King James Bible
"And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?"
Jesus fixes his gaze on his opponents (the chief priests and scribes who questioned his authority) with penetrating intensity. This direct look signals a pivotal moment where he will use Scripture to condemn their rejection of God's chosen one. Jesus introduces his quotation of Psalm 118:22 with a rhetorical question, forcing his hearers to confront a scripture they know well. His challenge implies they have missed the psalm's true meaning despite their scholarly expertise. The builders represent Israel's religious leaders who, like construction workers discarding a stone as unusable, have rejected God's chosen cornerstone. In the immediate context of the parable of the wicked tenants, Jesus identifies himself as this rejected stone. The cornerstone (or capstone) was the most crucial stone in ancient construction, determining the building's alignment and stability. God's vindication transforms the rejected one into the foundation of his new spiritual temple, reversing human judgment through divine action.