And if some of the branches be broken, and thou, being a wild olive, art ingrafted in them, and art made partaker of the root, and of the fatness of the olive tree,

“This truth, therefore, [he declares], in order that we may not reject the engrafting of the Spirit while pampering the flesh. "But thou, being a wild olive-tree," he says, "hast been grafted into the good olive-tree, and been made a partaker of the fatness of the olive-tree. As, therefore, when the wild olive has been engrafted, if it remain in its former condition, viz., a wild olive, it is "cut off, and cast into the fire; " but if it takes kindly to the graft, and is changed into the good olive-tree, it becomes a fruit-bearing olive, planted, as it were, in a king's park (paradiso): so likewise men, if they do truly progress by faith towards better things, and receive the Spirit of God, and bring forth the fruit thereof, shall be spiritual, as being planted in the paradise of God. But if they cast out the Spirit, and remain in their former condition, desirous of being of the flesh rather than of the Spirit, then it is very justly said with regard to men of this stamp, "That flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; " just as if any one were to say that the wild olive is not received into the paradise of God. Admirably therefore does the apostle exhibit our nature, and God's universal appointment, in his discourse about flesh and blood and the wild olive. For as the good olive, if neglected for a certain time, if left to grow wild and to run to i wood, does itself become a wild olive; or again, if the wild olive be carefully tended and grafted, it naturally reverts to its former fruit-bearing condition: so men also, when they become careless, and bring forth for fruit the lusts of the flesh like woody produce, are rendered, by their own fault, unfruitful in righteousness. For when men sleep, the enemy sows the material of tares; and for this cause did the Lord command His disciples to be on the watch. And again, those persons who are not bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, and are, as it were, covered over and lost among brambles, if they use diligence, and receive the word of God as a graft, arrive at the pristine nature of man-that which was created after the image and likeness of God.”

“The graft uses as soil the tree in which it is engrafted. Now all the plants sprouted forth simultaneously in consequence of the divine order. Wherefore also, though the wild olive is wild, it crowns the Olympic victors.… Now we see that the wild trees attract more nutriment because they cannot ripen. The wild trees therefore have less power of secretion than those that are cultivated. And the cause of their wildness is the absence of the power of secretion. The engrafted olive accordingly receives more nutriment from its growing in the cultivated one, and it gets accustomed, as it were, to secrete the nutriment, becoming thus assimilated to the fatness of the cultivated tree.”

“"And if some of the branches be broken off." And yet above thou didst say that the more part perished, and a few were saved only. How came it then that speaking of those that perished, thou hast used a "some," which is indicative of fewness? It is not, he replies, in opposition to myself, but out of a desire to court and recover those that are distressed. Observe how in the whole of the passage one finds him working at this object, the wish to solace them. And if you deny it, many contradictions will follow. But let me beg you to notice his wisdom, how while he seems to be speaking for them, and devising a solace for them, he aims a secret blow at them, and shows them to have fallen from being Abraham's kinsmen. For what he was desirous of saying was, that they had nothing in common with them. For if the root be holy, and these be not holy, then these are far away from the root. Then under the appearance of solacing the Jews, he again by his accusation smiteth them of the Gentiles. For after saying, "And if some of the branches were broken off," he proceeds. "And thou being a wild olive wert grafted in." For the less esteem the man of the Gentiles is of, the more the Jew is vexed at seeing him enjoy his goods. And to the other, the disgrace of the little esteem he was of, is nothing to the honor of the change. And consider his skilfulness. He does not say, "thou wert" planted "in," but "thou weft grafted in," by this again cutting the Jew to the heart, as showing that the Gentile man was standing in his own tree, and himself lying on the ground. Wherefore he does not stop even here, nor after he had spoken of grafting in does he leave off (and yet in this he declared the whole matter), but still he dwells over the prosperous state of the Gentile, and enlarges upon his fair fame in the words, "And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree." And he seems indeed to have viewed him in the light of an addition. But he shows that he was no whit the worse on that account, but in possession of everything, that the branch which had come up out of the root had. Lest then on hearing the words, "and thou wert grafted in," thou shouldest suppose him to be lacking when compared with the natural branch, see how he makes him equal to it by saying, that "with them thou partakest of the root and fatness of the olive:" that is, hast been put into the same noble rank, the same nature.”

“After the Apostle has shown that the fall of the Jews was useful and reparable, here he excludes the boasting of the Gentiles against the Jews. And concerning this he does two things. First he shows the converted Gentiles that they ought not to boast against the Jews; second he responds to an objection of the Gentiles, at the place, "Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off," and so on. Concerning the first he does two things. First he forbids the Gentiles to boast against the Jews; second he assigns the reason for the prohibition, at the place, "for if thou boastest," and so on. Now an occasion for boasting against the Jews seemed to press upon the Gentiles from two directions. First indeed from the defect of the Jews, when he says: it has been said that if the root is holy, the branches also are; but if some of the branches — that is, of the Jews (not all of them, however) — were broken off, that is, divided from the faith of the fathers, who are compared to the root, do not, namely, boast. Job 15: "the flame shall dry up his branches." Wisdom 4: "the unfruitful branches shall be broken." Second, a matter for boasting seems to press upon them from the side of their own promotion. Now the promotion of anyone is wont to lift him up into vain glory all the more, the more he is raised up from a viler condition, according to that word of Proverbs 30: "for three things the earth is disquieted, and for the fourth it cannot bear: for a servant when he reigneth," and so on. And therefore he first sets down the abject condition from which they had been taken up, saying: but thou, a Gentile, when thou wast a wild olive in the condition of Gentility, that is, an unfruitful tree. Jeremiah 17: "they shall be like the tamarisk in the desert." Matthew 3: "every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down," and so on. Then he sets down their promotion. And first indeed as to this, that they were taken up into the dignity of that nation; hence he says, thou art grafted in among them, that is, in their place. Job 34: "he shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead." Second, by this, that they are made companions of the patriarchs, whom above he had compared to the root; hence he says, and art made a partaker of the root, that is, thou art made a companion of the patriarchs and the prophets. Matthew 8: "many shall come from the east, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Third, by comparison to the glory of the apostles, when he says, and of the fatness of the olive tree. Now the olive tree itself is said to be the nation of the Jews, on account of the rich spiritual fruits which it bore. Jeremiah 11: "the Lord called thy name a plentiful olive tree, fair, fruitful, and beautiful"; Psalm 51: "but I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God." Now just as the root of this olive tree are the patriarchs and prophets, so also the fatness of this olive tree is the abundance of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which the apostles had above all others, as the Gloss says. Hence in Judges 9 the olive tree is introduced as saying: "can I leave my fatness?" Psalm 62: "let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness." Thus, then, the Gentiles were promoted to the fellowship of that people, namely of the patriarchs and apostles and prophets. Ephesians 2: "you are fellow citizens with the saints, and domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets." And although thou, O Gentile, mayest seem to have these occasions for boasting, do not, nevertheless, boast against the branches, that is, against the Jews. 1 Corinthians 5: "your glorying is not good." Then, when he says, "for if thou boastest," and so on, he assigns the reason for his admonition, saying: for if — this admonition notwithstanding — thou boastest, insulting the Jews whether standing or cut off, consider this, for the repression of thy boasting: that thou bearest not the root, but the root thee, that is, Judea did not receive salvation from Gentility, but rather the reverse. John 4: "salvation is of the Jews." Hence also it was promised to Abraham, Genesis 22, that in him all the kindreds of the earth would be blessed. Then, when he says, "thou wilt say then," and so on, he excludes the objection of the Gentiles. And first he proposes the objection; second he excludes it from a consideration of the divine judgment, at the place, "well," and so on; third he leads them into a diligent consideration of the divine judgments, at the place, "behold therefore the goodness," and so on. He says therefore first: therefore thou, O Gentile, who boastest against the Jews, perhaps sayest: the branches were broken that I might be grafted in, that is, God permitted the Jews to fall away from the faith for this purpose, that I might enter into the faith. But no one endures the detriment of one thing except for the sake of a thing more precious and more beloved, just as a physician permits an infirmity to be in the foot in order that he may heal the eye. Thus, therefore, from this very fact Gentility seems to be more precious and more accepted by God than Judea. Hence in Malachi 1 it is said: "I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord God of hosts, and I will not receive a gift of your hand. For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles." And Isaiah 49: "it is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob. I have given thee for a light of the Gentiles." Then, when he says, "well," and so on, he excludes the objection. And first he assigns the cause of the defect of the Jews and of the promotion of the Gentiles, saying: well dost thou say in this, that God permitted the branches to be broken that thou mightest be grafted in, but consider the cause of the breaking of the branches: because of unbelief, I say, they were broken, namely because they were unwilling to believe in Christ. Ezekiel 2: "they are a rebellious and gainsaying people with thee." John 8: "if I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me?" But thou — namely, O Gentile — standest by faith, that is, by believing in Christ, in whom thou hast obtained grace. 2 Corinthians 1: "for by faith you stand." 1 Corinthians 15: "I make known unto you the gospel, wherein you stand, by which also you are saved." Second he adduces an admonition, saying: be not high-minded, that is, do not presume beyond thyself concerning thyself. Below, Romans 12: "not minding high things, but consenting to the humble." Psalm 130: "Lord, my heart is not exalted, nor are my eyes lofty." But fear, lest namely thou too be broken off through unbelief — which pertains to chaste fear. Proverbs 28: "blessed is the man that is always fearful, but he that is hardened in mind shall fall into evil." Ecclesiasticus 1: "the fear of the Lord driveth out sin." Third he assigns the reason for his admonition, saying: for if God hath not spared the natural branches, that is, the Jews, who descended by natural origin from the patriarchs, so as to permit them to be broken off, fear lest perhaps he spare not thee either — that is, lest he permit thee to fall away through unbelief. Proverbs 6: "the jealousy and rage of a man will not spare in the day of revenge." Jeremiah 13: "I will not spare, nor have I pity, so that I do not disperse them." In this, therefore, consists the Apostle's solution: that when someone sees himself to have obtained grace while another falls, he ought not to be puffed up against the one who falls, but rather to fear for himself, because pride itself is the cause of ruin, and fear is the cause of custody and caution. Then, when he says, "behold therefore the goodness and the severity," and so on, he leads them into a diligent consideration of the divine judgments. And first he leads them to consider; second he instructs them, as though they were not able to consider by themselves, at the place, "for I would not have you ignorant, brethren," and so on; third, as though he himself were not fully sufficient for the investigation of these things, he exclaims in admiration of the divine wisdom, at the place, "O the depth of the riches," and so on. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows what ought to be considered, saying: behold therefore — that is, diligently consider — the goodness of God, showing mercy; Psalm 72: "how good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart"; above, chapter 2: "or despisest thou the riches of his goodness?" And the severity, of him punishing; Psalm 93: "the Lord is the God of revenge." Nahum 1: "God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth." For the first consideration bestows hope; the second, fear, so that despair and presumption may be avoided. Second he shows in whom each of the aforesaid things is to be considered with respect to what was said, saying: on them indeed, namely the Jews, who fell, severity — Lamentations 2: "the Lord hath cast down, and hath not spared, he hath destroyed all that was beautiful in Jacob" — but towards thee, namely the Gentile who art grafted in, goodness. Psalm 118: "thou hast done goodness with thy servant, O Lord." Third he shows in what manner these things can be considered in the aforesaid, because not immovably, as something that can change in the future. And first he shows this with respect to the Gentiles, saying: in thee, I say, behold the goodness of God working, yet on this condition, if thou continue in his goodness. John 15: "abide in my love." Otherwise, if thou do not take pains to persevere through fear and humility, thou also shalt be cut off. Matthew 3: "every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down." Second he shows the same with respect to the Jews, and first he proposes what he intends, saying: and they also, namely the Jews, if they shall not abide still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, that is, they shall be restored to their own condition. Jeremiah 3: "thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, nevertheless return to me, saith the Lord." Second he proves what he had said, and first, from the divine power, saying: for God is able to graft them in again; and therefore one must not despair of their salvation. Isaiah 59: "behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened, that it cannot save." Second he proves the same by an argument from the lesser, saying: for if thou, O Gentile, wert cut out of the wild olive tree which was natural to thee, that is, out of Gentility, which was naturally unfruitful — not indeed as the Lord made nature, but as it has been corrupted through sin. Wisdom 12: "their nation is wicked, and their malice is natural." Ephesians 2: "we were by nature children of wrath" — and wert grafted, contrary to nature, into the good olive tree, that is, into the faith of the Jews, that is, contrary to the common course of nature (for it is not the custom for a branch of a bad tree to be grafted into a good tree, but rather the reverse). Now that which God does is not contrary to nature, but is simply natural. For we call that natural which is done by an agent to whom the patient is naturally subject, even though it may not be according to the patient's own particular nature; just as the flux and reflux of the sea is natural, on account of the fact that it is caused by the motion of the moon, to which water is naturally subject, although it is not natural according to the form of water. So too, since every creature is naturally subject to God, whatever God does in a creature is simply natural, although perhaps it is not natural according to the proper and particular nature of the thing in which it is done — as, for instance, when a blind man is given light and a dead man is raised. If, I say, this was done contrary to nature, how much more shall these, who are according to nature, that is, who belong to the nation of the Jews by natural origin, be grafted into their own olive tree, that is, be brought back to the dignity of their own nation. Malachi, last chapter: "he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers."”

“And if some of the branches be broken,.... This is to be understood, not of the exclusion of the Jews from their national church; for the persons designed by the "branches", were the principal members of it, as the civil and ecclesiastical rulers, the priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and the far greater part of the people; and on the other hand, the apostles and followers of Christ were put out of their synagogues, and deemed by them heretics and apostates: nor of the destruction of the Jewish nation, city, and temple; for as yet they existed as a nation, their city of Jerusalem was in being, and their temple standing: but of their being left out of the Gospel church, gathered among them, they not believing in the Messiah, but rejected and crucified him; and though afterwards the Gospel was preached to them, they despise it, contradicted, and blasphemed it; so that it pleased God to take it wholly away from them, when they might be truly said to be, "as branches broken off"; which phrase seems to be borrowed from Jer 11:16; they were withered, lifeless, and hopeless, being cast off by God, and neglected by his ministers, the Gospel being removed from them, and they without the means of grace and salvation: and this was the case of the generality of the people; for though the apostle only says "some", making the best of it in their favour against the Gentiles, and speaking in the softest terms; yet they were only a few, a seed, a remnant, that were taken into the Gospel church, and the rest were blinded, hardened, rejected, and left out for their unbelief: and thou being a wild olive tree: speaking to the Gentiles, to some, not to all of them; for not a whole tree, but a part of one, what is cut out of it, a scion from it is grafted into another; and so they were a certain number which God took out from among the Gentiles, to be a people for his name and glory, and who before conversion were comparable to a wild olive tree; for though they might have some show of morality, religion, and worship, yet lived in gross ignorance, superstition, idolatry, and profaneness were destitute of a divine revelation, of all spiritual light and knowledge, of true righteousness and the grace of God; were barren and unfruitful in good works, were without hope, God and Christ in the world. This metaphor rather regards their character, case, and manners, than their original; in respect of which they and the Jews were on a level, being by nature equally corrupt, and children of wrath; and yet though a wild olive tree, were grafted amongst them; meaning either the broken branches, in whose stead they were grafted; the Syriac version favours this sense, reading it "in their place"; as also in Rom 11:19; and so the Ethiopic version: or rather the believing Jews, of whom the first Gospel church and churches consisted; for the Jews first trusted in Christ, received the firstfruits of the Spirit, and were first incorporated into a Gospel church state; and then the Gentiles which believed were received among them. The first coalition of Jews and Gentiles, or the ingrafting of the Gentiles in among the Jews that believed, was at Antioch, when dropping their distinctive names of Jews and Gentiles, they took the common name of Christians, Act 11:19. So that this is not to be understood of an ingrafting into Christ unless by a visible profession, but of being received into a Gospel church state; which is signified by the "olive tree" in the next clause: and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; the Gospel church is so called for its excellency the olive tree being a choice tree, as they were a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; for its fruitfulness, bringing forth berries that are wholesome, delightful, and useful, so the saints are filled with the fruits of grace, and good works, which are by Christ to the praise and glory of God; for its beauty when laden with fruit, so a Gospel church is beautiful maintaining the purity of Gospel doctrine, discipline, worship and conversation; "his beauty shall be as the olive tree", Hos 14:6; see Jer 11:16; and for its verdure and durableness, and growing on the mountains, all which may denote the continuance and firmness of the church of Christ. Now the Gentiles being grafted into a Gospel church state with the believing Jews, partook of the same root and fatness as they did, being built upon the same "foundation of the apostles prophets", Eph 2:20; rooted, grounded, and built up in the same church state they enjoyed the same privileges, had the doctrines of Christ and his apostles preached to them, communicated with them in the ordinances of the Gospel, and were satisfied with the goodness and fatness of the house of God; for they became "fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel", Eph 3:6, the apostle speaks according to the nature of the olive tree, which is unctuous, from whence an oil is taken, which makes the face of man to shine, the fruit of which fattens those that are lean; and hence it loses not its leaves, , "because of its heat and fatness", as Plutarch (x) says. (x) Sympos. l. 8. qu. 10.”

“And if some of the branches, etc. - If the present nation of the Jews, because of their unbelief, are cut off from the blessings of the Church of God, and the high honor and dignity of being his peculiar people; and thou, being a wild olive - ye Gentiles, being without the knowledge of the true God, and consequently bringing forth no fruits of righteousness, wert grafted in among them - are now inserted in the original stock, having been made partakers of the faith of Abraham, and consequently of his blessings; and enjoy, as the people did who sprang from him, the fatness of the olive tree - the promises made to the patriarchs, and the spiritual privileges of the Jewish Church: -”

“The fall of the Jews and conversion of the Gentiles are represented under this similitude. It was not, however, usual to ingraft wild olive on the garden olive ; but the garden olive was ingrafted on the wild. The apostle employs the image of ingrafting, and applies it as his subject demands, without reference to the ordinary process.”

“And if--rather, "But if"; that is, "If notwithstanding this consecration of Abraham's race to God. some of the branches--The mass of the unbelieving and rejected Israelites are here called "some," not, as before, to meet Jewish prejudice (see on Rom 3:3, and on "not all" in Rom 10:16), but with the opposite view of checking Gentile pride. and thou, being a wild olive, wert--"wast" grafted in among them--Though it is more usual to graft the superior cutting upon the inferior stem, the opposite method, which is intended here, is not without example. and with them partakest--"wast made partaker," along with the branches left, the believing remnant. of the root and fatness of the olive tree--the rich grace secured by covenant to the true seed of Abraham.”