Psalm 118 is the key text the crowd quotes — it prophesies the rejected cornerstone (Messiah rejected by Israel's leaders) whom God establishes anyway. Jesus quotes it about himself in Mark 12.

Psalm 118 opens with God's everlasting lovingkindness, addressed to Israel, the house of Aaron (priests), and those who fear the Lord (including Gentile converts) — a picture of Jesus' ministry "to the Jew first and also to the Greek." The pivotal verse: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" (v.22). The "builders" are Israel's leaders who reject God's messengers — a pattern seen with Moses, David, Joseph, Isaiah, Jeremiah. Stephen recounts this pattern in Acts 7. Jesus quotes this verse about himself in Mark 12 (parable of the vineyard). The cornerstone in a building was uniquely shaped, and all other stones had to conform to it — Jesus is the cornerstone of a new temple (believers). Winger notes the OT is remarkably self-critical: "What kind of people write their own scripture that continually ridicules themselves as rejecting God's messengers?"