Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Boast not against the—rejected
branches. But if thou—"do"
boast—remember that
thou bearest not—"it is not thou that bearest"
the root, but the root thee—"If the branches may not boast over the root that bears them, then may not the Gentile boast over the seed of Abraham; for what is thy standing, O Gentile, in relation to Israel, but that of a branch in relation to the root? From Israel hath come all that thou art and hast in the family of God; for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).
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 Romans 3:3, and on "not all" in Romans 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.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Romans 11:18:
Isaiah 66:14
Jeremiah 31:31
Zechariah 4:2
Zechariah 6:15
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