Saying 66 - The Rejected Building Stone

Nag Hammadi Coptic Text

BLATZ (66) Jesus said: Show me the stone which the builders rejected; it is the cornerstone.

LAYTON (66) Jesus said, "Show me the stone that the builders rejected: that is the building stone."

DORESSE 70 [66]. Jesus says: "Would that thou couldst tell me about the stone which the builders have rejected! It is that one, the cornerstone."

 

Funk's Parallels

Ps 118:22
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Luke 20:9-19
Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 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? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.

Matt 21:33-46
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

Mark 12:1-12
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. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Acts 4:11
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

1 Pet 2:4
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.

1 Pet 2:7
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.

 

Scholarly Quotes

Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write:

"Just as in the synoptic gospels (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17), the saying about the stone which the builders rejected is appended to the parable of the vineyard. (The Naassenes too were impressed by this mysterious saying; cf., Hippolytus, Ref., 5, 7, 35.) But Thomas deletes the synoptic reference to 'reading' this saying (Matthew, Mark) or to the fact that it is 'written' (Luke) - actually in Psalm 118 (117):22-23 - becuase he is avoiding mention of the Old Testament. See Sayings 53 and 66 and Commentaries."

(The Secret Sayings of Jesus, p. 172)

F. F. Bruce writes:

"In all three Synoptic Gospels the parable of the vineyard is followed by the quotation of Psalm 118.22: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner' (i.e. top of the pediment). The point is that Christ, rejected by the leaders of Israel, is exalted by God (cf. Acts 4.11). Here no reference is made to its being an Old Testament quotation. Hippolytus tells us that the Naassenes spoke of the archetypal heavenly Man (whom they called Adamas) as 'the chief corner stone'. [Refutation v.7.35.]"

(Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament, p. 139)

Funk and Hoover write:

"The fact that the allusion to Ps 118:22 follows on the parable of the leased vineyard in Thomas as it does in the synoptics, even though Thomas lacks the allegorical overlay of the synoptic edition, indicates that the connection may have been the first step in reading the parable as an allegory, since the rejected stone was probably understood to refer to Jesus in Christian circles: the rejected stone that has become the keystone stands for the rejected Jesus, who has become the centerpiece of the new movement."

(The Five Gospels, p. 511)

Gerd Ludemann writes:

"This piece also appears in Mark 12.10-11 par. and fits in well there, because the verses give the reason for the rejection of Israel. But as they do not fit with Thomas here, it follows that they have been taken over, together with Mark 12.1-9, from the Synoptics."

(Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 624)

 

Visitor Comments

Show me the gospel which the builders of traditional Christianity rejected; it is the cornerstone of the new Christianity.
- Simon Magus

Note that "Show me" is read as the reader is "being shown" the gospel. The literary device suggests identity of Jesus and reader. Jesus was a great literary genius, which I hope will soon be appreciated.
- Simon Magus

The stone is the innate child self, the basis of one's true self.
- Rodney

Those people who have become dis-satisfied with what the world has to offer may be suitable for instruction. Exaggerated by the speaker for dramatic effect
- Thief37

Humans are not disposable like faulty stones. When we horribly screw up and and suffer the extreme consequences, we will eventually get on our knees and beg forgiveness, to do God's will and to be of service to our fellow man. Through our failings, we are made stronger. Around these type of repentant sinners, God builds his church.
- Brother Otto

That which 'the builders', or merchants or others who are concerned with the objective rather than spiritual, are rejecting is that which is the basis of a new building, a new construct--that of enlightenment.
- Bones