Thomas Aquinas, on Rom 11:21

“For if God hath not spared the natural branches, fear lest perhaps he also spare not thee.”

“The reason for this admonition is given when he says: for if God has not spared the natural branches, i.e., the Jews, who descended by natural origin from the patriarchs, but allowed them to be broken off, fear lest perhaps also he does not spare you, i.e., lest he permit you to be broken off because of unbelief: the jealously and rage of the husband will not spare on the day of revenge (Prov 6:34); I will not spare and I will not pardon; nor will I have mercy, but to destroy them (Jer 13:14). This, therefore, is the Apostle's answer; that when someone sees that he has obtained grace and another has fallen, he should not boast against the fallen but rather fear for himself, because pride is the cause of falling headlong and fear is the cause of carefulness and being kept safe.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.

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