who construct or establish. Ironically, these leaders, who should have recognized and embraced the Messiah, instead rejected Him. This highlights the tragic failure of those entrusted with spiritual oversight.

rejected
The Greek word "apodokimazō" means to reject after examination, to disapprove, or to repudiate. This rejection was not due to ignorance but a deliberate decision against Jesus, despite the evidence of His messianic identity. This act of rejection fulfills the prophetic Scriptures and serves as a warning against the hardness of heart and spiritual pride.

has become
This phrase indicates a transformation or change in status. The Greek "ginomai" suggests coming into being or becoming something new. Despite being rejected, Jesus' role and significance are divinely ordained and unalterable. This transformation from rejection to exaltation is central to the Christian message of resurrection and redemption.

the cornerstone
The "cornerstone" is a critical element in construction, serving as the principal stone that holds the structure together. The Greek word "kephalē gōnias" literally means "head of the corner." In ancient architecture, the cornerstone was the first stone set, determining the position of the entire structure. Spiritually, Jesus as the cornerstone signifies His foundational role in the Church and His preeminence in God's kingdom. This imagery is rich with Old Testament allusions, particularly in Psalm 118:22, and is echoed throughout the New Testament, emphasizing Jesus' centrality in salvation history.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, Jesus is addressing the religious leaders, using a parable to illustrate their rejection of Him as the Messiah.

2. Religious Leaders
The audience of Jesus' parable, including the chief priests, scribes, and elders, who are being confronted for their failure to recognize Jesus as the cornerstone of God's plan.

3. The Stone
Symbolically represents Jesus, who is rejected by the builders (religious leaders) but becomes the cornerstone, essential for the foundation of God's kingdom.

4. Builders
Represents the religious leaders of Israel who were responsible for guiding the people but failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

5. Cornerstone
A key architectural element, symbolizing Jesus as the essential foundation of the Church and God's redemptive plan.
Teaching Points
Understanding Rejection
Recognize that Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders, yet He is the cornerstone of our faith. This teaches us about the paradox of divine wisdom versus human understanding.

Foundation of Faith
Jesus as the cornerstone signifies the importance of building our lives and faith upon Him. He is the essential foundation for spiritual growth and stability.

Prophetic Fulfillment
The rejection and exaltation of Jesus were foretold in Scripture, affirming the reliability and divine inspiration of the Bible.

Challenge of Acceptance
Just as the religious leaders rejected Jesus, we must examine our own hearts to ensure we are not rejecting His lordship in our lives.

Role of the Church
As believers, we are part of the spiritual building with Jesus as the cornerstone. This calls us to unity and alignment with His teachings.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding Jesus as the cornerstone influence your personal faith and daily life?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are not like the builders who rejected the stone, but rather accept and build upon Jesus as our foundation?

3. How does the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus' life strengthen your confidence in the reliability of Scripture?

4. What are some practical ways you can align your life more closely with Jesus as the cornerstone of your faith?

5. How can the Church today reflect the unity and purpose that comes from being built on the foundation of Jesus Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 118:22
This Old Testament verse is directly quoted by Jesus, emphasizing the prophetic nature of His rejection and ultimate exaltation.

Acts 4:11
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, reiterates this truth, affirming Jesus as the cornerstone rejected by the builders, now the foundation of salvation.

Ephesians 2:20
Paul speaks of the Church being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

1 Peter 2:7
Peter again references this concept, highlighting the honor for those who believe in Jesus as the cornerstone.
A Guilty ConscienceMark 12:1-12
Christ Ungratefully TreatedMark 12:1-12
Cruelty to ChristD. L. Moody.Mark 12:1-12
God the Proprietor of AllH. W. Beecher.Mark 12:1-12
God's Care of His ChurchG. Petter.Mark 12:1-12
God's Dealings with the Jews are Signified in This ParableG. Petter.Mark 12:1-12
God's ForbearanceOtto Funcke.Mark 12:1-12
God's LongsufferingC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 12:1-12
God's Love in Sending His SonH. W. Beecher.Mark 12:1-12
Obligation to GodMark 12:1-12
Parable of the VineyardJ.J. Given Mark 12:1-12
Pursued by God's MercyMother's TreasuryMark 12:1-12
Rejected and ChosenThe Preacher's MonthlyMark 12:1-12
Rejection of Christ a Common, But Most Unreasonable IniquityPresident Davies.Mark 12:1-12
Reverence Claimed for ChristJ. Burns, D. D.Mark 12:1-12
The Builders Overruled by the Great ArchitectR. Finlayson, B. A.Mark 12:1-12
The Church Divinely ProtectedH. M. Luckock, D. D.Mark 12:1-12
The Evil HusbandmenE. Johnson Mark 12:1-12
The Head of the CornerC. S. Robinson, D. D.Mark 12:1-12
The Headstone of the CornerAnon.Mark 12:1-12
The Parable of the VineyardH. M. Luckock, D. D.Mark 12:1-12
The Parable of the VineyardA.F. Muir Mark 12:1-12
The Parable of the Vineyard; Or, Unfaithfulness and its RewardR. Green Mark 12:1-12
The Pleading of the Last MessengerC. H. Spurgeon.Mark 12:1-12
The Rejected StoneM. F. Sadler, M. A.Mark 12:1-12
The Reverence Due to the Son of GodG. Phillips.Mark 12:1-12
The Son RejectedC. M. Southgate.Mark 12:1-12
The Stream of Mercy Directed into Another CourseWilliam Arnot.Mark 12:1-12
The Vineyard, or the Visible Church Transferred to the GentilesE. N. Kirk, D. D.Mark 12:1-12
The World's IngratitudeM. Denton.Mark 12:1-12
They Will Reverence My SonH. Clay Trumbull.Mark 12:1-12
People
David, Herodians, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Added, Builded, Builders, Building, Capstone, Chief, Corner, Cornerstone, Corner-stone, Haven't, Passage, Rejected, Scripture, Stone, Writing, Writings
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Mark 12:10

     1240   God, the Rock
     1611   Scripture, inspiration and authority
     2203   Christ, titles of
     2333   Christ, attitude to OT
     5207   architecture
     5240   building
     5403   masons
     5433   occupations
     6231   rejection of God
     7024   church, nature of

Mark 12:1-11

     2309   Christ, as judge
     4538   vineyard
     6223   rebellion, of Israel
     7512   Gentiles, in NT

Mark 12:1-12

     7135   Israel, people of God

Mark 12:1-17

     7552   Pharisees, attitudes to Christ

Mark 12:10-11

     1670   symbols
     2069   Christ, pre-eminence
     2366   Christ, prophecies concerning
     4366   stones
     5175   reading
     5269   cornerstone

Library
God's Last Arrow
'Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them.'--Mark xii. 6. Reference to Isaiah v. There are differences in detail here which need not trouble us. Isaiah's parable is a review of the theocratic history of Israel, and clearly the messengers are the prophets; here Christ speaks of Himself and His own mission to Israel, and goes on to tell of His death as already accomplished. I. The Son who follows and surpasses the servants. (a) Our Lord here places Himself in
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Dishonest Tenants
'And He began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Not Far and not In
'Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.'--Mark xii. 34, 'A bruised reed He will not break, and the smoking flax He will not quench.' Here is Christ's recognition of the low beginnings of goodness and faith. This is a special case of a man who appears to have fully discerned the spirituality and inwardness of law, and to have felt that the one bond between God and man was love. He needed only to have followed out the former thought to have been smitten by the conviction of his own sinfulness, and
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Marvels of Holy Scripture, --Moral and Physical. --Jael's Deed Defended. --Miracles vindicated.
Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. ON a certain occasion, the Son of Man was asked what was thought a hard question by those who, in His day, professed "the negative Theology [588] ." There was a moral and there was physical marvel to be solved. Both difficulties were met by a single sentence. The Sadducean judgment had gone astray from the Truth, (planasthe our Saviour said,) from a twofold cause: (1) The men did not understand those very Scriptures
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

Obedience to God the Way to Faith in Christ.
"When Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."--Mark xii. 34. The answer of the scribe, which our blessed Lord here commends, was occasioned by Christ's setting before him the two great commandments of the Law. When He had declared the love of God and of man to comprehend our whole duty, the scribe said, "Master, Thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but He: and to love Him with all the heart, and with
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

The Unity of the Divine Being
"There is one God." Mark 12:32. 1. And as there is one God, so there is one religion and one happiness for all men. God never intended there should be any more; and it is not possible there should. Indeed, in another sense, as the Apostle observes, "there are gods many, and lords many." All the heathen nations had their gods; and many, whole shoals of them. And generally, the more polished they were, the more gods they heaped up to themselves. But to us, to all that are favoured with the Christian
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

For the Candid and Thoughtful
It strikes me that this scribe was half-hearted in the work of tempting our Lord, even at the first. I should imagine him to have been a very superior man amongst his fellows, a man of greater light and discernment than the rest, and of greater ability in statement and discussion. Possibly for this cause his brother scribes selected him, and put him forward to ask the testing questions. Now, it will sometimes happen that a man is thrust forward by others to do what he would never have thought of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 26: 1880

The First and Great Commandment
It is "the first commandment," again, not only for antiquity, but for dignity. This command, which deals with God the Almighty must ever take precedence of every other. Other commandments deal with man and man, but this with man and his Creator. Other commands of a ceremonial kind, when disobeyed, may involve but slight consequences upon the person who may happen to offend, but this disobeyed provokes the wrath of God, and brings his ire at once upon the sinner's head. He that stealeth committeth
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Observing the Offerings and Widow's Mites.
(in the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) ^B Mark XII. 41-44; ^C Luke XXI. 1-4. ^b 41 And he sat down over against the treasury [It is said that in the court of the women there were cloisters or porticos, and under the shelter of these were placed thirteen chests with trumpet-shaped mouths into which offerings might be dropped. The money cast in was for the benefit of the Temple. An inscription on each chest showed to which one of the thirteen special items of cost or expenditure the contents would
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

A Serious Persuasive to Such a Method of Spending Our Days as is Represented in the Former Chapter.
1, 2. Christians fix their views too low, and indulge too indolent a disposition, which makes it more necessary to urge such a life as that under consideration.--3. It is therefore enforced, from its being apparently reasonable, considering ourselves as the creatures of God, and as redeemed by the blond of Christ.--4. From its evident tendency to conduce to our comfort in life.--5. From the influence it will have to promote our usefulness to others.--6. From its efficacy to make afflictions lighter.--7.
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

The Cross as a Social Principle
Social Redemption is Wrought by Vicarious Suffering DAILY READINGS First Day: The Prophetic Succession And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
Walter Rauschenbusch—The Social Principles of Jesus

Whether to the Words, "Thou Shalt Love the Lord Thy God with Thy Whole Heart," it was Fitting to Add "And with Thy Whole Soul, and with Thy Whole Strength"?
Objection 1: It would seem that it was unfitting to the words, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart," to add, "and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength" (Dt. 6:5). For heart does not mean here a part of the body, since to love God is not a bodily action: and therefore heart is to be taken here in a spiritual sense. Now the heart understood spiritually is either the soul itself or part of the soul. Therefore it is superfluous to mention both heart and soul. Objection
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Tribute Money
"And they send unto Him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch Him in talk. And when they were come, they say unto Him, Master, we know that Thou art true, and carest not for any one: for Thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God: Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye Me? bring Me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Christ and the Sadduccees
"And there come unto Him Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection: and they asked Him, saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed; and the second took her, and died, leaving no seed behind him; and the third likewise: and the seven left no seed. Last of all the woman also
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

The Discerning Scribe
"And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

David's Lord
"And Jesus answered and said, as He taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the Son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit,-- The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, Till I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet. David himself calleth Him Lord; and whence is He his son? And the common people heard Him gladly. And in His teaching He said, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the marketplaces, and chief
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

The Widow's Mite
"And He sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto Him His disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they which are casting into the treasury; for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." MARK
G. A. Chadwick—The Gospel of St. Mark

Talks with Bohler
I asked P. Bohler again whether I ought not to refrain from teaching others. He said, "No; do not hide in the earth the talent God hath given you." Accordingly, on Tuesday, 25, I spoke clearly and fully at Blendon to Mr. Delamotte's family of the nature and fruits of faith. Mr. Broughton and my brother were there. Mr. Broughton's great objection was he could never think that I had not faith, who had done and suffered such things. My brother was very angry and told me I did not know what mischief
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Room was Like and Oven
Sunday, 8.--We were at the minster [21] in the morning and at our parish church in the afternoon. The same gentleman preached at both; but though I saw him at the church, I did not know I had ever seen him before. In the morning he was all life and motion; in the afternoon he was as quiet as a post. At five in the evening, the rain constrained me to preach in the oven again. The patience of the congregation surprised me. They seemed not to feel the extreme heat or to be offended at the close application
John Wesley—The Journal of John Wesley

The Morality of the Gospel.
Is stating the morality of the Gospel as an argument of its truth, I am willing to admit two points; first, that the teaching of morality was not the primary design of the mission; secondly, that morality, neither in the Gospel, nor in any other book, can be a subject, properly speaking, of discovery. If I were to describe in a very few words the scope of Christianity as a revelation, [49] I should say that it was to influence the conduct of human life, by establishing the proof of a future state
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

Prophecy.
PROPHECY. Isaiah iii. 13; liii. "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. ^A Matt. XXI. 33-46; ^B Mark XII. 1-12; ^C Luke XX. 9-19. ^b 1 And he began to speak unto them ^c the people [not the rulers] ^b in parables. { ^c this parable:} ^a 33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a ^b pit for the ^a winepress in it
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Links
Mark 12:10 NIV
Mark 12:10 NLT
Mark 12:10 ESV
Mark 12:10 NASB
Mark 12:10 KJV

Mark 12:10 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Mark 12:9
Top of Page
Top of Page