The Lord continued with another parable (Matt. 21:33-45). He told them of a man who owned a vineyard and hired people to take care of it for him. At a certain time the owner sent his slaves to collect the fruits. The husbandmen killed the slaves, and when the householder sent other slaves, they also killed or beat them. Finally, the householder sent his own son, thinking that the husbandmen would surely respect him. However, in an attempt to seize the inheritance, they killed the heir. This parable was the Lord's answer to the question concerning His authority. "What is My authority? My source? My position? My source is My Father. I am His Son. This is My position. My Father gave Me this authority." According to the parable, the rebellious ones realized that the heir had come and were saying, "This is the heir; come, let us kill him" (21:38).

Then the Lord went on to say, "Have you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, this has become the cornerstone...?" (21:42). By this word the Lord showed them that He was the Son of God who had come to receive God's inheritance. They would kill Him out of hatred, but afterward He would become the resurrected cornerstone for God's building. This building would be with another people, and by this building God's kingdom would be taken from them and given to others. Those other people would be the building of which He would be the cornerstone. The Lord continued, "This was from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes" (21:42). Then He said, "And he who falls on this stone shall be broken to pieces" (21:44). The Jewish people, the Jewish nation, and Judaism itself—all would fall upon Him and be broken. Also, "On whomever it falls, it shall scatter him as chaff" (21:44). Here we see three aspects of Christ as the stone. He is the chief cornerstone for the building of the church, but He is the stumbling stone to the Jewish people. All of the Jewish people, including the Jewish nation and religion, fell upon Him and were broken. According to Daniel 2:34-35, He will be the stone from heaven that will fall upon the earthly nations and break them into pieces. To the church He is the chief cornerstone, to the unbelieving and rebellious Jews, He became the stumbling stone, and to the Gentile world He will be the smiting stone.

The priests and the elders had questioned the Lord Jesus concerning His authority and origin. The Lord Jesus answered them in a very mysterious and offending way. The Pharisees realized that He was talking about them. Actually, the Lord Jesus was not talking about them. He was talking about Himself. He was revealing Himself as the Son of God, as the rejected and resurrected cornerstone for the building of the church, as the stumbling stone to the unbelieving Jews, and as the smiting stone to all the Gentile nations. He is the all-inclusive One. He is everything. He is for God, and He is for the church. He will deal with the Jews, and He will deal with the Gentile world. Only the Lord Jesus has the wisdom to speak such a word.

Don't be ambitious for a position, but be zealous for Christ. Christ is not only versus religion; He is also versus position. Forget about position, leadership, and greatness. We all must be zealous for Christ. Christ is my position. Christ is my greatness. Christ is everything to me. He is the Son of God, He is the heir of God's inheritance, and He is also the cornerstone that is rejected, resurrected, and chosen by God for His building. As the stone, He will be the judging stone to the unbelieving Jews and over all the Gentile nations. Christ is everything! So we must forget about ambition for position and be zealous for Christ.