G. K. Beale on Jesus the Cornerstone that the Builders Rejected

Beale writes,

[T]he point of the psalm [118] quotation [in Mt 21:42] is that rejection of Jesus as the “cornerstone” of the temple (“the stone which the builders rejected”) is equivalent to rejection of Jesus as the true temple (“this became the chief cornerstone”), which is in the process of being built. Whereas the cornerstone in the psalm probably was a metaphor for a king who was seen to be crucial to the existence of the temple, here it is likely more than merely figurative and is an actual reference to Jesus, the king of Israel, becoming the foundation stone of the new temple.

Thus, the transferral of kingdom stewardship also includes transferral of stewardship of the new temple, centered not in an architectural sphere anymore but now in Jesus and all who identify with him. Matthew 21:41, 43 say that this new form of the kingdom (and by implication of the temple) will be the gentiles, though we know from elsewhere that a remnant of ethnic Jewish believers will also identify with Jesus and join with the gentiles as the new form of the kingdom and temple, which is the church. As further explanation of verse 43, Jesus says in verse 44, “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” Some commentators have rightly noticed that this second statement about a stone also has an OT background, this time from Dan. 2:34-35: “A stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue…and crushed [it],” and it “became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away.” The statue in Daniel represented the evil world empires that oppress God’s people, and the stone symbolized God’s kingdom of Israel that would destroy and judge these unbelieving kingdoms. Now, unbelieving Israel has become identified with pagan kingdoms and is portrayed as being judged along with them by also being “broken to pieces” and “scattered like dust.”

Thus, Jesus sees Israel as becoming indistinguishable from the ungodly nations and accordingly judged in the very same way. That is, Israel as a nation will no longer exist as God’s true covenant people, just as the pagan nations to be judged at the eschaton will no longer exist.

Beale, G. K. A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011, p. 681-2.