And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
All Commentaries on Matthew 21:44 Go To Matthew 21
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Hom, lxviii: The design of this further parable is to show that their guilt was heinous, and unworthy to be forgiven.
He is called man, by title, not by nature; in a kind of likeness, not in verity. For the Son knowing that by occasion of His human name He himself should be blasphemed as though he were mere man, spoke therefore of the Invisible God the Father as man; He who by nature is Lord of Angels and men, but by goodness their Father.
Or, the winepress is the word of God, which tortures man when it contradicts his fleshly nature.
When, that is, Priests and Levites were constituted by the Law, and undertook the direction of the people. And as an husbandman, though he offer to his Lord of his own stock, does not please him so much as by giving him the fruit of his own vineyard; so the Priest does not so much please God by his own righteousness, as by teaching the people of God holiness; for his own righteousnessis but one, but that of the people manifold. “And went into a far country.”.
Or, it applies to His long-suffering, in that He did not always bring down immediate punishment on their sins. For perchance in the Gospel the vineyard is the kingdom of God, that is, the doctrine which is contained in holy Scripture; and a man’s blameless life is the fruit of the vineyard. And the letter of Scripture is the hedge set round the vineyard, that the fruits which are bid init should not be seen by those who are without. The depth of the oracles of Godis the winepress of the vineyard, into which such as have profited in the oracles of God pour out their studies like fruit. The tower built therein is the word concerning God himself, and concerning Christ’s dispensations. This vineyard He committed to husbandmen, that is, to the people that was before us, both priests and laity, and went into a far country, by His departure giving opportunity to the husbandmen. The time of the vintage drawing near may betaken of individuals, and of nations. The first season of life is in infancy, when the vineyard has nought to shew, but that it has in it the vital power. Assoon as it comes to be able to speak, then is the time of putting forth buds. And as the child’s soul progresses, so also does the vineyard, that is, the word of God; and after such progress the vineyard brings forth the ripe fruit of love, joy, peace, and the like. Moreover to the nation who received the Lawby Moses, the time of fruit draweth near.
non occ., ap. Chrys.: He calls the Prophets servants, who as the Lord’s Priests offer the fruits of the people, and the proofs of their obedience in their works. But they showed their wickedness not only in refusing the fruits, but in having indignation against those that come to them, as it follows, “And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.”.
At each step of their wickedness the mercy of God was increased, and at each step of the Divine mercy the wickedness of the Jews increased; thus there was astrife between human wickedness and Divine goodness.
Wherefore then did He not send Him immediately? That from what they had done to the others they might accuse themselves, and putting away their madness they might reverence His Son when He came.
He sent Him not as the bearer of a sentence of punishment against the guilty, but of an offer of repentance; He sent Him to put them to shame, not to punish them.
Or He speaks as declaring what ought to be; they ought to reverence Him; thus hewing that their sin was great, and void of all excuse.
After His entry into the Temple, and having cast out those who sold the animals for the sacrifices, then they took counsel to kill Him, “Come, let us kill him. "For they reasoned among themselves, It will happen that the people hereby shall disuse the practice of sacrificing, which pertains to our gain, and shall be content to offer the sacrifice of righteousness, which pertains to the glory of God; and so the nation shall no more be our possession, but shall become God's. But if we shall kill Him, then there being none to seek the fruit of righteousness from the people, the practice of offering sacrifice shall continue, and so this people shall become our possession; as it follows, “And the inheritance shall be ours. "These are the usual thoughts of all worldly Priests, who take no thought how the people shall live without sin, but look to how much is offered in the Church, and esteem that the profit of their ministry.
Or there is no contradiction, because both are right; they first made answer in these words, and then the Lord repeated them.
Or otherwise: the Lord proposed this parable to them with this intent, that not understanding it they should give sentence against themselves; as was done by Nathan to David. Again, when they perceived the meaning of the things that had been said against them, they said, “God forbid.”.
When they seemed discontent, He brings forward Scripture testimony; as much asto say, If ye understood not My parable, at least acknowledge this Scripture.
Christ is the stone, the builders are the Jewish teachers who rejected Christ, saying, “This man is not of God.” .
And that they might know that nothing that had been done was against God's will, He adds, “It is the Lord’s doing.”.
Christ is called A Stone, not only because of His strength, but because He mightily crushes His enemies; whence it follows, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.”.
It is one thing to be broken, and another to be ground to powder. Of what is broken there remains something; but what is ground to powder is as it were converted into dust. And what falls upon a stone is not broken by any power of the stone, but because it fell heavily, either by reason of its weight, or ofits fall from a great height So a Christian in sinning, perishes, but not to the utmost that Christ can destroy; but only so far as he destroys himself, either by the greatness of his sin, or by his exalted rank. But the unbelievers perish to the utmost that Christ can destroy them.
Or, He here points out their twofold destruction; first in their stumbling and being offended at Him, signified in that, “Whosoever shall fall upon this stone;” the other in the captivity that should come upon them, signified by that, “But upon whomsoever it shall fall.”
