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Matthew 21

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus 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?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

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

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

What does Matthew 21:44 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 21:44 contains a metaphorical statement attributed to Jesus Christ.

In this verse, Jesus refers to Himself as "this stone." The imagery of a stone that causes individuals to either fall and be broken or be crushed to powder when it falls on them speaks to the inevitable impact of encountering Jesus' teachings and kingship.

On a literal level, it's about the physical consequences of interacting with a heavy stone.

Metaphorically, it represents the spiritual and moral consequences of one's response to the message of Jesus.

Falling on the stone and being broken suggests a personal recognition of Jesus’ authority that leads to a transformation or change of heart.

However, if the stone falls on someone, it implies judgement and complete destruction for those who reject his message.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of a parable that Jesus told the chief priests and Pharisees during the week of His passion, shortly before His crucifixion.

The immediate context is the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46), where Jesus speaks of the religious leaders as tenants who have failed to give the owner (God) His due and mistreated or killed His servants (prophets), and ultimately His son (Jesus).

The historical setting is important because it underscores the tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious authorities, who increasingly reject His authority and the legitimacy of His mission.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse is viewed by many as a statement about the finality of Jesus' role as the cornerstone of God's plan of salvation.

From a Christian standpoint, Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah, who would both be the foundation of God's kingdom and a stone of stumbling to those who reject Him.

This dual aspect of Jesus' role as a stone, both constructive for believers and destructive for unbelievers, is a theme that runs through Christian theology.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can serve as a reminder for individuals about the seriousness of their response to Jesus.

Those who accept his teachings may experience "brokenness" in terms of humility and the reshaping of their lives, while those who reject them may find themselves ultimately facing spiritual ruin.

It also serves to underscore the necessity of self-examination regarding one's belief system and moral choices, highlighting the consequences (both positive and negative) that come with those choices.

Cross-References

Isaiah 8:14-15: "And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."
Daniel 2:34-35: "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces."
Romans 9:33: "As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
1 Peter 2:7-8: "Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,"

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "stone" used here is "lithos," which generally denotes a stone of considerable size.

The term "broken" translates from "sunthlao," meaning to shatter or to break in pieces, and "grind him to powder" comes from "likmao," which means to pulverize or to grind up. This language underlines the finality and totality of the impact Jesus is describing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, the concept of a stone or rock as a foundational element is common in many cultures and religions.

For instance, in Islam, the Kaaba is built around a cornerstone that holds significant religious importance.

Similarly, in ancient cultures, cornerstones marked the starting point of construction and were deemed sacred.

The stone metaphor in Matthew aligns with these concepts yet diverges by linking the stone to a person (Jesus) and making it a pivotal element of faith and judgement.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse does not directly relate to scientific inquiry, the physical properties of stones and the action of one object striking another can be understood through physics.

The destructive potential of a large stone metaphorically mirrors the actual devastating force that can be exerted by falling rocks or objects, whose energy upon impact is calculated using principles of mass and acceleration.

Commentaries

Commentaries widely agree that Matthew 21:44 illustrates the consequences of Jesus' mission in terms of human response.

Some, like John Calvin, see the stone as representing the law of Christ, which is unbearable to the wicked. Matthew Henry comments on the personal and societal ruin of those who reject the Gospel.

Most commentators view this verse in light of its eschatological implications, pointing towards a final judgement where the true impact of one's response to Jesus is fully realized.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:44 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 21:44 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?