Then Jesus added: "Have you never read in the Scriptures?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised--Has now itself become the corner-stone; This corner-stone has come from the Lord, And is marvelous in our eyes.'
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and that he must be rejected by the Councillors, and the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise again after three days.
He who listens to you is listening to me, and he who rejects you is rejecting me; while he who rejects me is rejecting him who sent me as his Messenger."
But Jesus looked at them and said: "What then is the meaning of this passage?-- 'The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner-stone.'
He told them that the Son of Man must undergo much suffering, and be rejected by the Councillors, and Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Glory and the Glory of the father and of the holy angels.
Because he has fixed a day on which he intends to 'judge the world with justice,' by a man whom he has appointed--and of this he has given all men a pledge by raising this man from the dead."
And let us not, as some do, cease to meet together; but, on the contrary, let us encourage one another, and all the more, now that you see the Day drawing near.
Beware how you refuse to hear him who is speaking. For, if the Israelites did not escape punishment, when they refused to listen to him who taught them on earth the divine will, far worse will it be for us, if we turn away from him who is teaching us from Heaven.
how can we, of all people, expect to escape, if we disregard so great a Salvation? It was the Master who at the outset spoke of this Salvation, and its authority was confirmed for us by those who heard him,
God's Message is a living and active power, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing its way till it penetrates soul and spirit--not the joints only but the very marrow--and detecting the inmost thoughts and purposes of the mind.
But the present heavens and earth, by the same fiat, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the day of the judgment and destruction of the godless.