Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 21:44

44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder

Mark, saith, Ch. 12.10. And have you not read this Scripture, the Stone which the Builders rejected, is become the head of the Corner: This was the Lords doing, and it is Marvellous in our Eyes. Luke saith, 20.17. And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written? The Stone which the Builders rejected, is become the head of the Corner. W[illegible: 1 letter]osoever shall fall upon that Stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to Powder. It is more then probable, that our Saviour had more Words with them upon this Argument, than are left us upon sacred record, (for Iohn hath let us know, that we are not to expect that all he did or spake should be written, Ch. 21.25. and not as every Discourse or Action, so not all Words in the same Discourse, nor all Circumstances relating to the same Action) knowing themselves, and their Masters to be the Husbandmen, with whom the Lord had betru[illegible: 2 letters]ed his Vineyard the House of Israel. It is not reasonable to think they should be very patient, to hear that God would Miserably destroy them as Wicked Men, and Commit his Vineyard to the trust of others. We cannot therefore in reason imagine, but that they should reply something to that, as thinking it a strange thing that he should assert, That for the rejection of him, God would reject his Ancient People, and cast off the Church of the Jews. To shew this was nothing which ought to seem strange to them, he asks them, Did you never read in the Scriptures▪ The Stone, &c Luk saith▪ he behe[illegible: 1 letter]d them and said, W[illegible: 1 letter]at is this then? As if the [illegible: 1 word] had charged him with speaking without any W[illegible: 1 letter]rrant [illegible: 1 word] the Word of God, there was no such th[illegible: 1 letter]ng in the [illegible: 1 word] or Prophets To convince them of their mi[illegible: 1 letter]take, or [illegible: 1 letter]t lea[illegible: 1 letter]t that there was nothing in what he said, which needed to [illegible: 1 letter]ppear [illegible: 2 letters]range to them, he saith, Did you never rea[illegible: 1 letter]: Or [illegible: 1 word] you not read the Scripture? (so Mark rel[illegible: 1 letter]tes it) or▪ [illegible: 1 span] then? as Luke hath it. The Text he q[illegible: 1 letter]oteth is, Psa[illegible: 1 letter]. 11[illegible: 1 letter] 22▪ 23. It is manife[illegible: 1 letter]t that the Jews under[illegible: 2 letters]ood that Ps[illegible: 2 letters]m to be a Prophecy of Christ, by t[illegible: 1 letter]e Peoples Acclamat[illegible: 1 letter]ons o[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 letter] sanna; for the sub[illegible: 1 letter]tance of those Acc[illegible: 2 letters]m[illegible: 1 letter]t[illegible: 1 letter]ons [illegible: 1 letter]re in the 25 and 26 v. of th[illegible: 1 letter]t Psalm. Save [illegible: 1 word] I beseech the[illegible: 1 letter] O Lord! O Lord, I beseech thee s[illegible: 1 letter]nd [illegible: 1 word] Prosp[illegible: 1 letter]ri[illegible: 1 letter]y▪ [illegible: 2 letters]esse[illegible: 1 letter] is he that comes to us in the Name [illegible: 1 span] [non-Latin text not transcribed] save I beseech the[illegible: 1 letter]. [illegible: 1 span] the Messiah. This they had [illegible: 1 span] S[illegible: 1 letter]viour Sa[illegible: 1 letter]th our Saviour in that very [illegible: 1 span] read▪ [illegible: 1 span] which the Builders re[illegible: 1 letter]ected, is [illegible: 1 span] of [illegible: 1 word] Corner. Before he had comp[illegible: 1 letter]red the [illegible: 1 span] to shew their Obligation to bring [illegible: 1 letter]orth Fr[illegible: 2 letters]t he[illegible: 1 letter]e to [illegible: 1 span], to denote Gods dwelling in it The B[illegible: 1 letter]ilders here intended, were the Heads of the Jewish Church, who not only by their own pretences, but by their Calling were [illegible: 1 word], and o[illegible: 1 letter]ght to have been Builders▪ tho indeed they proved D[illegible: 1 letter]stroyers, and Pullers down, in[illegible: 1 letter]tead of Bui[illegible: 1 letter]ders. The Church is elsewhere compared to a B[illegible: 1 letter]ilding. 1 Cor. 3.9. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 letter].21 and the Teachers in it to Builders. Rom. 15.20. [illegible: 1 span] Our Lord is here compared to a Stone, because he is the only firm Foundation. The chief Corner Stone. In whom all the Building fitly Framed, groweth unto an Ho[illegible: 2 letters] Temple in the Lord. In whom also we are for an Habitation of G[illegible: 1 letter]d through the Spirit, Ephe. 2.20, 21, 22. called by the Prophet Isaiah Ch. 28.16. A Stone laid in Zion for a Foundation, a tryed Stone, a precious Corner Stone, a sure Foundation. Which is applyed to Christ. Acts 4.11. Rom. 9.33. 1 Pet. 2.6, 7, 8. He is become the Head of the Corner, that is, the chief, the principal Stone in the Building. Lest they should be [illegible: 2 letters]artled at this, he addeth, This is the Lords doing, and it is Marvellous in our Eyes. This may seem strange to you, that those who seemed to be Builders, and [illegible: 1 word], should be rejected, and thrown away; and no wonder▪ For it is the Lords doing. In the Reformations of C[illegible: 1 letter]urc[illegible: 1 letter]es from Gross Corruptions, God doth always some Extraordinary things, which we are not at present able to reconcile to our Reasons. V. 43. (which some think should have been p[illegible: 1 letter]t a[illegible: 1 letter]ter the next verse) Our Lord tells them plainly, That God was removing his Church from them to the Genti[illegible: 1 letter]es, which he calleth a People that should bring forth the Fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fal[illegible: 1 letter] on this St[illegible: 1 letter]ne shall be brok[illegible: 1 letter]n There will be many that shall be offended at Christ, his Person, his Doctrine, his Institutions upon which Account he is called a Stone of Stumbling, Rom. 9.33. But they shall be broken. If they take offence at me, so as they will not believe on me, nor receive me, it will be their Ruin. But on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall Grind him to Powder. If they shall go on to Persecute me, and my Members, so that I fall on them, they shall be ruined, irreparably and irrecoverably with a more dreadful Destruction.

Marginal references: Isa. 8.14, 15.