Explanation of Scripture read by Orthodox Christians on the 10th Thursday after Pentecost 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 Matthew 21:43-46 Answers ANSWER 1 "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. {23} This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." (Psalms 117:22-23) ANSWER 2 Matins, at "God is the Lord". ANSWER 3 Jesus is the stone. "Christ is called A Stone, not only because of His strength, but because He mightily crushes His enemies; whence it follows, And whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, and on whomever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder" (St John Chrysostom) ANSWER 4 "Christ is the stone, the builders are the Jewish teachers who rejected Christ, saying, This man is not of God." (St John Chrysostom) ANSWER 5 "He is become the head of the corner, because He is the union of both sides between the Law and the Gentiles." (St Hilary of Potiers) ANSWER 6 Jealousy and pride and a desire to keep the status quo. ANSWER 7 The majority of the Jews would reject the Messiah and the church would be populated majorly by the Gentiles. ANSWER 8 "Whoever sins, yet believes in Him, falls indeed upon a stone and is broken, yet is not altogether crushed, but is preserved to salvation through endurance." (St Jerome) ANSWER 9 "But on whomsoever it shall fall, that is, whomsoever this stone shall itself assault, and whosoever shall utterly deny Christ, it shall so crush him, that not a bone of him shall be left in which a drop of water could be taken up." (St Jerome) ANSWER 10 "Here is the difference between good and bad men. The good man when taken in a sin has sorrow because he has sinned, the bad man is grieved not because he has sinned, but because he is found out in his sin; and he not only does not repent, but is indignant with him that reproved him. Thus they being taken in their sins were stirred up to still greater wickedness; And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude because they took him for a Prophet." (St John Chrysostom)