rwp - Romans:11:11-24

rwp@Romans:11:11 @{Did they stumble that they might fall?} (\m eptaisan hina pessin?\). Negative answer expected by \m\ as in verse 1|. First aorist active indicative of \ptai\, old verb, to stumble, only here in Paul (see strkjv@James:3:2|), suggested perhaps by \skandalon\ in verse 9|. If \hina\ is final, then we must add "merely" to the idea, "merely that they might fall" or make a sharp distinction between \ptai\, to stumble, and \pipt\, to fall, and take \pessin\ as effective aorist active subjunctive to fall completely and for good. \Hina\, as we know, can be either final, sub-final, or even result. See strkjv@1Thessalonians:5:4; strkjv@1Corinthians:7:29; strkjv@Galatians:5:17|. Paul rejects this query in verse 11| as vehemently as he did that in verse 1|. {By their fall} (\ti autn paraptmati\). Instrumental case. For the word, a falling aside or a false step from \parapipt\, see strkjv@5:15-20|. {Is come}. No verb in the Greek, but \ginetai\ or \gegonen\ is understood. {For to provoke them to jealousy} (\eis to parazlsai\). Purpose expressed by \eis\ and the articular infinitive, first aorist active, of \parazlo\, for which verb see strkjv@1Corinthians:10:22|. As an historical fact Paul turned to the Gentiles when the Jews rejected his message (Acts:13:45ff.; strkjv@28:28|, etc.). {The riches of the world} (\ploutos kosmou\). See strkjv@10:12|. {Their loss} (\to httma autn\). Songs:perhaps in strkjv@1Corinthians:6:7|, but in strkjv@Isaiah:31:8| defeat is the idea. Perhaps so here. {Fulness} (\plrma\). Perhaps "completion," though the word from \plro\, to fill, has a variety of senses, that with which anything is filled (1Corinthians:10:26,28|), that which is filled (Ephesians:1:23|). {How much more?} (\posi mallon\). Argument _a fortiori_ as in verse 24|. Verse 25| illustrates the point.

rwp@Romans:11:13 @{To you that are Gentiles} (\humin tois ethnesin\). "To you the Gentiles." He has a serious word to say to them. {Inasmuch then} (\eph' hoson men oun\). Not temporal, _quamdiu_, "so long as" (Matthew:9:15|), but qualitative _quatenus_ "in so far then as" (Matthew:25:40|). {I glorify my ministry} (\tn diakonian mou doxaz\). As apostle to the Gentiles (\ethnn apostolos\, objective genitive). Would that every minister of Christ glorified his ministry. {If by any means} (\ei ps\). This use of \ei\ with purpose or aim is a kind of indirect discourse. {I may provoke} (\parazls\). Either future active indicative or first aorist active subjunctive, see same uncertainty in strkjv@Phillipians:3:10| \katants\, but in strkjv@3:11| \katalab\ after \ei\ is subjunctive. The future indicative is clear in strkjv@Romans:1:10| and the optative in strkjv@Acts:27:12|. Doubtful whether future indicative or aorist subjunctive also in \ss\ (save).

rwp@Romans:11:15 @{The casting away of them} (\h apobol autn\). Objective genitive (\autn\) with \apobol\, old word from \apoball\, to throw off (Mark:10:50|), in N.T. only here and strkjv@Acts:27:22|. {The reconciling of the world} (\katallag kosmou\). See strkjv@5:10f.| for \katallag\ (reconciling). It explains verse 12|. {The receiving} (\h proslmpsis\). Old word from \proslamban\, to take to oneself, only here in N.T. {Life from the dead} (\z ek nekrn\). Already the conversion of Jews had become so difficult. It is like a miracle of grace today, though it does happen. Many think that Paul means that the general resurrection and the end will come when the Jews are converted. Possibly so, but it is by no means certain. His language may be merely figurative.

rwp@Romans:11:16 @{First fruit} (\aparch\). See on ¯1Corinthians:15:20,23|. The metaphor is from strkjv@Numbers:15:19f|. The LXX has \aparchn phuramatos\, first of the dough as a heave offering. {The lump} (\to phurama\). From which the first fruit came. See on ¯9:21|. Apparently the patriarchs are the first fruit. {The root} (\h riza\). Perhaps Abraham singly here. The metaphor is changed, but the idea is the same. Israel is looked on as a tree. But one must recall and keep in mind the double sense of Israel in strkjv@9:6f|. (the natural and the spiritual).

rwp@Romans:11:17 @{Branches} (\kladn\). From \kla\, to break. {Were broken off} (\exeklasthsan\). First aorist passive indicative of \ekkla\. Play on the word \klados\ (branch) and \ekkla\, to break off. Condition of first class, assumed as true. Some of the individual Jews (natural Israel) were broken off the stock of the tree (spiritual Israel). {And thou} (\kai su\). An individual Gentile. {Being a wild olive} (\agrielaios n\). This word, used by Aristotle, occurs in an inscription. Ramsay (_Pauline Studies_, pp. 219ff.) shows that the ancients used the wild-olive graft upon an old olive tree to reinvigorate the tree precisely as Paul uses the figure here and that both the olive tree and the graft were influenced by each other, though the wild olive graft did not produce as good olives as the original stock. But it should be noted that in verse 24| Paul expressly states that the grafting of Gentiles on to the stock of the spiritual Israel was "contrary to nature" (\para phusin\). {Wast grafted in} (\enekentrisths\). First aorist passive indicative of \enkentriz\, to cut in, to graft, used by Aristotle. Belongs "to the higher _Koin_" (literary _Koin_) according to Milligan. {Partaker} (\sunkoinnos\). Co-partner. {Fatness} (\piottos\). Old word from \pin\ (fat), only here in N.T. Note three genitives here "of the root of the fatness of the olive."

rwp@Romans:11:18 @{Glory not over the branches} (\m katakauch tn kladn\). Genitive case after \kata\. Present middle imperative second person singular of \katakauchaomai\ with negative \m\, "stop glorying" or "do not have the habit of glorying over the branches." The conclusion of the preceding condition. {Gloriest} (\katakauchsai\). Late form \-aesai\ retaining \s\. {Not thou} (\ou su\). Very emphatic position. The graft was upon the stock and root, though each affected the other.

rwp@Romans:11:19 @{Thou wilt say then} (\ereis oun\). A presumptuous Gentile speaks. {That I might be grafted in} (\hina eg enkentristh\). Purpose clause with \hina\ and first aorist passive subjunctive. He shows contempt for the cast-off Jews.

rwp@Romans:11:20 @{Well} (\kals\). Perhaps ironical, though Paul may simply admit the statement (cf. strkjv@Mark:12:32|) and show the Gentile his real situation. {By unbelief} (\ti apistii\) {--by faith} (\pistei\). Instrumental case with both contrasted words (by unbelief, by belief).

rwp@Romans:11:21 @{Be not highminded} (\m hupsla phronei\). "Stop thinking high (proud) thoughts." {Of God spared not} (\ei gar ho theos ouk epheisato\). It is not \ei m\ (unless), but the \ouk\ negatives the verb \epheisato\ (first aorist middle indicative of \pheidomai\, to spare. Condition of first class.

rwp@Romans:11:22 @{The goodness and the severity of God} (\chrstotta kai apotomian theou\). See on strkjv@Romans:2:2| for \chrstots\, kindness of God. \Apotomia\ (here alone in the N.T.) is from \apotomos\, cut off, abrupt, and this adjective from \apotemn\, to cut off. This late word occurs several times in the papyri. {If thou continue} (\ean epimenis\). Third class condition, \ean\ and present active subjunctive. {Otherwise} (\epei\). Ellipse after \epei\, "since if thou dost not continue." {Thou also} (\kai su\). Precisely as the Jewish branches of verse 17| were. {Shalt be cut off} (\ekkopsi\). Second future passive of \ekkopt\, to cut out.

rwp@Romans:11:23 @{If they continue not in their unbelief} (\ean m epimensi ti apistii\). Third class condition with the same verb used in verse 22| of the Gentile. Locative case of \apistii\ here (same form as the instrumental in verse 20|). {For God is able} (\dunatos gar estin ho theos\). See this use of \dunatos estin\ in strkjv@4:21| rather than \dunatai\. This is the \crux\ of the whole matter. God is able.

rwp@Romans:11:24 @{Contrary to nature} (\para phusin\). This is the gist of the argument, the power of God to do what is contrary to natural processes. He put the wild olive (Gentile) into the good olive tree (the spiritual Israel) and made the wild olive (contrary to nature) become the good olive (\kallielaios\, the garden olive, \kallos\ and \elaia\ in Aristotle and a papyrus). {Into their own olive tree} (\ti idii elaii\). Dative case. Another argument _a fortiori_, "how much more" (\polli mallon\). God can graft the natural Israel back upon the spiritual Israel, if they become willing.