# Two kinds of people in Matt. 21:44



## au5t1n (Nov 14, 2009)

> 42Jesus 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 Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
> 
> 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
> 
> ...



I have never understood v. 44. Who are the two groups being mentioned here? Thanks in advance.

Edit: N.b. This section follows two parables about the Pharisees. Jesus has just finished telling them the parable about the dishonest vineyard tenants. See [KJV]Matt. 21[/KJV].


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## rbcbob (Nov 14, 2009)

Calvin-


> 44. And he who shall fall on this stone. Christ confirms more fully the former statement, that he suffers no loss or diminution when he is rejected by the wicked, because, though their obstinacy were like a stone or like iron, yet by his own hardness he will break them, and therefore he will be the more highly glorified in their destruction. He perceived in the Jews an astonishing obstinacy, and therefore it was necessary that this kind of punishment should be described to them in an alarming manner, that they might not flatter themselves, while they thus dashed against him. This doctrine partly instructs us to give ourselves up gently, with a mild and tractable heart, to the dominion of Christ, and partly fortifies us against the obstinacy and furious attacks of the wicked, for whom there awaits a dreadful end.
> 
> Those persons are said to fall upon Christ, who rush forward to destroy him; not that they occupy a more elevated position than he does, but because their madness carries them so far, that they endeavor to attack Christ as if he were below them. But Christ tells them that all that they will gain by it is, that by the very conflict they will be broken. But when they have thus proudly exalted themselves, he tells them that another thing will happen, which is, that they will be bruised under the stone against which they so insolently dashed themselves.


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## au5t1n (Nov 14, 2009)

*Bump*

I like Calvin's interpretation. Does anyone want to agree with Calvin or provide another interpretation?


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## Peairtach (Nov 14, 2009)

I always took it to mean that those who trust in Christ will be broken in heart and spirit in faith and repentance.

But those who do not trust in Christ will be crushed by His judgment.

I defer to Calvin for the time being.

In connection with this, the section in the Talmud that deals with stoning to death, says that often a large stone thrown from a height was used to crush the criminal against God's law to death. Whether this is relevant is another matter. 

See e.g. 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Criminal-Code-Jews-According-Massecheth/dp/0554607700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258239905&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: The Criminal Code of the Jews: According to the Talmud Massecheth Synhedrin (9780554607702): Philip Berger Benny: Books[/ame]

See also Psalm 118:22-23; Isaiah 28:14-19; Acts 4:10-12; Ephesians 2:20 and I Peter 2:4-8.


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## au5t1n (Nov 14, 2009)

Richard Tallach said:


> I always took it to mean that those who trust in Christ will be broken in heart and spirit in faith and repentance.
> 
> But those who do not trust in Christ will be crushed by His judgment.



I was thinking along the same lines myself, but it was hard to be sure. I don't recall ever hearing a minister explain this passage, so I only had my own guess to go on.



Richard Tallach said:


> In connection with this, the section in the Talmud that deals with stoning to death, says that often a large stone thrown from a height was used to crush the criminal against God's law to death. Whether this is relevant is another matter.



Interesting. I've heard that they did that. Perhaps he is appealing to their knowledge of that imagery.


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## Jack K (Nov 14, 2009)

I think I'd take both parts of this verse to refer to the Pharisees, or to any in Israel who reject Jesus. Jesus is both a stumbling stone that causes them to fall and be broken due to their own hard-heartedness and a rock that, by his own action, will crush them.


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