rwp - Romans:11:17-21

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.