Romans 11:18

Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 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 - q.d., '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" ()....

18._But if thou gloriest, thou bearest not the root, etc. _The Gentiles could not contend with the Jews respecting the excellency of their race without contending with Abraham himself; which would have been extremely unbecoming, since he was like a root by which they were borne and nourished. As unreasonable as it would be for the branches to boast against the root, so unreasonable would it have been for the Gentiles to glory against the Jews, that is, with respect to the excellency of their race; for Paul would have them ever to consider whence was the origin of their salvation. And we know that after Christ by his coming has pulled down the partition-wall, the whole world partook of the favor which God had previously conferred on the chosen people. It hence follows, that the calling of the Gentiles was like an ingrafting, and that they did not otherwise grow up as God’s people than as...

11-21 The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till, as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham and to God was, as it were, cut off. The Gentiles were grafted into this tree in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made heirs of Abraham's faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild branches into the good oliv...

Verse 18. _BOAST NOT AGAINST THE BRANCHES._] While you are ready to acknowledge that you were included in the covenant made with Abraham, and are now partakers of the same blessings with him, do not _exult over_, much less _insult, the branches_, his present descendants, whose place you now fill up, _according to the_ _election of grace_: for remember, ye are not the _root_, nor do ye _bear the root, but the root bears you_. You have not been the _means_ of deriving any blessing on the Jewish people; but through that very people, which you may be tempted to despise, all the blessing and excellencies which you enjoy have been communicated to you....

BOAST NOT ... - The tendency of people is to triumph over one that is fallen and rejected. The danger of pride and boasting on account of privileges is not less in the church than elsewhere. Paul saw that some of the Gentiles might be in danger of exultation over the fallen Jews, and therefore cautions them against it. The ingrafted shoot, deriving all its vigor and fruitfulness from the stock of another tree, ought not to boast against the branches. BUT IF THOU BOAST - If thou art so inconsiderate and wicked, so devoid of humility, and lifted up with pride, as to boast, yet know that there is no occasion for it. If there were occasion for boasting, it would rather be in the root or stock which sustains the branches; least of all can it be in those which were grafted in, having been before wholly unfruitful. THOU BEAREST NOT THE ROOT - The source of all your b

EXPOSITION ROMANS 11:1 (4) _The_ _Jews are not finally rejected, but, through the calling of the Gentiles, will be brought into the Church at last. _St. Paul, painfully recognizing the fact of the present exclusion of Israel as a nation from the inheritance of the promises made to their fathers, and having in Romans 9:1. and 10. accounted for and justified such exclusion, proceeds now to the question—But is Israel as a nation finally rejected after all? He answers—No; impossible! God's ancient covenant with his people stands; the remnant of believers even now is a sign of his continued favour to his ancient people, as was, in the time of Elijah, the remnant that had not bowed the knee to Baal; nor does the fact of its being a remnant only imply now, any more

BOAST NOT AGAINST THE BRANCHES,.... Those that were broken off: the apostle would not have them vaunt it over them, despise them, and trample upon them; but pity them, and pray for and be abundantly thankful and humbled before God, under a sense of Ida sovereign and distinguishing grace, who had settled them in a Gospel church state, who were before comparable to a wild olive tree; and much less should they glory over the believing Jews, among whom they were, there being no difference between them, for they were all one in Christ Jesus: BUT IF THOU BOAST; but if such a vain temper of mind should prevail, he suggests they would do well to sit down and consider what little reason they had on their side to glory; and if such glorying and boasting, one against another was lawful, the Jews had the greatest reason for it; for, adds the apostle, THOU BEAREST NOT THE ROOT, BUT THE ROOT THEE. T...

ISRAEL'S RESTORATION. CHAPTER 11 (“The Jewish Question”, by A. C. G., gives a complete exposition of this great chapter.) _ 1. God Hath not Cast Away His People. (Romans 11:1 .)_ 2. Israel's Apostasy not Complete; a Remnant Saved. (Romans 11:2 .) 3. Israel's Blindness for a Season. (Romans 11:7 .) 4. To Provoke Them to Jealousy. (Romans 11:11 .) 5. Their Fulness and Reception Life from the Dead. (Romans 11:12 .) 6. The Parable of the Two Olive Trees. ...

THE INGRAFTING OF THE GENTILES. From Romans 9:1 onwards, Paul has written as a Jew to Jews; here he turns to the other half of the Church (see Introd. § 3). ROMANS 11:13. But to you Gentiles I say. Paul's labour in their evangelisation has an ulterior object; he would fain somehow stir to jealousy his own flesh and blood, etc. (_cf. Romans 10:19_; also 1 Corinthians 9:20). I glorify my ministry, make it renowned (_cf. Romans 15:15_,...

THE CALLUS ON THE HEART (Romans 11:1-12)...