REJECTION.—The word ‘rejection’ does not occur in the Gospels, but the idea of ‘casting-off, despising, rejecting’ is familiar to the writers of the NT. Matthew 21:42, under the figure of the cornerstone, refers to the rejection of Jesus by the Jews; and in Mark 12:10 and Luke 20:17 the same reference occurs. Jesus knew that He would be rejected, and anticipated the result to Himself (Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22; Luke 17:25), to the Jewish nation (Luke 19:43), and to the world (John 12:48). Regarding Himself as a prophet, He expected a prophet’s treatment (Luke 13:33-34, Matthew 23:37). Jesus regarded Himself as the test applied to nations and individuals, and according to their acceptance or rejection of Him would be their progress or decay. When the Jews rejected Jesus, they wrote their own sentence of doom, while the Gentiles who have accepted Jesus have secured the leadership of the world. As the national rejection of Jesus was attended by national disaster, so the individual rejection is marked by loss of character. See also art. Despise.
Coll. A. Macdonald.