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Strong’s Greek 593 (ἀποδοκιμάζω) portrays an active and deliberate rejection that follows testing or examination. The term pictures a stone inspected by builders, found wanting, and thrown aside, or a claimant to inheritance scrutinized and finally disallowed. Scripture uses the verb to describe the most solemn dismissals in redemptive history: Israel’s leaders discard their own Messiah, humanity spurns God’s gracious call, and an heir forfeits his birthright. In every setting, the rejection is moral and culpable rather than accidental or ignorant.

Distribution in the New Testament

The verb appears nine times, concentrated in the Gospels and Petrine literature, with a single instance in Hebrews.

Matthew 21:42;Mark 12:10;Luke 20:17

The synoptic citation ofPsalm 118:22 centers on “the stone the builders rejected.” Each Evangelist places the quotation within the Vineyard Parable, exposing Israel’s leaders as the rejecting “builders.” Their decision is not mere oversight; it is a considered verdict against the Son sent by the Father.

Mark 8:31;Luke 9:22;Luke 17:25

Jesus employs the future passive infinitive—“that the Son of Man must… be rejected”—to predict His Passion. Rejection stands alongside suffering, death, and resurrection as a non-negotiable element of the divine plan.Luke 17:25 widens the canvas: “But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation,” binding first-century unbelief to the broader prophetic pattern.

Hebrews 12:17

Esau “was rejected, even though he sought the blessing with tears”. Apostasy’s tragic end is illustrated: once the time for repentance is past, even earnest emotion cannot reverse the verdict.

1 Peter 2:4, 7

Peter contrasts human verdict with divine appraisal. Christ is “a living stone—rejected by men, but chosen and precious to God.” Believers share His status as “living stones,” yet the same Stone becomes to unbelievers “a stone of stumbling.”

Prophetic and Christological Significance

Psalm 118 anticipates a twofold appraisal of Messiah. Earthly authorities will conduct their examination and render a negative verdict, but the heavenly Architect will overturn it, making the rejected Stone the “cornerstone.” Jesus’ appropriation of this psalm declares both His messianic identity and the certainty of His vindication. The early church saw in His resurrection the divine reversal of human rejection (Acts 4:11).

Historical Background: Building Imagery and Rabbinic Examination

In ancient Near Eastern construction, a cornerstone was selected with meticulous scrutiny; any flaw risked the stability of the entire edifice. “The builders” (Psalm 118;Matthew 21) evokes the image of experts responsible for the spiritual “house” of Israel—the priestly and rabbinic leadership—who should have recognized the perfect Stone. Their misjudgment underscores the gravity of rejecting divine revelation after thorough exposure to it.

Implications for Israel and the Church

1 Peter extends the stone motif to the people of God. Those who come to Christ share the paradox of being “chosen and precious” to God while often disallowed by the world. The church’s identity is thus cruciform: honor with God, reproach with men. Simultaneously, Israel’s rejection is neither total nor final (Romans 11), for the Stone now forming the church will yet be acknowledged by the remnant.

Pastoral and Ministry Application

• Expectation of Reproach: Ministers should anticipate that gospel fidelity attracts rejection (John 15:20).
• Assurance of Divine Approval: Like Christ, servants may be disallowed by men yet approved by God (2 Corinthians 10:18).
• Warning Against Apostasy:Hebrews 12:17 solemnizes the danger of trading eternal blessing for temporal appetite.
• Evangelistic Appeal: The fact that builders once rejected the Stone but God honored Him assures penitent sinners that previous unbelief can be overturned by grace—provided the opportunity is seized before final judgment.

Theological Themes

1. Sovereign Reversal: Human verdicts do not bind God; His elective purpose prevails.
2. Tested Faith versus Failed Testing: While ἀποδοκιμάζω depicts rejecting, its cognate δοκιμάζω describes approving after testing (Romans 12:2). Believers are called to the latter.
3. Christ the Touchstone of Judgment: Acceptance or rejection of the Stone delineates salvation history and individual destiny.

Summary

Strong’s 593 highlights the sober mystery that the One meticulously examined by Israel’s leaders—and dismissed—is precisely the cornerstone of God’s redemptive architecture. His disciples, likewise tested and sometimes rejected, are assured of divine commendation and ultimate vindication.