Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 11]
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.)
11:22 {The goodness and the severity of God} (\chr•stot•ta kai
apotomian theou\). See on Ro 2:2 for \chr•stot•s\, 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 epimen•is\). 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} (\ekkop•s•i\). Second future passive of \ekkopt•\, to
cut out.
11:23 {If they continue not in their unbelief} (\ean m• epimen•si
t•i apisti•i\). Third class condition with the same verb used in
verse 22 of the Gentile. Locative case of \apisti•i\ 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 4:21 rather than \dunatai\. This is the \crux\ of the whole
matter. God is able.
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} (\t•i idi•i elai•i\). Dative case. Another argument
_a fortiori_, "how much more" (\poll•i mallon\). God can graft
the natural Israel back upon the spiritual Israel, if they become
willing.
11:25 {This mystery} (\to must•rion touto\). Not in the pagan
sense of an esoteric doctrine for the initiated (from \mue•\, to
blink, to wink), unknown secrets (2Th 2:7), or like the mystery
religions of the time, but the revealed will of God now made
known to all (1Co 2:1,7; 4:1) which includes Gentiles also (Ro
16:25; Col 1:26f.; Eph 3:3f.) and so far superior to man's
wisdom (Col 2:2; 4:13; Eph 3:9; 5:32; 6:19; Mt 13:11; Mr 4:11).
Paul has covered every point of difficulty concerning the failure
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