Rom 11:23-24 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 23. If they abide not in unbelief ] So, we find that their rejection took place in consequence of their wilful obstinacy: and, that they may return into the fold, the door of which still stands open. For God is able to graft them in again. ] Fallen as they are and degraded, God can, in the course of his providence and mercy, restore them to all their forfeited privileges; and this will take place if they abide not in unbelief : which intimates that God has furnished them with all the power and means necessary for faith , and that they may believe on the Lord Jesus whenever they will. The veil now continues on their heart; but it is not a veil which God has spread there, but a veil occasioned by their own voluntary and obstinate unbelief: and, when they shall turn to the Lord, (Jesus,) the veil shall be taken away. See what the apostle has said, .

‏ Romans 11:23-24

Verse 23. If they abide not in unbelief] So, we find that their rejection took place in consequence of their wilful obstinacy: and, that they may return into the fold, the door of which still stands open.

For God is able to graft them in again.] Fallen as they are and degraded, God can, in the course of his providence and mercy, restore them to all their forfeited privileges; and this will take place if they abide not in unbelief: which intimates that God has furnished them with all the power and means necessary for faith, and that they may believe on the Lord Jesus whenever they will. The veil now continues on their heart; but it is not a veil which God has spread there, but a veil occasioned by their own voluntary and obstinate unbelief: and, when they shall turn to the Lord, (Jesus,) the veil shall be taken away. See what the apostle has said, 2Co 3:6-18.

Verse 24. The olive tree, which is wild by nature] Which is καταφυσιν, naturally, wild and barren; for that the wild olive bore no fruit is sufficiently evident from the testimony of the authors who have written on the subject; hence the proverb, ακαρποτεροςαγριππου. more unfruitful than the wild olive. λακωνεςγαραγριανελαιαναγιππονκαλουσι. for the Lacedemonians term the wild olive αγριππον. See SUIDAS. And hence HESYCHIUS interprets αγριελαιος, the wild olive, (the word used here by St. Paul,) by ακαρπος, unfruitful: and the reason given in DIOGEN. Proverb. Cent. ii. n. 63, is φυτονγαρεστινοαγριπποςακαρπον. for the wild olive is an unfruitful tree. On this account the apostle very properly says: Thou wert cut, εκτηςκαταφυσιν αγριελαιου, out of that olive which is uncultivated, because it is barren: the καταφυσιν does not refer here to its being naturally barren; but to its being commonly or customarily permitted to remain so. And that this is the import of the phrase here is evident from the next clause of the verse.

And wert grafted contrary to nature] παραφυσιν, contrary to all custom; for a scion taken from a barren or useless tree is scarcely ever known to be grafted into a good stock; but here the Gentiles, a fruitless and sinful race, are grafted on the ancient patriarchal stock. Now, if it was possible to effect such a change in the state and disposition of the Gentiles, who were αθεοιεντωκοσμω, Eph 2:12, without God, ATHEISTS, in the world; how much more possible is it, speaking after the manner of men, to bring about a similar change in the Jews, who acknowledge the one, only, and true God, and receive the law and the prophets as a revelation from him. This seems to be the drift of the apostle's argument.