Rom 11:16-17 | RWP | e4.org | First fruit ( απαρχη ). See on , . The metaphor is from . The LXX has απαρχην φυραματος , first of the dough as a heave offering. The lump ( το φυραμα ). From which the first fruit came. See on . Apparently the patriarchs are the first fruit. The root ( η ριζα ). Perhaps Abraham singly here. The metaphor is changed, but the idea is the same. Israel is looked on as a tree. But one must recall and keep in mind the double sense of Israel in . (the natural and the spiritual).

‏ Romans 11:16-17

First fruit ( απαρχη ). See on 1Co 15:20, 23. The metaphor is from Nu 15:19f. The LXX has απαρχην φυραματος, first of the dough as a heave offering.

The lump ( το φυραμα ). From which the first fruit came. See on 9:21. Apparently the patriarchs are the first fruit.

The root ( η ριζα ). Perhaps Abraham singly here. The metaphor is changed, but the idea is the same. Israel is looked on as a tree. But one must recall and keep in mind the double sense of Israel in 9:6f. (the natural and the spiritual).

Branches ( κλαδων ). From κλαω, to break.

Were broken off ( εξεκλασθησαν ). First aorist passive indicative of εκκλαω. Play on the word κλαδος (branch) and εκκλαω, 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 ( κα συ ). An individual Gentile.

Being a wild olive ( αγριελαιος ων ). 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" ( παρα φυσιν ).

Wast grafted in ( ενεκεντρισθης ). First aorist passive indicative of ενκεντριζω, to cut in, to graft, used by Aristotle. Belongs "to the higher Koine" (literary Koine) according to Milligan.

Partaker ( συνκοινωνος ). Co-partner.

Fatness ( πιοτητος ). Old word from πιων (fat), only here in N.T. Note three genitives here "of the root of the fatness of the olive."