THE CAPSTONE IS THE MIC DROP OF HEAVEN
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
Psalm 118:22, 1984 NIV
Despite tremendous manifestations of Heaven operating on earth during His ministry, Jesus Christ was vigorously opposed by the religious and civil leadership of the day, the heads of state. This leadership did not rejoice in the reality of Heaven appearing among men; they saw it as a threat to their power and their authority.
The rejection of Jesus became so severe that they plotted to kill Him; to snuff out the light of Heaven that was sent to dwell among men.
the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
Mk 14:1
After all, those in power could not afford to let things get out of control; the eyes of the people were meant to be fixed on them.
A KEY MOMENT IN HEAVEN ON EARTH
In one such encounter, days before the Cross, Jesus entered Jerusalem and ministered outside the Temple. He was not pleased with what He found within His "Father's House."
Jesus proceeded to drive out the money changers and expose the corruption that had infiltrated the Temple of the Most High God.
He also proceeded to heal the lame.
Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
Matt 21:14
After all, from the Son’s perspective, what better place to demonstrate Heaven’s authority over earth than outside the Father’s House?
As it turns out, this was a key moment for the kingdom of God. There was already a heightened sense of insecurity on the part of the leadership of Israel; much of the nation had gathered within the city of Jerusalem for a national assembly, a Feast called Passover. Whenever there was such an assembly, the Temple became the center of activity. All eyes were on the leadership and their ability to maintain their authority and control.
Then Jesus arrived, healed the sick and exposed corruption at the Temple. Things heated up and the leaders took offense.
“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
Matt 21:23
These were not so much questions as they were accusations. In our day, these words would sound like: “Just who do you think you are?”
For centuries, from the time of their forefathers, these leaders had the system of control set in place. They held the respect and awe of the people. This is how they derived power and prestige.
Now what’s all this commotion? Some guy from Nazareth thinks He knows something?
It was while Heaven’s authority was being challenged at the Temple and in front of an assembled nation that Jesus “drops the stone.” This stone was what we could consider the "mic drop of Heaven."
Jesus told a parable and concluded it with a question:
"Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"
Matt 24:42
Jesus answered their challenge to Heaven's authority with a stone.
Really? A stone, Jesus?
Put yourself in front of the leadership and heads of state in His day, and ask, would this be the answer you would give to the leaders and religious scholars, the shepherds who ruled all Israel? The most respected men in the land? A quote about a stone?
Jesus was in some way justifying the fullness of His authority from Heaven here on Earth through a stone, a “capstone.” He must have known there was tremendous significance in the meaning of this stone. Unfortunately, over time, this stone has changed names many times, and has been obscured by modern English versions. Most commonly, it reads as the "chief cornerstone" in Bibles of today, a vague architectural term that leads to confusion.
Looking back on His life and ministry, there were plenty of confrontations before this with various men of authority. This was not the first time He faced the ire and opposition of the learned; a religious mob had at one point tried to throw Him off a cliff! This was not His first rodeo.
Curiously, however, Jesus saved the “capstone” for this specific moment, for a confrontation with the top of the top, the heads of state, the men with all the power. It was as if Jesus was “pulling out the big guns” for the chief scholars, rabbis and politicians, gathered in Jerusalem for the feast.
This, however, would not be the last these men would hear of this stone. A second encounter would bring them face to face with the reality of this stone, an encounter so similar in parallel to the one above it is miraculous to say the least.
PETER AND JOHN CONFRONTED
During another assembly of Israel (this time the Feast of Pentecost), after the disciples had been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), the authority of Heaven was on display again, this time through the ministry of Peter and John.
The nation had gathered once again in Jerusalem, for a general assembly, another “feast.” As before with the Feast of Passover, the Temple was the center of activity.
With new power from on high (Acts 2), Peter and John made their way to the Temple to pray (Acts 3). As they walked through the gate, they encountered a man who had been lame since birth:
Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer… And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple… to ask alms from those who entered the temple… Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Acts 3:1–4
Their prayer resulted in the physical healing of a lame man. His feet and ankle bones strengthened and he stood for the first time in his entire life. From that moment on, his life was forever changed, and understandably, he went “walking and leaping” behind Peter and John into the Temple, praising God. He created such a commotion that the leaders took notice. And that’s when things began to heat up, again.
Peter and John were hauled off to jail.
Take a moment to take in the amazing parallel between these two encounters, one with Jesus and one with Peter and John.
In both cases, the authority of Heaven was manifesting outside the “Father’s House,” the Temple in Jerusalem
The result in both cases was the healing of the lame.
Both miracles occurred during an assembly of the nation, a Feast, when all eyes were on the Temple. It was as if God was “setting the stage” for the demonstration of His power and presence among men. We find the same timing (an assembly of the nation or feast), the same place (the Temple), and the same miracle (the healing of the lame). These three link the confrontation between Jesus and the leadership to the confrontation between Peter and the leadership.
Because both took place during an assembly of the nation, a feast, the leadership was on hand; they had gathered in Jerusalem. These were the same men who confronted Jesus. This makes the fourth parallel in the encounters. We have the same timing, the same place, the same miracle, and then the same men.
The fifth parallel: The response from the leadership. The same ire and vitriol; in this case they had Peter and John were arrested.
The next day, the two disciples were brought before the rulers of Israel, and questioned:
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
Acts 4:7
Even the line of questioning was the same: “Just who do you think you are?”
The first time, Jesus answered these men with a stone, the capstone. This time, it was Peter's turn to respond to their accusations:
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. [Jesus] is: "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone'."
Acts 4:8, 10–11
Their minds must have been spinning.
“Did this fisherman just mention a stone? The same one as the Nazarene?”
“What is it with this stone!”
IN SUMMARY
The leadership of His day completely missed the message of the Capstone.
Does the leadership of today understand the Capstone any better? Or have they settled for a less meaningful version called the cornerstone?
The parallels are amazing.
