And a stone of stumbling] Isaiah 8:14. Romans 9:33. a stone] A metaphor taken either from those, who, making haste, stumble at a stone in their way, and so hurt themselves: or from mariners, who split their ships upon rocks. See 1 Corinthians 1:23. So that by stumbling, here, the cause being put for the effect, we are to understand that judgement which unbelievers incur, through their infidelity. at the word, being disobedient] Or, being disobedient unto the word. disobedient] That is, because they are disobedient unto the Gospel. Participles oftentimes imply the cause of that which went before. See Hebrews 11:31. whereunto] This clause hath reference, not to disobedient; for God ordains no man thereunto, Psal. 5, 5. James 1:13. but unto stumbling: whereby is signified, that hurt and condemnation which unbelievers receive from the word through their infidelity: thereby it becomes the savour of death unto death unto them, 2 Corinthians 2:16. See before. Hence the sense of this clause is this, viz. whereunto: that is, unto which hurt or condemnation, expressed by stumbling. They: that is, those unbelievers were appointed or ordained by God, through his judgement, for their infidelity. Some, by stumbling, understand disobeying, or unbelieving: and these make this the meaning of the words, viz. Into which disobedience or unbelief God suffered them to fall, through his just judgement, for their former sins. Others refer this clause to word, and make this the apostles meaning, viz. Unto the obeying or believing of which word they were called of God.