Romans 11

And the Shepherd bade me call them as each one was placed. And they came, rank by rank, and gave their branches to the Shepherd. And the Shepherd received the branches, and planted them in rows; and after he had planted them he poured much water upon them, so that the branches could not be seen for the water; and after the branches had drunk it in, he said to me, "Let us go, and return after a few days, and inspect all the branches; for He who created this tree wishes all those to live who received branches from it. And I also hope that the greater part of these branches which received moisture and drank of the water will live."

And that the Saviour received first-fruits of those whom He was to save, Paul declared when he said, "And if the first-fruits be holy, the lump is also holy," teaching that the expression "first-fruits" denoted that which is spiritual, but that "the lump" meant us, that is, the animal Church, the lump of which they say He assumed, and blended it with Himself, inasmuch as He is "the leaven."

For in no other way could we have learned the things of God, unless our Master, existing as the Word, had become man. For no other being had the power of revealing to us the things of the Father, except His own proper Word. For what other person "knew the mind of the Lord," or who else "has become His counsellor?" Again, we could have learned in no other way than by seeing our Teacher, and hearing His voice with our own ears, that, having become imitators of His works as well as doers of His words, we may have communion with Him, receiving increase from the perfect One, and from Him who is prior to all creation.

But as many as feared God, and were anxious about His law, these ran to Christ, and were all saved. For He said to His disciples: "Go ye to the sheep of the house of Israel, which have perished." And many more Samaritans, it is said, when the Lord had tarried among. them, two days, "believed because of His words, and said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we ourselves have heard [Him], and know that this man is truly the Saviour of the world." And Paul likewise declares, "And so all Israel shall be saved;" but he has also said, that the law was our pedagogue [to bring us] to Christ Jesus. Let them not therefore ascribe to the law the unbelief of certain [among them]. For the law never hindered them from believing in the Son of God; nay, but it even exhorted them so to do, saying that men can be saved in no other way from the old wound of the serpent than by believing in Him who, in the likeness of sinful flesh, is lifted up from the earth upon the tree of martyrdom, and draws all things to Himself, and vivifies the dead.

They moreover affirm that the Saviour is shown to be derived from all the Aeons, and to be in Himself everything by the following passage: "Every male that openeth the womb." For He, being everything, opened the womb of the enthymesis of the suffering Aeon, when it had been expelled from the Pleroma. This they also style the second Ogdoad, of which we shall speak presently. And they state that it was clearly on this account that Paul said, "And He Himself is all things;" and again, "All things are to Him, and of Him are all things;" and further, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead;" and yet again, "All things are gathered together by God in Christ." Thus do they interpret these and any like passages to be found in Scripture.

For if these men of old time, who preceded us in the gifts [bestowed upon them], and for whom the Son of God had not yet suffered, when they committed any sin and served fleshly lusts, were rendered objects of such disgrace, what shall the men of the present day suffer, who have despised the Lord's coming, and become the slaves of their own lusts? And truly the death of the Lord became [the means of] healing and remission of sins to the former, but Christ shall not die again in behalf of those who now commit sin, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from His stewards and dispensers the money which He had entrusted to them, with usury; and from those to whom He had given most shall He demand most. We ought not, therefore, as that presbyter remarks, to be puffed up, nor be severe upon those of old time, but ought ourselves to fear, lest perchance, after [we have come to] the knowledge of Christ, if we do things displeasing to God, we obtain no further forgiveness of sins, but be shut out from His kingdom. And therefore it was that Paul said, "For if [God] spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not thee, who, when thou wert a wild olive tree, wert grafted into the fatness of the olive tree, and wert made a partaker of its fatness."

It does not follow because men are endowed with greater and less degrees of intelligence, that they should therefore change the subject-matter [of the faith] itself, and should conceive of some other God besides Him who is the Framer, Maker, and Preserver of this universe, (as if He were not sufficient for them), or of another Christ, or another Only-begotten. But the fact referred to simply implies this, that one may [more accurately than another] bring out the meaning of those things which have been spoken in parables, and accommodate them to the general scheme of the faith; and explain [with special clearness] the operation and dispensation of God connected with human salvation; and show that God manifested longsuffering in regard to the apostasy of the angels who transgressed, as also with respect to the disobedience of men; and set forth why it is that one and the same God has made some things temporal and some eternal, some heavenly and others earthly; and understand for what reason God, though invisible, manifested Himself to the prophets not under one form, but differently to different individuals; and show why it was that more covenants than one were given to mankind; and teach what was the special character of each of these covenants; and search out for what reason "God hath concluded every man in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all;" and gratefully describe on what account the Word of God became flesh and suffered; and relate why the advent of the Son of God took place in these last times, that is, in the end, rather than in the beginning [of the world]; and unfold what is contained in the Scriptures concerning the end [itself], and things to come; and not be silent as to how it is that God has made the Gentiles, whose salvation was despaired of, fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers with the saints; and discourse how it is that "this mortal body shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption;" and proclaim in what sense [God] says, "That is a people who was not a people; and she is beloved who was not beloved;" and in what sense He says that "more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her who possessed a husband." For in reference to these points, and others of a like nature, the apostle exclaims: "Oh! the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" But [the superior skill spoken of] is not found in this, that any one should, beyond the Creator and Framer [of the world], conceive of the Enthymesis of an erring Aeon, their mother and his, and should thus proceed to such a pitch of blasphemy; nor does it consist in this, that he should again falsely imagine, as being above this [fancied being], a Pleroma at one time supposed to contain thirty, and at another time an innumerable tribe of Aeons, as these teachers who are destitute of truly divine wisdom maintain; while the Catholic Church possesses one and the same faith throughout the whole world, as we have already said.

This truth, therefore, [he declares], in order that we may not reject the engrafting of the Spirit while pampering the flesh. "But thou, being a wild olive-tree," he says, "hast been grafted into the good olive-tree, and been made a partaker of the fatness of the olive-tree. As, therefore, when the wild olive has been engrafted, if it remain in its former condition, viz., a wild olive, it is "cut off, and cast into the fire; " but if it takes kindly to the graft, and is changed into the good olive-tree, it becomes a fruit-bearing olive, planted, as it were, in a king's park (paradiso): so likewise men, if they do truly progress by faith towards better things, and receive the Spirit of God, and bring forth the fruit thereof, shall be spiritual, as being planted in the paradise of God. But if they cast out the Spirit, and remain in their former condition, desirous of being of the flesh rather than of the Spirit, then it is very justly said with regard to men of this stamp, "That flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; " just as if any one were to say that the wild olive is not received into the paradise of God. Admirably therefore does the apostle exhibit our nature, and God's universal appointment, in his discourse about flesh and blood and the wild olive. For as the good olive, if neglected for a certain time, if left to grow wild and to run to i wood, does itself become a wild olive; or again, if the wild olive be carefully tended and grafted, it naturally reverts to its former fruit-bearing condition: so men also, when they become careless, and bring forth for fruit the lusts of the flesh like woody produce, are rendered, by their own fault, unfruitful in righteousness. For when men sleep, the enemy sows the material of tares; and for this cause did the Lord command His disciples to be on the watch. And again, those persons who are not bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, and are, as it were, covered over and lost among brambles, if they use diligence, and receive the word of God as a graft, arrive at the pristine nature of man-that which was created after the image and likeness of God.

This, therefore, was the [object of the] long-suffering of God, that man, passing through all things, and acquiring the knowledge of moral discipline, then attaining to the resurrection from the dead, and learning by experience what is the source of his deliverance, may always live in a state of gratitude to the Lord, having obtained from Him the gift of incorruptibility, that he might love Him the more; for "he to whom more is forgiven, loveth more:" and that he may know himself, how mortal and weak he is; while he also understands respecting God, that He is immortal and powerful to such a degree as to confer immortality upon what is mortal, and eternity upon what is temporal; and may understand also the other attributes of God displayed towards himself, by means of which being instructed he may think of God in accordance with the divine greatness. For the glory of man [is] God, but [His] works [are the glory] of God; and the receptacle of all His wisdom and power [is] man. Just as the physician is proved by his patients, so is God also revealed through men. And therefore Paul declares, "For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that He may have mercy upon all;" not saying this in reference to spiritual Aeons, but to man, who had been disobedient to God, and being cast off from immortality, then obtained mercy, receiving through the Son of God that adoption which is [accomplished] by Himself. For he who holds, without pride and boasting, the true glory (opinion) regarding created things and the Creator, who is the Almighty God of all, and who has granted existence to all; [such an one, ] continuing in His love and subjection, and giving of thanks, shall also receive from Him the greater glory of promotion, looking forward to the time when he shall become like Him who died for him, for He, too, "was made in the likeness of sinful flesh," to condemn sin, and to cast it, as now a condemned thing, away beyond the flesh, but that He might call man forth into His own likeness, assigning him as [His own] imitator to God, and imposing on him His Father's law, in order that he may see God, and granting him power to receive the Father; [being] the Word of God who dwelt in man, and became the Son of man, that He might accustom man to receive God, and God to dwell in man, according to the good pleasure of the Father.

Those who bestow laudatory addresses on the rich appear to me to be rightly judged not only flatterers and base, in vehemently pretending that things which are disagreeable give them pleasure, but also godless and treacherous; godless, because neglecting to praise and glorify God, who is alone perfect and good, "of whom are all things, and by whom are all things, and for whom are all things," they invest with divine honours men wallowing in an execrable and abominable life, and, what is the principal thing, liable on this account to the judgment of God; and treacherous, because, although wealth is of itself sufficient to puff up and corrupt the souls of its possessors, and to turn them from the path by which salvation is to be attained, they stupefy them still more, by inflating the minds of the rich with the pleasures of extravagant praises, and by making them utterly despise all things except wealth, on account of which they are admired; bringing, as the saying is, fire to fire, pouring pride on pride, and adding conceit to wealth, a heavier burden to that which by nature is a weight, from which somewhat ought rather to be removed and taken away as being a dangerous and deadly disease.

"And I will give to thee the treasures of darkness, hidden and unseen" by the nations, but seen by us. And the treasures of wisdom are unfailing, in admiration of which the apostle says, "O the depth of the riches and the wisdom!" And by one God are many treasures dispensed; some disclosed by the law, others by the prophets; some to the divine mouth, and others to the heptad of the spirit singing accordant. And the Lord being one, is the same Instructor by all these.

To these statements the apostle will testify: "I know a man in Christ, caught up into the third heaven, and thence into Paradise, who heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak,"—intimating thus the impossibility of expressing God, and indicating that what is divine is unutterable by human power... Further, in the Epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians it is written, "An ocean illimitable by men and the worlds after it." Consequently, therefore, the noble apostle exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!"

The graft uses as soil the tree in which it is engrafted. Now all the plants sprouted forth simultaneously in consequence of the divine order. Wherefore also, though the wild olive is wild, it crowns the Olympic victors.… Now we see that the wild trees attract more nutriment because they cannot ripen. The wild trees therefore have less power of secretion than those that are cultivated. And the cause of their wildness is the absence of the power of secretion. The engrafted olive accordingly receives more nutriment from its growing in the cultivated one, and it gets accustomed, as it were, to secrete the nutriment, becoming thus assimilated to the fatness of the cultivated tree.

"Behold, therefore," says Paul, "the goodness and severity of God: on them that fell severity; but upon thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness," that is, in faith in Christ.

Do you see the cause of the calling from among the nations, clearly declared, by the prophet, to be the disobedience and gainsaying of the people? Then the goodness of God is shown also in their case. For the apostle says, "But through their transgression salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy" and to willingness to repent.

Isaiah even so early, with the clearness of an apostle, foreseeing the thoughts of heretical hearts, asked, "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? For who hath been His counsellor? With whom took He counsel? ... or who taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding? " With whom the apostle agreeing exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" "His judgments unsearchable," as being those of God the Judge; and "His ways past finding out," as comprising an understanding and knowledge which no man has ever shown to Him, except it may be those critics of the Divine Being, who say, God ought not to have been this, and He ought rather to have been that; as if any one knew what is in God, except the Spirit of God.

This is the purport of what Isaiah said, and of (the apostle's own) subsequent quotation of the self-same passage, of the prophet: "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? " Now, (Marcion, ) since you have expunged so much from the Scriptures, why did you retain these words, as if they too were not the Creator's words? But come now, let us see without mistake the precepts of your new god: "Abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good.

So also He will be first, because all things are after Him; and all things are after Him, because all things are by Him; and all things are by Him, because they are of nothing: so that reason coincides with the Scripture, which says: "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or with whom took He counsel? or who hath shown to Him the way of wisdom and knowledge? Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? " Surely none! Because there was present with Him no power, no material, no nature which belonged to any other than Himself.

They are, however, His "invisible things," which, according to the apostle, "are from the creation of the world clearly seen by the things that are made; they are no parts of a nondescript Matter, but they are the sensible evidences of Himself. "For who hath known the mind of the Lord," of which (the apostle) exclaims: "O the depth of the riches both of His wisdom and knowledge! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! " Now what clearer truth do these words indicate, than that all things were made out of nothing? They are incapable of being found out or investigated, except by God alone.

If, now, it is in this sense that He stretches out the heavens alone, how is it that these heretics assume their position so perversely, as to render inadmissible the singleness of that Wisdom which says, "When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him? " -even though the apostle asks, "Who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His counsellor? " meaning, of course, to except that wisdom which was present with Him.

"For who," says the apostle," has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counsellor, to teach Him? or who has pointed out to Him the way of understanding? " But, indeed, the world has held it lawful for Diana of the Scythians, or Mercury of the Gauls, or Saturn of the Africans, to be appeased by human sacrifices; and in Latium to this day Jupiter has human blood given him to taste in the midst of the city; and no one makes it a matter of discussion, or imagines that it does not occur for some reason, or that it occurs by the will of his God, without having value.

Isaiah even so early, with the clearness of an apostle, foreseeing the thoughts of heretical hearts, asked, "Who hath known the mind of the Lord? For who hath been His counsellor? With whom took He counsel? ... or who taught Him knowledge, and showed to Him the way of understanding?" With whom the apostle agreeing exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" "His judgments unsearchable," as being those of God the Judge; and "His ways past finding out," as comprising an understanding and knowledge which no man has ever shown to Him, except it may be those critics of the Divine Being, who say, God ought not to have been this, and He ought rather to have been that; as if any one knew what is in God, except the Spirit of God.

For where had been their sin, if they only maintained the righteousness of their own God against one of whom they were ignorant? But he exclaims: "O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God; how unsearchable also are His ways!" Whence this outburst of feeling? Surely from the recollection of the Scriptures, which he had been previously turning over, as well as from his contemplation of the mysteries which he had been setting forth above, in relation to the faith of Christ coming from the law. If Marcion had an object in his erasures, why does his apostle utter such an exclamation, because his god has no riches for him to contemplate? So poor and indigent was he, that he created nothing, predicted nothing—in short, possessed nothing; for it was into the world of another God that he descended. The truth is, the Creator's resources and riches, which once had been hidden, were now disclosed. For so had He promised: "I will give to them treasures which have been hidden, and which men have not seen will I open to them." Hence, then, came the exclamation, "O the depth of the riches and the wisdom of God!" For His treasures were now opening out.

'" Such and so great futilities of theirs wherewith they flatter God and pander to themselves, effeminating rather than invigorating discipline, with how cogent and contrary (arguments) are we for our part able to rebut,-(arguments) which set before us warningly the "severity" of God, and provoke our own constancy? Because, albeit God is by nature good, still He is "just" too.

Much more aptly would they have matched the Christian with the elder, and the Jew with the younger son, "according to the analogy of faith," if the order of each people as intimated from Rebecca's womb permitted the inversion: only that (in that case) the concluding paragraph would oppose them; for it will he fitting for the Christian to rejoice, and not to grieve, at the restoration of Israel, if it he true, (as it is), that the whole of our hope is intimately united with the remaining expectation of Israel. Thus, even if some (features in the parable) are favourable, yet by others of a contrary significance the thorough carrying out of this comparison is destroyed; although (albeit all points be capable of corresponding with mirror-like accuracy) there he one cardinal danger in interpretations-the danger lest the felicity of our comparisons be tempered with a different aim from that which the subject-matter of each particular parable has bidden us (temper it).

For this is what Paul also was doing, by teaching and instructing the Gentiles, whose apostle he was; nourishing the weak with herbs, feeding the little ones with milk, offering to the strong the stronger food of the word; and travailing again in birth with a mother's affection over those who erred and wavered in the faith and were reduced as it were to something abortive, until Christ should be formed in them: and through all these things, by glorifying the ministry of his apostleship, he was leading his own flesh — that is, his kinsmen according to the flesh — into an emulation of faith and a zeal for good conduct; so that, if not all, he might yet save some of them. Thus therefore, while he exercises vigilant care and unceasing solicitude over the teaching of the Gentiles, and renders their conduct and life highly commendable, the Israelites who were his kinsmen according to the flesh, seeing these things, are invited and provoked to imitate those who advance in faith in God: and it is the glory of his ministry when from their instruction a benefit accrues to those others as well.

"For I say to you Gentiles: As long indeed as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I will glorify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to emulation my own flesh, and may save some of them." As we have often observed in this Epistle, Paul sometimes speaks on behalf of the Jews, sometimes on behalf of the Gentiles, and at times directs his discourse to one or the other of these, or to both, as when he said, "But if you are called a Jew," speaking as though to a Jew; and again, "to the Jew first, and to the Greek," speaking as though to both. So now, openly addressing the Gentiles — that is, chiefly those in the city of Rome who had come to faith from among the Gentiles — he says: "For I say to you Gentiles." Let us therefore see what he says to the Gentiles. "As long indeed as I am," he says, "the apostle of the Gentiles, I will glorify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to emulation my own flesh, and may save some of them." Someone will say: What he says, "As long as I am the apostle of the Gentiles," seems to show that he will not always be the apostle of the Gentiles, but that, once his ministry is completed, he will be the apostle of some others, whoever they may be. But so far as may be gathered both from his own words and from the course of what actually happened, he is proved to have remained the apostle of the Gentiles in faith and truth as long as he was in this world. What then shall we say? Was it perhaps that, like a good and faithful servant who had been faithful in a few things, he knew that he was to be set over many things, and that he would be an apostle even after his own departure, not only of the Gentiles but also of the Israelites, and perhaps of others invisible, there where the spirits and souls of the just bless the Lord, sing a hymn, and exalt him above all forever? Or ought we rather to take it as simply said, "As long as I am the apostle of the Gentiles," just as the Lord also says to the apostles: "And behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age" — not that he says he will not be with them after the consummation of the age, but that, to show that he would never depart from them, he said "even to the consummation of the age"; so too the Apostle said "As long as I am an apostle" in the sense of "always and without end." But which of the two expositions ought to be accepted we leave to the reader's judgment. Therefore, as long as Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, he says that he glorifies his ministry: and what is so fitting as that each one should adorn the ministry which he receives through God's providence? Now he adorns and glorifies his ministry who ministers well, just as, on the contrary, he dishonors his ministry and makes it notorious who has ministered negligently and unworthily. For example, in the ministry of the Church, "the deacon," he says, "who has ministered well acquires for himself a good standing, and much confidence in the faith of Jesus Christ." But if he has not ministered well — that is, if he has not shown himself such as the Apostle describes, grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, but holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience — he acquires for himself not now a good standing, but an evil punishment, as one who has done insult to the divine ministry. And in like manner, whoever receives the rank of the presbyterate in the Church, let him take pains to glorify the ministry of a presbyter. For to him pertain both those things which the Apostle writes to Titus concerning presbyters, and those things which Isaiah writes when he says: "The Lord himself will come into judgment with the elders of the people and with its princes he will enter into judgment"; and he adds: "But why do you set my vineyard on fire, and the plunder of the poor is in your houses? Why do you do injury to my people, and put to shame the persons of the poor?" And according to these things the bishop too glorifies his ministry in the episcopate, if he be such as the Apostle describes — blameless, watchful, prudent, of good behavior, hospitable, a teacher, not given to wine, not a striker, but modest; not quarrelsome, not covetous, ruling his own house well, having his children in subjection with all gravity, not puffed up with pride, lest he fall into the judgment of the devil. He who is such glorifies the ministry of his episcopate, so that he too may hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things." In like manner also the widow, if she continues in prayers and supplications night and day, glorifies the ministry of her widowhood. But if she be such as the Apostle censures — idle, and talkative, and not only talkative but also a busybody, speaking what is not fitting; or if she be one living in pleasures, and dead while she lives — she has dishonored and not glorified the ministry of her widowhood. In the same way also the virgin consecrated to God glorifies the ministry of her virginity, if she be holy in body and spirit, and think not on the things of men, but on the things of God, how she may please God. But if she acts otherwise, not only does she not glorify the ministry of her virginity, nor does she make her lamp shine, but on the contrary her light is extinguished, and she becomes one of the foolish virgins. Let each one placed in the Church consider these same things within himself, so that in whatever place he stands, whether among the clergy or among the people, he may glorify the ministry of his faith, and so order his deeds that "men, seeing" his "good works, may glorify the Father who is in heaven."

"For if the loss of them is the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" This is what the Apostle seems to me to show in these words: that, Israel having been cast off and the preaching necessarily transferred to the Gentiles, the world (that is, all the nations) has been reconciled to God, according to what is written: "For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their offenses"; and again, as Paul says: "Who has placed in us the word of reconciliation"; through which word he was saying: "We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." If therefore, he says, the casting off of this Israelite nation furnished reconciliation to the world, and if so great was the grace toward that nation that, when taken from it, it sufficed to reconcile the whole world to God, how much do you think the world will then merit, when that nation too shall have merited to be reconciled to God? And what it is that the world will gain from the reconciliation of Israel, he shows briefly, saying: "Life from the dead." For then will be the receiving of Israel, when the dead too shall receive life, and the world shall from corruptible become incorruptible, and mortals shall be endowed with immortality. For it would seem absurd that, when their offense bestowed reconciliation upon the world, their receiving should not bestow upon the world something greater and more excellent.

"But if their transgression is the riches of the world, and their diminishment the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness?" Consider in these things the wisdom of God, how with him not even transgressions and falls themselves turn out to be useless; but while each one transgresses out of the freedom of his own purpose, the dispensation of divine wisdom, in that very thing by which those men become poor through the loss incurred by their negligence, makes others rich. For indeed, "when God divided the nations, and scattered the sons of Adam, he established the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God. And the Lord's portion was then made Jacob, and Israel the cord of his inheritance." But when those angels, to whom the portion of the Gentiles had been distributed, in a certain way seduced and corrupted individuals from the Lord's portion, they made them stumble, so that the Lord said through the prophet: "My desirable portion has become to me an execration"; it was necessary that, when that portion had been refused and rejected, there should be another portion of the Lord upon the earth, which should receive the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the services of the worship of God (all of which were the riches of the Lord's portion), and should be called the Lord's portion in place of that portion which had stumbled. For this reason "their transgression" becomes "the riches of the world." For now no longer is one nation of the Hebrews, but the whole world has been made the portion of the Lord. For the Savior himself says: "Because I came not to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through me." And lest the term "world" should seem ambiguous — since indeed the designation of "world" is often referred to heaven and earth, often to the earth alone, and sometimes even to all men — for that reason the Apostle repeats it, and more plainly indicates in what sense he has said "world." For he says: "And their diminishment, the riches of the Gentiles." For what was diminished and taken away from those who stumbled has been conferred upon the riches of the Gentiles, who through faith have been made the Lord's portion and his inheritance. And well has he rendered "fullness" in answer to "diminishment," and not without some profound meaning does Paul call the people of Israel a "fullness." In which I, according to my powers, understand something of this sort: Now indeed, while all the nations are coming to salvation, the riches of God are being gathered from the multitude of believers; but as long as Israel persists in unbelief, the fullness of the Lord's portion will not yet be said to be complete. For the people of Israel is lacking to its integrity. But when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and Israel in the last time has come through faith to salvation, that will be the people which was indeed the first; but coming last, it will in a certain way complete the very fullness of the inheritance and portion of the Lord. And therefore it is called a "fullness," because what was lacking in God's portion, it will itself complete in the last times; and thus the dispensation of the almighty and good God makes the transgressions of some fruitful for others, just as in the present case it makes the transgressions of Israel the riches of the world, and their diminishment the riches of the Gentiles. Now indeed, whether from the transgressions of the Gentiles also, which they necessarily commit, the Dispenser of all things may do something of this sort, and confer riches upon some of them — lest this should seem to have been something special belonging to Israel alone, but rather that equity may be held to exist with the just and good God over all — you also who read must inquire this for yourself.

You see, then, that Paul in the present chapter, in the words he speaks — "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?" — is speaking of creatures, but excepts the nature of the Trinity: seeing that it has nothing in common with the creature save the work of beneficence. Moreover, as to what he says, "Who has been his counsellor?" — it is not as though he himself, being less than sufficient, stood in need of another's counsel, but he declares that there is no partaker of his counsel among creatures. For counsel is necessarily present to the wise one in his own wisdom, which is Christ, and in his holiness, which is the Holy Spirit.

"For of him, and through him, and in him are all things." You see how at the end he shows that in all the things he has said above he has marked out the mystery of the Trinity. For just as in the present place what he says — "For of him, and through him, and in him are all things" — agrees with those sayings which the same Apostle records in other places when he says: "One God the Father, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things"; and likewise he says that all things are revealed in the Spirit of God, and through these he designates that the providence of the Trinity is in all things; so also when he says "the depth of the riches," he signifies the Father, of whom he says all things are; and by the depth of wisdom he points to Christ, who is his wisdom; and by the depth of knowledge he declares the Holy Spirit, who also knows the deep things of God. Nevertheless, when he says "of him," he indicates this very thing that we are; but "through him," that we are dispensed in life through his providence; and "in him," that the perfection and end of all things will be in him then, when God shall be all in all: and then "to him be glory unto the ages of ages: Amen." "Unto the ages," because the perfection of all things is not confined within one age, but is extended into many, and is scarcely hoped to be fulfilled at some time. And he joins also "Amen," that we may understand that we must come to that blessedness through him of whom it is written in the Apocalypse: "These things says he who is the Amen."

Paul declares that God is the beginning of the substance of all things by the words "of him" and the bond of their subsistence by the expression "through him" and their final end by the term "to him."

Paul did not say that God's judgments were hard to search out but that they could not be searched out at all. He did not say that God's ways were hard to find out but that they were impossible to find out. For however far one may advance in the search and make progress through an increasingly earnest study, even when aided and enlightened in the mind by God's grace, he will never be able to reach the final goal of his inquiries.

Therefore the holy Apostle, considering that the riches of God's goodness are so great, and that so great a work of the divine wisdom is carried on toward rational natures, and that "God is so rich in mercy," and "rich toward all who call upon him," and that such is the magnitude of his goodness and patience and long-suffering — suddenly beholding these things with the inner eyes of the heart, and perceiving their immensity, struck at once with amazement and with awe, cries out and says: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" For whence could the perception of the human mind have supposed such things — that, with the liberty of choice preserved to each one, the work of one man's wickedness should be turned to another's salvation, and should confer the palm upon the one who conquers it, while it brings ruin upon the one who practices it? Having therefore surveyed these matters by a general reasoning, as it appears, the Apostle cries out and says that so great is the depth of the riches of God, and so great is the depth of his wisdom, and no less great is the depth of his knowledge (for the word "depth" serves for all of these), that no one is capable of searching out his judgments, by which he dispenses to each single soul and to every rational nature, nor can anyone investigate the ways of God along which his providence proceeds. And by "anyone" we mean not only of human beings, but of the whole creation. For his judgments would not be called unsearchable, and his ways past finding out, save because there is no creature that is able either to investigate or to search them out. For the Son alone is he who knows the Father, and the Holy "Spirit" alone is he who "searches all things, even the depth of God." And therefore this depth of God, which he calls both unsearchable and past finding out, he calls unsearchable and past finding out to every creature. But of the Son and of the Holy Spirit he could not say these things, because the Son says in the Gospel to the Father: "Father, all mine are thine, and thine are mine"; and concerning the Holy Spirit Paul himself declares, saying: "For no one among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man which is in him: so also the things which are in God no one has known, except the Spirit of God."

And he does likewise with those things which he declares to have been said through David. For he says: "And David says: Let their table become a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back always." For as to what he says, "Let their table become a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block" — "a trap" is not found written in the Psalm, neither in our copies of the Seventy Translators nor in those of the Hebrews. And again, in the Psalm it stands: "Let their table before them become a snare"; but the Apostle did not put "before them." These things we have mentioned concerning the order of the words and the character of the testimonies taken up, in order to show point by point that apostolic authority in no way puts its trust in the copies of the Hebrews, nor does it always serve the words of the translators, but sets forth the sense of the Scriptures in the words that suit it.

But first a few things must be said to those who reject allegories in the divine Scriptures and are accustomed to laugh at those who do not in all things follow the historical sense. Let them tell us, then, whether the Prophet here means that table of the Jews at which they are wont to take their lunch or their supper, so that this very table should become for them a snare to catch them; or whether that same table is made for them a recompense, so that from it they receive vengeance for the offenses they have committed; or let them explain in what way it is a stumbling block to them. But if they are unable to give an account of these several points, and see their laughter turned into confusion, then let them come along with us, and inquire from the divine Scriptures how this table of Israel may be understood. To us, therefore, so far as our understanding can grasp it, it appears thus: that all the Scriptures which existed before the coming of the Lord among Israel (for "to them first were entrusted the oracles of God"), and everything that is called the Old Testament, is the table of Israel — at which table, if anyone wished to eat the word of God, he was fed by the words of the Law and the Prophets set before him. And this, I think, is the table of which Solomon says: "If you sit down to sup at the table of a ruler, understand intelligently what is set before you, and put forth your hand, knowing that you must prepare such things yourself." And when the Savior too says, "When you shall eat and drink at my table," what else do we understand his table to be, except where he teaches those who are worthy, and those who are able to receive the word of wisdom and the knowledge of things? This Solomon also attests in the Proverbs concerning Wisdom, saying: "Wisdom has built herself a house, and set up seven pillars; she has slain her victims, she has mingled her wine in the bowl, and has prepared her table." Every Scripture, therefore, is the table of Wisdom. But let us see how David prays that this table may become to the unbelieving Israelites "before them a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense." The divine Scripture becomes a snare to them when they read the things prophesied concerning Christ: "He shall build my city, and shall turn back the captivity of my people," and they say that these things were not fulfilled under Jesus. For he did not build, they say, the city of God, nor did he call back the captivity of the people. But they say these things because, sitting at the table of the ruler, they do not do what Solomon admonished, namely, to understand intelligently the things set before them. For Christ was prophesied as about to do these things not visibly, but intelligibly, that is, spiritually. For he did indeed build the city of God, but out of living stones, from which he raised up sons of Abraham, and from these he built the Church of God; and he turned back the captivity of the people, of those whom the devil held captive in their sins. Since, therefore, they do not understand in this way, this table of the divine Scripture has been made for them "a snare and a trap." And that trap of this table may also be seen in that by which the Lord caught them when he said to them: "What do you think concerning the Christ? Whose son is he? And they answered: David's. And the Lord said: How then does David call him Lord, saying: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand? And they were not able to answer him a word." And this table is made "a recompense" to them, to speak briefly, according to that word of the Lord in which he says: "Do you think that I shall accuse you before the Father? There is one who accuses you, Moses"; and according to what the Apostle says: "As many as have sinned under the Law shall be judged by the Law." And this table is made "a stumbling block" to them in this way. From the Scriptures the Jews had learned that "Christ abides forever"; but seeing Jesus in the flesh, and not only in the flesh, but even in death, and the death of the cross, they were made to stumble at him, not knowing that "although he suffered from the weakness" of the flesh, "yet he lives by the power of God." Because, therefore, they did not receive intelligibly these several things which were set before them at the table of the ruler, they were made to stumble, and the very table of the divine Scriptures was made for them a stumbling block, and their eyes were darkened according to what we said above, and their back is bowed down always. For those who have sinned against the Creator of heaven, and against the Lord of majesty, ought no longer to look up to heaven. But each one of us also must fear lest perhaps this table of the divine words, at which we seem to have sat down that we may take the food of the word of God according to our capacity, become a snare, or a recompense, or a stumbling block, if we do not receive from it intelligibly, and as is fitting, the clean and pure and spiritual foods of wisdom — observing likewise this also, that we do not sit down at the table of wisdom in unclean and filthy garments, that is, with a polluted body or heart; but, already now meditating upon the appearance of that future banquet in the heavens, let us through conversion and repentance daily prepare cleaner and nuptial garments, by the use of which we may be worthy to enter the hall of wisdom and the bridal chambers of the king's son.

And in like manner also, "Or who has first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him?" is to be understood. For no one has first bestowed anything upon his Maker: since even this very thing that he is, each one has received from his Creator.

In this passage the Apostle, wishing to display the goodness of God, by which he brings about the salvation of some through the unbelief of others, says: "God has shut up all in unbelief, that he may have mercy upon all"; not that he himself thrust upon them the purpose of unbelief, but that out of their own purpose of unbelief he opened up an approach to faith for others who had themselves previously been unbelievers. Now Paul, having taken his stand at these points and looking more deeply into causes of this kind — how it is that God does not at once cut away and excise an evil purpose, but suffers it and holds it in reserve, foreseeing that some good will come to others through another's evil purpose — turned, I think, the eyes of his heart from those of whom he was speaking to the very origin of wickedness: namely, that God from the beginning did not judge it useful to cut it away when it sprouted in those in whom it first arose, whoever they may be, and grew by the liberty of choice; but permitted them to use their own purpose, knowing and foreseeing that the progress and benefit of many would arise from the occasion of their wickedness. And so great is the room for virtue with the good God, that even the work of wickedness, though it be ruinous to him from whom it proceeds, is nevertheless so ordered as to confer a benefit upon him for whom it stirs up contests, when it has been overcome.

But a question is raised for us: how can it seem to be said worthily of the good God that he himself gave to the remainder of Israel eyes with which they should not see, and ears with which they should not hear? And see whether perhaps this is rather a recompense and the wage of unbelief, according to what we expounded in the earlier portions, where it is said that, because "they did not approve of having God in their knowledge, God delivered them over to a reprobate mind." For here too he speaks of the eyes and ears of the heart, not of the body, with which those men are blinded and do not hear — those, namely, who, seeing Christ in the body and hearing his teaching, were willing neither to believe the works which they saw nor to obey the word which they heard. But on this very question enough has been said by us in the first parts of this Epistle. Where, however, this very thing may be written which the Apostle says — "As it is written: God gave them a spirit of compunction, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this present day" — I have thus far been unable to find. But if anyone applies himself to the divine Scriptures more diligently than we, let him make it plain if he finds it. Yet I think the Apostle spoke in this manner: "But the rest were blinded; and, as it is written of them, God gave them a spirit of compunction," so that he seems to say in his own words that God gave them a spirit of compunction in accordance with those things which were said through Isaiah about the blindness of the eyes and the hearing of the ears. For Isaiah speaks thus: "Go, and say to this people: With hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not see. For the heart of this people has been made gross, and with their ears they have heard heavily; and they have closed their eyes, lest perchance they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." Now therefore the Apostle seems to have set forth the sense of Isaiah, but in his own words; yet because he was giving the prophet's sense, he added: "As it is written."

"For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that you be not wise in your own conceit: that blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in: and so all Israel should be saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion he who shall deliver and shall turn away impieties from Jacob: and this is my covenant with them, when I shall have taken away their sins." Still addressing those who had believed from among the Gentiles, as being elated and proud against the branches that were broken off, and thinking that they had obtained this not by God's goodness and the ineffable dispensation of his wisdom, but by their own merits — namely that, with those broken off, they themselves, though they were wild olives, should be grafted into the good olive tree — he says: "I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that you be not wise in your own conceit;" because to insult the fallen, and to boast against the branches that were broken off, comes not from the wisdom of God, but from a human wisdom, notorious and ignorant of the mystery of God. For he who is wise according to God does not, amid God's benefits, insult those who have been cast down, but with fear gives thanks to the mercy that bestows them. The mystery, then, which was unknown to those who insulted, is of this sort: how, in the dispersion of the sons of Adam, when all the other nations were distributed according to the number of the angels, Israel was made a certain portion proper to God, as also in other places where it was fitting, and in these very passages a little above, we have recalled — to whom also the promises of good things, and the covenants, and the giving of the law were made. So long, then, as that portion of the Lord remained in its own state, it was not possible for us, who were Gentiles, to enter into the inheritance of God, and to succeed to the rights of his scepter. For this reason, therefore, God allows a blindness to come about in part — that is, not upon all, but upon some of Israel — brought upon them, without doubt, by those angels who had obtained by lot the rule of the other nations, under the pretext of envious rivalry. God therefore allowed it, and, though he could have prevented it, was unwilling to do so, in order that, in exchange for those who were deceived by blindness — that is, who fell through the dullness of their heart — God might make the portions of those very ones who had deceived them his own portion, so that in a certain way they might be caught in that very thing by which they had caught others. For by turning God's people to themselves through the enticements of sin, they made room for the Gentiles to enter into the inheritance of God, God holding judgment with them by a certain common and most equitable right: that so long as they held the people of God in the captivity of blindness, the number of the Gentiles should be rendered as it were in place of those whom from the beginning they had withdrawn from God's portion and his set-apart inheritance; but when the fullness of the Gentiles had been completed, and Israel, through emulation of their salvation, had begun to shake off from itself the blindness of heart, and, with eyes lifted up, to behold Christ the true light, then, according to the preceding prophecies, it might seek, being roused, the salvation which, having been blinded, it had lost, saying within itself that prophetic word: "I will return to my former husband, for it was better for me then than now." But that these things were promised to them through the prophets is found indeed in many prophetic volumes: we shall nevertheless set down what suffices for the present, a single testimony from Jeremiah, running thus: "If heaven be exalted on high, and the earth be humbled below, I will not reject the race of Israel for all that they have done." If, therefore, in order that the fullness of the Gentiles might enter in, blindness came upon Israel for all that they have done, without doubt, when the fullness of the Gentiles has entered in, the blindness will cease. But if you wish, says the Apostle, to know how Israel is to be saved even after its blindness, hear how it is written: "There shall come out of Sion he who delivers, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob: and this is my covenant with them, when I shall have taken away their sins." It should indeed be known that in the prophet Isaiah, from whom Paul takes this testimony, in place of what the Apostle said, "he shall come out of Sion," it is written, "he shall come for the sake of Sion;" and that what he says here, "when I shall have taken away their sins," is not written there at all, nor indeed among the Hebrews: yet it has been assumed on the Apostle's authority. Meanwhile the Lord, coming out of Sion, sets free and turns away impieties from Jacob. And he turns away impieties from him according to that which is written: That "the Lord shall wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Sion, and shall cleanse the blood from the midst of her in the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning;" and that this should so come to pass was for them a covenant from God, that in this way impieties should be turned away from them and their sins taken away. But who this "all Israel" is that shall be saved, or what this "fullness" of the Gentiles will be, God alone knows, and his Only-begotten, and any who perchance are his friends; to whom he may say: "No longer will I call you servants, but friends; for I have made known to you all things which I have heard from the Father." This, however, can occur even to our understanding: that just as Israel, so long as it remains Israel according to the flesh, and has not also according to the spirit been made a true Israelite seeing God with the mind, cannot attain to salvation, so neither indeed can all the Gentiles whatsoever be saved, but only those who shall be found within the fullness, whatever that is which is named by the Apostle "fullness." Thus therefore the mystery of God is handled by a certain ineffable dispensation of his wisdom, so that even when the soul has of itself brought upon itself a lot of evils, he who knows how to dispose all things makes its rejection and punishment the salvation of others. But this too seems to me in this passage to be more carefully considered, that he does not say that this blindness has befallen all Israel, but "in part. For the remnant according to the election of grace has been saved," concerning which remnant Isaiah also had prophesied, saying: "Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed." These remnants, therefore, are joined in blessedness with the fullness of the Gentiles: but the rest of Israel, who have been blinded, are put together with those Gentiles who could not attain to the fullness. So then, whatever things are found written in the discourses of the prophets concerning the promises containing blessedness, if they are about Israel, pertain to this remnant which has been chosen; if about the Gentiles, they look to the fullness. But if there be any sad things, if indeed they are spoken of Israel, they are without doubt referred to those remaining ones who were blinded: but if of the Gentiles, they assuredly bind those who are outside the fullness. Yet the end presses upon all things, and those indeed who are blessed, whether they come from Israel or also from the Gentiles, the word of the evangelical teaching of the present time purifies, that they may be such as were those to whom the Lord said: "Behold, now you are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." But whoever spurns the purification of the word of God and of evangelical teaching reserves himself for sad and penal purifications, so that the fire of Gehenna may purge amid torments him whom neither apostolic teaching nor the evangelical word has purged, according to that which is written: "And I will purify you with fire unto purity." But in this very purgation which is applied through the punishment of fire, for how long a time, or through how many ages, torment is exacted of sinners, he alone can know to whom "the Father has handed over all judgment," who so loves his creature that for its sake he emptied himself of the form of God and took up the form of a servant, humbling himself even unto death, willing that "all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." Nevertheless we ought always to remember that the Apostle wished the present passage to be held as a mystery, namely so that all the faithful and perfect should cover thoughts of this kind within themselves in silence as a mystery of God, and not bring them forth indiscriminately to the imperfect and the less capable. "For it is good," says the Scripture, "to conceal the mystery of a king."

"But if the firstfruits are holy, so is the lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though you were a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a sharer in the root and the fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you who bear the root, but the root you. You say then: The branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Well: they were broken off because of unbelief. But you stand by faith: do not be proud in your thinking, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Behold, then, the goodness and the severity of God: toward those indeed who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in goodness. Otherwise you too will be cut off, and they, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into the good olive tree, how much more shall these, who are according to nature, be grafted into their own olive tree?" I do not know how those who come from the school of Valentinus and Basilides, failing to hear these things thus spoken by Paul, suppose that there is a nature of souls which is always saved and never perishes, and another which always perishes and is never saved: when Paul plainly says that the branches of the good olive tree were broken off because of their own unbelief, and stood in need of the vengeance of divine severity; and again that the branches of the wild olive — which among them is set down as a nature that is lost — were grafted into the root and fatness of the olive tree. But to those people, indeed, an easy answer may be given by these words. Nevertheless, even to us who say that the nature of all human beings — nay rather, of all rational beings — is one, and equally capable of salvation and, if it be careless, of perdition, an objection can be raised, and it may be said: How then does Paul set down a good olive tree and a wild olive, since surely, if he knew the nature of all to be one, he would not have introduced the example of trees of different kinds? To this, then, it must be said: Just as all bodily matter, though it is beyond doubt of one nature, brings forth diverse species through the qualities that accrue to it — whether of bodies, or of trees, or of grasses — so also, since the nature of all rational beings is one, endowed equally with the liberty of its own free choice, the particular movements of each one, brought forth from the power of free choice, leading the soul subject to them either toward virtue or toward lust, form that soul either into the species of a good tree or of a bad one: so that it is called a good tree, if through the power of free choice it has chosen good things; or is called bad, if it has chosen evil things. And thus each one, according to the movements of his own purpose, will be named either a good olive, if he walks the path of virtue, or, if he pursues the contrary, a wild olive. Hence, finally, the Lord also said in the Gospel: "Either make the tree good, and its fruits good; or make the tree bad, and its fruits bad;" so as to show that a tree is not born good or bad, but becomes so. But now, if something should be added to the liberty of choice which from without either provokes to evils or exhorts to good things through certain ineffable dispensations of divine Providence, this in no way damages the consistency of the solution proposed; for the rational nature has within itself the liberty of choice, vigorous also with respect to these things, by which it can either obey, if it will, the one provoking, or, if it will not, spurn the one exhorting. But what we said — that qualities accruing from without to bodily matter render diverse species, some indeed enduring for a long time, some for a short, and some scarcely lasting not only a few years but sometimes even a few months or days — is to be understood thus. For example: the species of heaven, and of the sun, or the moon, or the stars, have been formed with certain such qualities as suffice to endure until the end of the age, and until they are set free "from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God." But other are the qualities of earthly bodies, and among these too there is much difference. For the bodies of some animals, or of trees, or of birds, can last for very many periods of time; but of others, for few, or for exceedingly few. But if you have understood these things well, let us now pass over from the examples of bodily quality to the quality of the rational nature: and see how some indeed endure many ages in the qualities of blessedness; and others nonetheless spend many ages in the quality of wickedness; some of them remain a short time either in virtues or in wickednesses; others a very short time, others an exceedingly brief time. Of these things, one by one, we men — weighed down as we are by the burden of a corruptible body — can grasp a very slight knowledge, or even none at all. But he who searches all things, even the deep things of God, the Holy Spirit, knows all things, and makes them known to whomever he himself wills to reveal them. For in these matters especially, that is, in the dispensation of the rational nature, that apostolic saying must be uttered: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Thus, then, each one, by the power of free choice, becomes either a good olive or a wild olive, either of the Israelite race or of another blameworthy nation, so that it is said of him: "Sinners are estranged from the womb, they have gone astray from the belly: they have spoken false things;" so that they are strangers to the covenants and aliens to the promises of God. And others are cast upon God from the womb, and say: "Upon you was I cast from the womb, from my mother's belly you are my God." But since, as we have said, the liberty of choice always remains to this nature, it is possible that one who is of the Israelite nation, and a branch of the good olive tree, should fall into unbelief and be broken off; and again that another who had chosen to be of a blameworthy and sinful nation, and on this account was called a branch of the wild olive, should, if he turns to the faith (for he has within himself the liberty of his own choice, by which he can be converted to the good), be grafted into the good olive tree through faith, and become a sharer of the root and fatness of the olive tree. But this root some name Abraham, others Seth, others set down some one of the fathers of good desert. I, however, know no other root that is holy, and no other holy firstfruits, save our Lord Jesus Christ. For he is the firstfruits of all, or the "first portion" (delibatio), as we have it in the present passage of the Apostle, according to what is said elsewhere of him: "Who is the firstborn of all creation." For into this root everyone who is saved is grafted, and from this holy firstfruit the whole lump of the human race is sanctified: and truly, as a holy root he supplies the fatness of holiness to the branches that remain in him, while through his Holy Spirit he gives life to those who cling to him, cultivates them by the word, makes them flourish with wisdom, and causes them to bear rich fruits in the fullness of all virtues: so that it too may say of them: "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God." For indeed, if the branches that were broken off were broken off because of unbelief, and those who stand, stand by faith: who else will there be in whom they stand, except Jesus Christ? And who else is he from whom they were broken off through unbelief, except the very one in whom they did not believe? Therefore always, whoever came as a stranger to the faith, or to the manner of life of Israel, was being grafted into Christ, who was the true Israel. Especially, however, from the time of his coming, much wild olive is grafted into this root, or into its branches — that is, into the apostles and prophets of God — so that those who are grafted into them may become partakers of the root and of the fatness of Christ. After this the Apostle teaches us not to exalt ourselves against the root, or against the Israelites who are the broken branches, nor to insult them: because we do not bear the root, but the root bears us. For we have nothing that we have not received. And if we have received it, why do we boast as though we had not received it? Then next, as though against certain persons more shamelessly insulting and saying: "If the branches were broken off — well and good: they were broken off because of unbelief, so that I, who believed, might be grafted in" — the Apostle, restraining these, says: They indeed were broken off through unbelief, and you have been grafted in through faith, and you stand in faith; but remember that "everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled;" and therefore "be not high-minded," do not utter lofty and elevated things. For although you stand in the root, and stand well, yet fear, seeing that others also, whom you insult, once stood there where you now stand: and you, when you were not there, were transplanted from elsewhere to the root of this olive tree, and it is possible for you also to sin. For by this very thing, that you are proud and exalt yourself, you already sin: and know that "if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you." But after this, this man who is proud and insults the fallen is imbued by the Apostle with deeper meanings of humility; and it is said to him: You who say these things, "behold the goodness and severity of God:" and when you behold his severity toward the branches that were broken off, you must fear lest perhaps you too, while you are proud and insult the fallen, may yourself, by sinning, incur that severity of God with which he presses hard upon sinners. For his goodness abides in those who have abided in goodness. "Otherwise," by the same ordering, "you also," if you do not abide in goodness, "shall be cut off: and they, if they do not abide in unbelief, shall be grafted in." For it is not impossible for God "to graft them in again," if they withdraw from the unbelief through which they were broken off: since indeed it seems easier to restore to its own root the branches of its own tree than to graft in branches from another. But as for what he said, "from the natural wild olive," and again, "shall be grafted according to nature into its own olive tree," we ought to understand the nature of the olive or of the wild olive according to what we expounded above, namely that freedom of choice has made the nature of each one either that of a wild olive or of a good olive. It should certainly be observed that those who have fallen from their own olive tree are said to be broken off; but those who are grafted in from the wild olive, if they sin again, are said not to be broken — which would surely be lighter — but to be cut off. In which indeed the severity of God is vehemently indicated, if, after someone who was a wild olive, and gathered from the forest of sinners, has been brought to the root of faith and holiness, he should again put forth the bitter sap of wickedness. But let not even this escape us in this passage, that the Apostle has not set forth the comparison of the olive and the wild olive in the order which obtains among farmers. For they are accustomed rather to graft the olive into the wild olive, and not the wild olive into the olive: but Paul, by apostolic authority, changing the order, fitted the things to the causes rather than the causes to the things.

These are the things which the Apostle brings forward as an example for the present time. And he adds: "So therefore at this present time also a remnant according to the election of grace has been saved. But if by grace, then no longer of works: otherwise grace is no longer grace." We must therefore show, so far as we are able, how, just as it happened under Elijah, where the prophet had supposed the whole people together to have been rejected, and seven thousand men are found who had remained in the covenant of God — so it happened also at the coming of Christ, and in those times in which Paul was preaching. And see whether we can perhaps set John the Baptist, who went before the coming of the Savior, in the place of Elijah: since indeed the Gospel bears such witness of him, that he came "in the spirit and power" of Elijah; and the Lord himself said of him: "And if you wish to know, he is Elijah. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." This man, then, who had come in the spirit and power of Elijah, had so despaired of that people that he said they were not the offspring of Abraham but the offspring of vipers; and added to this: "Do not say that we have Abraham for our father. For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up sons of Abraham." To him, then, thus complaining about the people, let this be answered by our Lord and Savior: "I know whom I have chosen"; and again: "My sheep hear my voice, and I go before them, and my own follow me"; and again: "I have other sheep which are not of this fold: I must bring them also." Rightly then does the Apostle say that "so at this present time also a remnant according to the election of grace has been saved" — calling a remnant those of the circumcision who believed, both the apostles, among whom he numbers himself as well, and the rest who together with them followed the faith of Jesus Christ. But as for his saying that the remnant was saved "according to the election of grace," this addition of "election" does not seem to me superfluous. For he could have said: "A remnant has been saved" by grace; but by these words he shows that there is a grace both without election and with election. For all indeed who are saved through faith are without doubt saved through grace; but those who are saved through "the election of grace" seem to me to be shown to be of a more perfect soul. For just as everyone who is descended from the race of Israel is called Israel, but he is the true Israel who with a pure mind and a sincere heart sees God, so also we can understand this: that all indeed who come to faith in Christ come through grace; but he who adorns the gift of grace with works of virtue and purity of heart, he will be said by Christ to be saved not only through grace, but through "the election of grace." Finally the apostle Paul himself, if anyone observes him carefully in his words, sees how he uses distinctions of this kind: in one place naming Israel according to the flesh, in another making no mention at all of the flesh concerning him — as in the present passage, where, when he said that "God has not cast off his people," and wished to set forth the nobility of the Israelite soul, he says: "For I also am an Israelite." But in the second Epistle to the Corinthians, where he is compelled to answer certain men who boasted of Israelite descent according to the flesh, see what he puts first: "What I speak," he says, "I speak not according to God, but as it were in foolishness, in this matter of boasting. Since indeed many boast according to the flesh; I too will boast." And after a little he says: "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I." So then, where he was speaking of Israel with reference to that inner man (for such is that people whom God foreknew and did not cast off), he does not say Israel "according to the flesh"; but to those who boasted in fleshly descent he first declared that concerning boasting of this kind he would speak neither "according to God" nor in wisdom, but, as he himself says, "in foolishness." Such, then, is the "remnant" which "according to the election of grace has been saved."

Not only the Gentiles are benefited by the coming of Christ but also some who belong to the divine race, many of whom have been called to salvation.

Now therefore let us see how the sense of the chapter before us ought to be explained. The blindness of heart by which the remainder of Israel — that is, the part which did not believe — was blinded, he proves by two prophetic testimonies, the one which seems to be taken from Isaiah, and the one from David; and in both a single sense, in a certain way, is set forth. For here eyes are given them with which they may not see, and ears with which they may not hear; and there it is wished that their table before them may become a snare, and a trap, and a recompense, and a stumbling block, and that their eyes may be darkened so that they may not see. And it does not seem idle to show how these things may be believed to be worthily said, and especially in the psalm from the person of Christ. See, then, whether we can explain in this way what is sought. Just as each person uses his bodily eyes for seeing either good things or evil, and has it in his power either to lift up his eyes to heaven and, through what he sees, to acknowledge its Founder and to praise the Creator, or to turn them toward the spectacles of the circus or of the theater, or to the delights of any sordid sights whatever, by which the mind is inflamed either to lust or to rapacity or to any other vices: so understand for me also the eyes of the soul, which some indeed use so as to recognize the Word of God and the teaching of truth, and daily to take profit from his wisdom; but others use these eyes to the contrary end, exercising themselves daily, namely, and inquiring how they may break down the doctrines of truth and, so far as it seems to them, assail the faith of Christ. Let us suppose, then, that someone prays for those who are sharp-sighted and full of argument in false knowledge, and says: May God give them "eyes that they may not see" the subtleties of a perverse understanding, "and ears that they may not hear" the teachers, namely, of falsehood, and "let their eyes be darkened that they may not see" — does not the man who wishes for them those things by which their sins are lessened seem to you one to be embraced? For it is much better not to know than to know evilly. Does it not seem to you, I say, that Marcion, who composed blasphemous writings against God the Creator, or Basilides, or Valentinus, or the other authors of depraved doctrines, would have been blessed if they had not had those eyes of the heart with which they understood evilly? For of these Isaiah says: "Woe to those who write! For in writing they write wickedness." And in like manner David also prays in the Psalms for those who teach evilly and speak evilly, and says: "Let the wicked lips be made mute, which speak iniquity against the just man in pride and contempt." So then it is said also of Israel: "Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see," and, May God give them "eyes that they may not see." Let this be said so far as concerns the blindness of eyes which seems to be given by God to the ill-seeing and unbelieving Israel as a kind of remedy.

And when Elijah made this lament before God, hear what the divine oracles answer him: "I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to Baal." Baal is the name of an idol, to whose worship that people had fallen away, having abandoned the law of God. But let us see what the very number of seven thousand men indicates. The number seven pertains to rest. For "on the seventh day God rested." Hear then also how Christ invites those who believe in him to rest, and says: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened; and you shall find rest for your souls." To this number seven, therefore, belongs everyone who, coming to Christ, has laid down the burdens of sin and found the rest of salvation.

And he added: "But if by grace, then no longer of works." It must be known that the works which Paul rejects, and frequently censures, are not the works of righteousness which are commanded in the law, but those in which they who keep the law according to the flesh glory — that is, either circumcision of the flesh, or the rite of sacrifices, or the observance of sabbaths and new moons. These, then, and such as these are the works from which he says no one could be saved, and about which in the present passage he says that it is "not of works: otherwise grace is no longer grace." For if anyone is justified through these, he is not justified freely. But he who is justified through grace — these works indeed are not required of him; yet he ought to take care that the grace he has received does not become void in him, as Paul also says: "his grace in me was not void, but I labored more than all of them." And again he adds, as one mindful of grace: "Not I," he says, "but the grace of God with me." He, therefore, does not make grace void who joins to it works worthy of it, and is not ungrateful for the grace of God. For he who sins after obtaining grace becomes ungrateful to him who bestowed the grace. But if you do not make grace void, grace will be multiplied to you, and as it were as a reward for good work you will obtain an abundance of graces — as he himself also writes, and Peter says in his Epistle: "May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God"; and again elsewhere: "As good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

But lest it should seem a small thing that he taught by his own example that the people of God had not been cast off, the Apostle seeks stronger examples, and says: "Or do you not know what the Scripture says in Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have dug down your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what does the divine answer say to him?" In these words we are taught that the prophet, once filled with zeal for God, laid before God his complaint of the transgressing people, who had not only killed the prophets and overthrown the altars, but were also trying to destroy Elijah, who seemed to be the only one left of the prophets of the Lord.

"According to the Gospel indeed they are enemies for your sake: but according to the election they are most dear for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. For as you also once did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy because of their unbelief: so these also have now not believed, that through the mercy shown to you they too may obtain mercy." The Apostle, still pursuing the same matters concerning Israel and the Gentiles, and reproaching the branches of the wild olive which insulted the broken branches of the olive tree, adds also these things: That Israel according to the Gospel has indeed been made an enemy to God, because it did not believe Christ: but so far as regards the honor due to the fathers, it is elect, and is held most dear with God. But election having once been granted to the seed of the fathers, and love conceded, God without doubt preserves his gifts and his calling toward the seed of those to whose merits he once bestowed this: nor does repentance come upon God, even if those upon whom the benefits promised to the fathers are conferred appear to be less worthy. But, as we have often advised, in the present passage also that distinction is to be observed, that the Israel which is an enemy to God is said to be that which cries out concerning Christ: "Away with him, away with him, crucify him." For how should they not be called enemies of God, who either then, or even now, have said such things, or say them? But when he says, "for your sake," this means, those namely whose salvation they envy, forbidding the apostles to speak to the Gentiles, and persecuting those who announce Christ. But according to the remnant which is said to be saved, in which the election of believers followed from Israel, they are "most dear for the sake of the fathers:" whose faith namely they follow, believing "in him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead." And according to this, toward such a seed "the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance." But after these things he opens also the hidden and deeper causes of their unbelief, and says: That just as you Gentiles once did not believe God, nor yet did God on that account utterly abandon you, but at last at some time you obtained mercy — yet the occasion of mercy being conferred upon you was the unbelief of the people of Israel — so also these who now from the people of Israel have not believed, and for their unbelief have been abandoned, so that the mercy of God might be turned toward you, will not be left forever in their unbelief; but after the dispensation of the fullness of the Gentiles has been fulfilled, they too shall obtain mercy.

In these words the Apostle divides Israel into two parts: one of which he calls the election, which has obtained what it was seeking; the other he names "the rest," who not only did not obtain what they were seeking, but were blinded with a spirit of compunction. And he says that God even "gave" to them "eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this present day," that is, unto the consummation of the age.

Since from the things said above the Jewish people might perhaps seem to have been cast off by God and to bear no hope, seeing that God has led them into jealousy by a no-nation, and into anger by a foolish nation, and has been made manifest to those who did not seek him, and has been found by those who did not ask after him — therefore the Apostle, wishing to remedy these things and to show that a way of salvation remains for the people of Israel if they believe, and that they were not cast off for the reason that they are of the race of Israel, but because they were unbelieving, says: "God has not cast off his people whom he foreknew." And that he might prove this by a present example, he adds: "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin" — and yet I teach the faith of Jesus, and announce that he is the Christ. But if it has not been a hindrance to me that I am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, so as to keep me from believing in Christ and being justified by faith in him, it is certain that "God has not cast off his people whom he foreknew." And in what sense "whom he foreknew, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified," has already been said above; and that for God to foreknow is set down in the Scriptures as meaning not only to know beforehand things future (which cannot even be doubted), but to approve, and to deem worthy of his knowledge.

"I say then: Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, that they may emulate them." When the Apostle had set forth those things in which Israel was rejected and the Gentiles were brought in, and had also enumerated the prophecies which had foretold concerning their blindness, and the snare, and the recompense, and the stumbling-block, lest he should again furnish the Gentiles with occasions for insulting and matter for pride, he says that the very fall of Israel was of such a kind, not that they should fall, but that by their transgression they should give salvation to the Gentiles; and he says: "I say then: Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles." And he shows how salvation is given to the Gentiles out of their transgression: "That they may emulate them," he says: that is, that seeing the conversion of the Gentiles, and the covenant of God, which they themselves had first received, handed over to those others, and the law and the prophets held among them with greater and worthier observance, they too may take up zeal at least in the last times; and just as now their fall has given salvation to the Gentiles, so the faith and manner of life of the Gentiles may confer upon Israel the emulation of conversion and of salvation. It must nevertheless be observed that Paul sets down one thing as stumbling and transgressing, and another as falling; and for stumbling indeed, or for transgression, he provides a remedy; but that they have fallen — as though there were in this some despair — he does not admit. For he says: "Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid. But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles." And it is a wonder how, amid so many and such things as the whole text of the Epistle sets forth concerning them, the Apostle nevertheless denies that they have fallen. But it seems to me that Paul well knew the differences of falling, and knew that it is one thing to fall according to that which is written: "Seven times shall the just man fall, and shall rise again"; and again: "Do not insult me, O my enemy, because I have fallen: I shall also rise again"; and according to what Jeremiah says: "Shall not he who falls add that he may rise again? or shall he who has turned away not be converted?" But Job too says concerning himself: "At the appointed time it was prepared for him to fall under others, and for his house to be plundered by strangers"; and in the fourth book of Kings it is written: "Hezekiah fell from the elation of his heart." And all these falls, of which we have recalled that Scripture has spoken in the passages cited above, do assuredly have a rising again; and their turning away has a conversion. But in the present chapter, as though the Apostle knew that if they had fallen they could by no means rise again, so does he deny that they have fallen, and strongly excuses them in that he says: "Have they so stumbled that they should fall? God forbid." Lest perhaps, then, the Apostle, looking to another kind of fall, should excuse Israel and deny that it has fallen — to that fall, perhaps, of which our Lord and Savior was speaking when he said that "I saw Satan fallen from heaven like lightning"; and also that of which Isaiah says: "How has Lucifer fallen from heaven, he who rose in the morning?" It is with such a fall, then, that he here denies that Israel has fallen. For their conversion will take place even at the end of the age, when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and all Israel shall be saved; but of that one who is said to have fallen from heaven there will be no conversion even at the end of the age. Let us therefore observe that the fall we spoke of above — that is, in which he who falls shall add that he may rise again — is similar to this which in this very place the Apostle names a stumbling, and which he calls a transgression: which seems to me to be something of this sort, if at any time a just man, overcome in some one thing — for example, either in the frailty of the flesh or in some other transgression — has fallen, and yet has not on that account departed from every observance of the law, but holds to justice, cultivates mercy, keeps faith, piety, gentleness, and does not neglect to meditate upon the law of God: concerning such a one we can say, "Has he so stumbled that he should fall? God forbid." So also the Israelites, although they denied their Redeemer, and stoned and persecuted those who were sent by him, nevertheless still have something remaining. There is among them the meditation of the law, though they do not believe nor understand. There is among them also a zeal for God, though not according to knowledge. And therefore the Apostle says that they have not "so stumbled that they should fall"; that is, that they should turn aside utterly from all observance or meditation of the law of God. And a fall of this kind he named a transgression. For "by their transgression," he says, "salvation has come to the Gentiles." Therefore David too, knowing that there are transgressions of this kind, in which he who has fallen rises again, and that there are others, in which he who has fallen does not rise again even at the consummation of the age, said: "Who understands his transgressions?" — or falls.

All things exist by God's command, so that they are "from him"; they are set in order by his Word and therefore "through him." Finally, all things have recourse to his judgment so that, while they long for freedom "in him," after corruption has been done away with they appear to be recalled "to him."

The world, this chariot of God and all that is therein, is guided by the angels and the stars. Although their movements are varied—bound nevertheless by fixed laws—we see them guided to their goals according to the time measured out to them. So may we deservedly cry out with the apostle as we admire the Maker and his works: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"

But I hear that some infect your number, and destroy the praise of a distinguished name by their corrupt conversation; whom you yourselves, even as being lovers and guardians of your own praise, should rebuke and check and correct. For what a disgrace is suffered by your name, when one spends his days in intoxication and debauchery, another returns to that country whence he was banished, to perish when arrested, not now as being a Christian, but as being a criminal! I hear that some are puffed up and are arrogant, although it is written, "Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee." Our Lord "was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth." "I am not rebellious," says He, "neither do I gainsay. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to the palms of their hands. I hid not my face from the filthiness of spitting." And dares any one now, who lives by and in this very One, lift up himself and be haughty, forgetful, as well of the deeds which He did, as of the commands which He left to us either by Himself or by His apostles? But if "the servant is not greater than his Lord." let those who follow the Lord humbly and peacefully and silently tread in His steps, since the lower one is, the more exalted be may become; as says the Lord, "He that is least among you, the same shall be great."

That humility and quietness are to be maintained in all things. In Isaiah: "Thus saith the Lord God, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is the stool of my feet. What seat will ye build for me, or what is the place for my rest? For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things are mine. And upon whom else will I look, except upon the lowly and quiet man, and him that trembleth at my words? " On this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Of this same thing, too, according to Luke: "He that shall be least among you all, the same shall be great." Also in the same lace: "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be made low, and whosoever abaseth himself shall be exalted." Of this same thing to the Romans: "Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God spared not the natural branches, (take heed) lest He also spare not thee." Of this same thing in the thirty-third Psalm: And He shall save the lowly in spirit." Also to the Romans: "Render to all what is due: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; owe no man anything, except to love another." Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "They love the first place of reclining at feasts, and the chief seat in the synagogues, and salutations in the market, and to be called of men Rabbi. But call not ye Rabbi, for One is your Master." Also in the Gospel according to John: "The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the apostle greater than He that sent himself. If ye know these things, blessed shall ye be if ye shall do them." Also in the eighty-first Psalm: "Do justice to the poor and lowly."

That he secrets of God cannot be seen through, and therefore that our faith ought to be simple. In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "We see now through the glass in an enigma, but then with face to face. Now I know partly; but then I shall know even as also I am known." Also in Solomon, in Wisdom: "And in simplicity of heart seek Him." Also in the same: "He who walketh with simplicity, walketh trustfully." Also in the same: "Seek not things higher than thyself, and look not into things stronger than thyself." Also in Solomon: "Be not excessively righteous, and do not reason more than is required." Also in Isaiah: "Woe unto them who are convicted in themselves." Also in the Maccabees: "Daniel in his simplicity was delivered from the mouth of tile lions." Also in the Epistle of Paul to the Romans: "Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been His counsellor? or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? Because from Him, and through Him, and in Him, are all things: to Him be glory for ever and ever." Also to Timothy: "But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they generate strifes. But the servant of God ought not to strive, but to be gentle towards all men."

O wondrous circumstance! "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" It became indeed the Lord of the law and the prophets to do all things in accordance with His own law, and not to make void the law, but to fulfil it, and rather to connect with the fulfilment of the law the beginning of His grace. Therefore it is that the mother, who was superior to the law, submits to the law. And she, the holy and undefiled one, observes that time of forty days that was appointed for the unclean. And He who makes us free from the law, became subject to the law; and there is offered for Him, who hath sanctified us, a pair of clean birds, in testimony of those who approach clean and blameless.

The remnant of the Jews has proclaimed the sign of the Lord to all the Gentiles and has joined to God in one people, drawn to him, the souls of the Gentiles which are brought out of destruction to the knowledge of the Lord.

Judgment will be in accordance with grace, and the Judge will make examination of how you have used the graces bestowed upon you.

Nor did Samuel, who had done so many surprising things, disregard David the beloved of God: yet they were both prophets, and the one was high priest, and the other was king. And when there were only seven thousand holy men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal, Elijah alone among them, and his disciple Elisha, were workers of miracles. Yet neither did Elijah despise Obadiah the steward, who feared God, but wrought no signs; nor did Elisha despise his own disciple when he trembled at the enemies. Moreover, neither did the wise Daniel who was twice delivered from the mouths of the lions, nor the three children who were delivered from the furnace of fire, despise the rest of their fellow-Israelites: for they knew that they had not escaped these terrible miseries by their own might; but by the power of God did they both work miracles, and were delivered from miseries. Wherefore let none of you exalt himself against his brother, though he be a prophet, or though he be a worker of miracles: for if it happens that there be no longer an unbeliever, all the power of signs will thenceforwards be superfluous. For to be pious is from any one's good disposition; but to work wonders is from the power of Him that works them by us...

This quotation was taken directly from the Hebrew by the apostle himself. The Septuagint edition has "God has put a spirit of stupor in you." The version of Aquila more clearly has "virulence" and that of Symmachus has "pride." … In effect, because of the ignorance of the people, the prophetic writings will be a sealed book to them, and they will be incapable of reading them.

You ought to thank God for his gift in Christ and not insult them but rather pray that, if their wickedness has led to your salvation, they too might return to their roots. Then you will please God who has shown you mercy, for he called you so that by making them jealous of you he might bring them to grace as well.

A believing Gentile says that he can rejoice that the Jews did not believe, saying that their condemnation made room for the Gentiles. But the Jews were not condemned by God in order to let the Gentiles in. They condemned themselves by rejecting God's gift, and by doing that they gave the Gentiles an opportunity to be saved. Paul wants to stop this boasting, so that we might rejoice in our salvation rather than insult the weak. For the man who insults a sinner is easily deceived.

However seriously the Jews may have sinned by rejecting the gift of God, and however worthy they may be of death, nevertheless, because they are the children of good people, whose privileges and many benefits from God they have received, they will be received with joy when they return to the faith, because God's love for them is stirred up by the memory of their ancestors.

It is usually thought that those who have sinned badly by not accepting the promise of God cannot receive mercy if they do not demonstrate their sorrow, because those who have sinned badly cannot be forgiven without tears and wailing. But Paul shows that these things are not required at the start, because God's gift freely pardons sins in baptism.

It displeases God if someone rejoices at the misfortune of others, as Solomon says. In any case, the Jews were not rejected for the sake of the Gentiles. Rather, it was because they were rejected that they gave an opportunity for the gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. If you boast against those onto whose root you have been grafted, you insult the people who have accepted you so that you might be converted from bad to good. You will not continue like that if you destroy the thing on which you stand.

It is clear that they are one and the same substance, so it is impossible for the offering to be holy and the lump unclean, given that the offering comes from the lump. Thus Paul shows that those whose ancestors believed cannot be regarded as unworthy to receive the faith, for if some of the Jews have believed, why can it not be said that the others may also believe?

Paul is showing the Gentiles here how much he loves the Jews. For he magnifies his ministry, by which he is the apostle of the Gentiles, if by loving his own people he wins them to the faith as well. For he is more honored still if he wins to eternal life those to whom he has not been sent. For he who finds his lost brothers will have the greatest honor with his parents.

This is what the Savior says: "Father, I have kept those whom thou didst give to me, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition."

Paul recalls the unbelief of the Gentiles so that being ashamed of it they may not insult the Jews who have not believed but rejoice when they accept the promise of God.

This is why Paul worked so hard for the conversion of the Jews, since the handicap of their blindness will be removed at the time when their sin is paid for, so that they might receive the free exercise of their will.

It is clear that if their offense benefited the world, while their loss brought benefit to the Gentiles, then the world must have gained more from their loss. This is because there are many more Gentiles than Jews. And if their loss, which is the loss of the promised wealth of the Gentiles, has brought them eternal life, how much more their fullness! It is clear that the world will be richer for good people if even those who are blind are converted; for the world will be saved in great part by human beings. The word 'world' signifies human beings, as it is said of the Savior: 'Behold, the whole world goes after him.' (John 12:19).

It is clear that only God knows everything and it is only he who lacks nothing, because everything comes from him. No one can understand or measure this knowledge, because the inferior cannot comprehend what is superior to it. Jewish believers could not understand that the salvation of the Gentiles could be God's plan and will. Likewise, it seemed unlikely and incredible to the Gentiles that the Jews, who had not believed, could be converted or accepted as believers.

God will give them back the free exercise of their will so that, because their unbelief did not spring from malice but from error, they may be put right and afterward be saved.…Paul quotes Isaiah in order to prove that God has reserved a gift for them, in order to teach that they can be set free by the same grace by which the believing Jews have already been set free, because he is not empty but always full of grace.

By saying this Paul revealed a meaning which had been hidden from the world. For because God is the Creator of all things, everything comes from him. And because everything comes from him, it comes through his Son, who is of the same substance and whose work is the Father's work as well.… And because what is from God and through God is then born again in the Holy Spirit, everything is in him as well, because the Holy Spirit is from God the Father, which is why he knows what is in God.… Here Paul laid bare the mystery of God, which he said above should not be unknown to them.

God knew from the beginning what man's behavior and works would be like, in that the human race could not be saved only by the severity of his justice nor could it reach perfection only by his mercy. So at a particular time he decreed what should be preached, whereas before that time he allowed each person to decide for himself, because righteousness was recognized under the guidance of nature. And because the authority of natural righteousness was weakened by the habit of sin, the law was given so that the human race would be held back by the fear engendered by the revealed law. But because they did not restrain themselves and were counted guilty under the law, mercy was proclaimed, which would save those who took refuge in it but would blind those who rejected it for a time. During that time this mercy would invite the Gentiles, who earlier on had not wanted to follow the law given to Moses, to share in the promise, so that the Jews might become jealous of their salvation and because of that jealousy turn again to the source of the root, which is the Savior. This is "the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God," who by his many-sided providence has won both Jews and Gentiles to eternal life.

The covenant will always be there, however long it takes for them to believe. For this is the Lord Jesus, who has promised to come from heaven in order to set the human race free. Every day he forgives the sins of those who turn to God, nor does he condemn unbelievers straightaway but waits for them, knowing that they may come to a knowledge of God.

He curses the feast of the wicked because the innocent are often deceived there. They are tricked into coming to dinner so that they may be ruined.

If some Jews have not believed, then they have been cut out of the promise.… The Gentiles, who were from a bad root, were grafted into a good tree, which is the opposite of what happens in agriculture, where it is the good branch which is grafted onto a bad root.

From earliest times all nations lived in ungodliness and ignorance because they were without God. For this reason the law was revealed, by which the worst ones could be restrained. But by the activity of the adversary sins began to multiply, so that through the commandment man was considered more guilty still. Then God, who in the mercy of his goodness always takes care of human creation, seeing that even without the law sin still existed and that by the law it could not be wiped out, decreed that he would require only faith, by which the sins of all men might be abolished. Thus although man had no ground for hope through the law, he was nevertheless saved by the mercy of God. To consign everything to disobedience means that this decree comes as a gift from God at a time when everyone was laboring in unbelief, so that grace might appear to be the freest of all rewards. Therefore nobody should boast, for the one who is proud of his ignorance is to be pitied.

These are the carnal Israelites who thought they were justified by the law and did not realize that they were justified by faith before God, because through the law they were all guilty.Those who were blinded were those who were unable to see the way of truth which in their wickedness they had rejected and gone away from so that they could no longer come to the grace of salvation. The examples taken from the prophets reveal that there are two kinds of blind people. The first kind consists of those who are blinded forever, who will never be saved. These people are of such evil will that they knowingly say that they do not know what they hear.… The second type consists of those who, although they try to live according to the law, do not accept the righteousness of Christ. These people are doing this not out of the envy of an evil will but by an erroneous imitation of the tradition of their ancestors. They are blinded for a time, for although they ought to recognize the great works of Christ which cannot be ignored.… They have forgotten God and follow human opinions instead.

Even though many have fallen away, those whom God foreknew have remained in the promise of the law. For those who have accepted Christ as he was promised in the law have remained in the law, but those who rejected Christ have fallen away from it.

This is clear, for Paul shows that not only Elijah remained as one devoted to God who did not worship idols, but that there were many who remained faithful to God, just as there were not a few Jews who believed in Christ.

It is clear that because grace is the gift of God there is no reward due for works, but it is granted freely because of the free mercy which intervenes.

Since Paul has shown that the people of Israel did not believe, now, in order that it should not be thought that he has said that they were all unbelievers, he shows that God has not rejected the inheritance which he promised to the descendants of Abraham. For he would not have promised them a kingdom if he knew that none of them would believe.… By using himself as an example, he shows that the part of Israel which God foreknew would be saved had in fact been saved and that the part which had been consigned to perdition because of its constant unbelief might yet be saved.

The olive tree represents faith, whereas the wild olive refers to wickedness.

Paul testifies that God is good to the Gentiles because, although they followed idols and deserved to die, he waited for them in his patience, and even though they did not seek him, he called them and forgave their sins. But God is severe toward the Jews and has even blinded them because they rejected God's gift. Here Paul is referring to those Jews who because of their wickedness have been permanently blinded. For this reason he says that they have fallen, whereas the others whom I mentioned above have not fallen, even though they have sinned, because Paul shows that they have been blinded for a time. But God has been severe to these, because they have become eternally blind and apostate.

Paul says here what I have recorded above, that these people have not fallen into unbelief in such a way as to make their ultimate conversion impossible.

When you were stripped you were anointed with exorcised olive oil, from the topmost hairs of your head to the soles of your feet, and became partakers of the good olive tree, Jesus Christ. Cuttings from the wild olive tree, you were grafted into the good olive tree and became partakers of the richness of the true olive tree.

"First fruits" and "root" both refer here to the patriarchs, the lawgiver and the prophets. "Lump" and "branches" refer to the whole of the Jewish people.

What does it mean to say that "all Israel will be saved?" Just as we say that the whole world and all the nations are being saved because everywhere and among all nations there are those who are coming to faith, so also "all Israel will be saved" does not mean that every one of them will be but that either those who were understood by Elijah or those who are scattered all over the world will one day come to faith.

Grace shows the love for mankind of the one who gives it, but works demand compensation according to what they are worth.

Paul takes these words of Elijah and applies them by analogy to the Savior, in that only a remnant obtained the grace of the promise.

Fearing once again that exaggerating the rejection of the Jews might lead to a choice of disobedience, Paul turns to the small remnant of the election—the apostles and their fellow believers.

What was Israel seeking? The promise that they would be made sons and heirs of the universe.

What person who believes that he lives "from him and through him and to him" will dare to make the One who encompasses in himself the life of each of us a witness of a life which does not reflect him?

Paul examined … the unclear and hidden aspects of the divine mysteries and through suggestive phrases revealed the illuminations which came to him from God concerning the understanding of what is incomprehensible and unsearchable.

"From him" means the beginning and origin of the substance of the universe, i.e., by his will and power.… "Through him" means the continuation of the universe; "unto him" means its end.

But you say: Then those who adore what ought not to be adored, should be immediately destroyed by God, to prevent others doing the like. But are you wiser than God, that you should offer Him counsel? [Romans 11:34] He knows what to do. For with all who are placed in ignorance He exercises patience, because He is merciful and gracious; and He foresees that many of the ungodly become godly, and that even some of those who worship impure statues and polluted images have been converted to God, and forsaking their sins and doing good works, attain to salvation.

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise your own conceits."

Meaning by mystery here, that which is unknown and unutterable, and hath much of wonder and much of what one should not expect about it. As in another passage too he says, "Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." What then is the mystery?

"That blindness in part hath happened unto Israel." Here again he levels a blow at the Jew, while seeming to take down the Gentile. But his meaning is nearly this, and he had said it before, that the unbelief is not universal, but only "in part." As when he says, "But if any hath caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part": And so here too he says what he had said above, "God hath not cast off His people whom He foreknew": and again, "What then? Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid": This then he says here also; that it is not the whole people that is pulled up, but many have already believed, and more are likely to believe.

"For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they may also obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all."

He shows here that those of the Gentiles were called first. Then, as they would not come, the Jews were elected, and the same result occurred again. For when the Jews would not believe, again the Gentiles were brought over. And he does not stop here, nor does he draw the whole to a conclusion at their rejection, but at their having mercy shown them again. See how much he gives to those of the Gentiles, as much as he did to the Jews before. For when ye, he would say, "in times past did not obey," being of the Gentiles, then the Jews came in. Again, when these did not obey, ye have come. However, they will not perish forever. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief," that is, hath convinced them, hath shown them disobedient; not that they may remain in disobedience, but that He may save the one by the captiousness of the other, these by those and those by these. Now consider; ye were disobedient, and they were saved. Again, they have been disobedient, and ye have been saved. Yet ye have not been so saved as to be put away again, as the Jews were, but so as to draw them over through jealousy while ye abide.

"Well," he praises what they said, then he alarms them again by saying, "Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou art grafted in by faith."

So here another encomium, and for the other party an accusation. But he again lays their pride low by proceeding to say, "be not high-minded, but fear." For the thing is not matter of nature, but of belief and unbelief. And he seems to be again bridling the Gentile, but he is teaching the Jew that it is not right to cling to a natural kinsmanship. Hence he goes on with, "Be not high-minded," and he does not say, but be humble, but, fear. For haughtiness genders a contempt and listlessness. Then as he is going into all the sorrows of their calamity, in order to make the statement less offensive, he states it in the way of a rebuke given to the other as follows:

"Thou wilt say then," he goes on, "The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in."

Again he establishes, by way of objection, the opposite to the former position, to show that what he said before, he had not said as directly belonging to the subject, but to draw them to him. For it was no longer by their fall that salvation came to the Gentiles, nor was it their fall that was the riches of the world. Nor was it by this that we were saved, because they had fallen, but the reverse. And he shows that the providence in regard to the Gentiles was a main object, even though he seems to put what he says into another form. And the whole passage is a tissue of objections, in which he clears himself of the suspicion of hatred, and makes his language such as will be acceptable.

"And they also, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted in."

For it was not God that cut them off, but they have broken themselves off and fallen, and he did well to say have broken themselves off. For He hath never yet so cast them off, though they have sinned so much and so often. You see what a great thing a man's free choice is, how great the efficacy of the mind is. For none of these things is immutable, neither thy good nor his evil. You see too how he raises up even him in his despondency, and humbles the other in his confidence; and do not thou be faint at hearing of severity, nor thou be confident at hearing of goodness. The reason why He cut thee off in severity was, that thou mightest long to come back. The reason why He showed goodness to thee was, that thou mightest continue in (he does not say the faith, but) His goodness, that is, if thou do things worthy of God's love toward man. For there is need of something more than faith.

"As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes."

That the Gentile then might not be puffed up, and say, "I am standing, do not tell me of what would have been, but what has been," he uses this consideration to bring him down, and says, "As concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes." For when you were called they became more captious. Nevertheless God hath not even now cut short the calling of you, but He waiteth for all the Gentiles that are to believe to come in, and then they also shall come. Then he does them another kind favor, by saying, "As touching election, they are beloved for the fathers sakes." And what is this? for wherein they are enemies, punishment is theirs: but wherein they are beloved, the virtue of their ancestors has no influence on them, if they do not believe. Nevertheless, as I said, he ceaseth not to solace them with words, that he may bring them over.

"For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

And even this is not all he says to solace them, for he uses what had already come about. And what came in of consequence, that he states as chiefly intended.

"Boast not against the branches." He seems indeed to be comforting the Jew, but points out his vileness and extreme dishonor. And this is why he says not, "boast not," but, "boast not against" do not boast against them so as to sunder them. For it is into their place that ye have been set, and their goods that ye enjoy. Do you observe how he seems to be rebuking the one, while he is sharp upon the other? "But if thou boast," he says, "thou bearest not the root, but the root thee."

Now what is this to the branches that are cut off? Nothing. For, as I said before, while seeming to devise a sort of weak shadow of consolation, and in the very midst of his aiming at the Gentile, he gives them a mortal blow; for by saying, "boast not against them," and, "if thou boast, thou bearest not the root," he has shown the Jew that the things done deserved boasting of, even if it was not right to boast, thus at once rousing him and provoking him to faith, and smiting at him, in the attitude of an advocate, and pointing out to him the punishment he was undergoing, and that other men had possession of what were their goods.

"For if the first-fruits be holy, the lump also is holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches;"

So calling in this passage by the names of the first-fruit and root Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the prophets, the patriarchs, all who were of note in the Old Testament; and the branches, those from them who believed. Then since the fact met him that many had disbelieved, observe how he undermines it again...

"For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?"

Yet this again condemns them, since, while others gained by their sins, they did not profit by other men's well doings. But if he asserts that to be their doing which necessarily happened, be not surprised: since (as I have said several times) it is to humble these, and to exhort the other, that he throws his address into this form. For as I said before, if the Jews had been cast away a thousand times over, and the Gentiles had not shown faith, they would never have been saved. But he stands by the feeble party, and gives assistance to the distressed one. But see also even in his favors to them, how he solaces them in words only. "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world," (and what is this to the Jews?) "what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?" Yet even this was no boon to them, unless they had been received. But what he means is to this effect. If in anger with them He gave other men so great gifts, when He is reconciled to them what will He not give? But as the resurrection of the dead was not by the receiving of them, so neither now is our salvation through them. But they were cast out owing to their own folly, but it is by faith that we are saved, and by grace from above.

"Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness?"

Here he is speaking to gratify them. For even if these had fallen a thousand times, the Gentiles would not have been saved unless they had shown faith. As the Jews likewise would not have perished unless they had been unbelieving and disputatious. But as I said, he is solacing them now they are laid low, giving them so much the more ground to be confident of their salvation if they altered. For if when they stumbled, he says, so many enjoyed salvation, and when they were cast out so many were called, just consider what will be the case when they return. But he does not put it thus, When they return. Now he does not say "how much more their" return, or their altering, or their well-doing, but "how much more their fulness," that is, when they are all about coming in. And this he said to show that then also grace and God's gift will do the larger part, or almost the whole.

"There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."

This then he says here also; that it is not the whole people that is pulled up, but many have already believed, and more are likely to believe. Then as he had promised a great thing, he adduces the prophet in evidence, speaking as follows. Now it is not for the fact of a blindness having happened that he quotes the passage (for every one could see that), but that they shall believe and be saved, he brings Isaiah to witness, who crieth aloud and saith, "There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." (Is. lix. 20.)

Then to give the mark that fixes its sense to salvation, to prevent any one from drawing it aside and attaching it to times gone by...

"For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things." Himself devised, Himself created, Himself worketh together. For He is rich, and needeth not to receive from another. And wise, and needeth no counsellor. Why speak I of a counsellor? To know the things of Him is no one able, save Himself alone, the Rich and Wise One. For it is proof of much riches that He should make them of the Gentiles thus well supplied; and of much wisdom that He should constitute the inferiors of the Jews their teachers. Then as he was awe-struck he offers up thanksgiving also in the word, "To Whom be glory forever. Amen."

For when he tells of any great and unutterable thing of this kind, he ends in wonder with a doxology. And this he does in regard to the Son also. For in that passage also he went on to the very same thing that he does here. "Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all God blessed forever. Amen."

"For if God spared not the natural branches," and then he does not say, neither will He spare thee," but "take heed, lest He also spare not thee." So paring away the distasteful from his statement, representing the believer as in the struggle, he at once draws the others to him, and humbles these also.

"Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments!"

Here after going back to former times, and looking back to God's original dispensation of things whereby the world hath existed up to the present time, and having considered what special provision He had made for all occurrences, he is stricken with awe, and cries aloud, so making his hearers feel confident that certainly that will come to pass which he saith. For he would not have cried aloud and been awe-struck, unless this was quite sure to come to pass. That it is a depth then, he knows: but how great, he knows not. For the language is that of a person wondering, not of one that knew the whole. But admiring and being awe-struck at the goodliness, so far forth as in him lay, he heralds it forth by two intensitive words, riches and depth, and then is awestruck at His having had both the will and the power to do all this, and by opposites effecting opposites. "How unsearchable are His judgments." For they are not only impossible to be comprehended, but even to be searched. "And His ways past finding out;" that is, His dispensations for these also are not only impossible to be known, but even to be sought into. For even I, he means, have not found out the whole, but a little part, not all. For He alone knoweth His own clearly.

"For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."

Not when they are circumcised, not when they sacrifice, not when they do the other deeds of the Law, but when they attain to the forgiveness of sins. If then this hath been promised, but has never yet happened in their case, nor have they ever enjoyed the remission of sins by baptism, certainly it will come to pass.

"And if some of the branches be broken off."

And yet above thou didst say that the more part perished, and a few were saved only. How came it then that speaking of those that perished, thou hast used a "some," which is indicative of fewness? It is not, he replies, in opposition to myself, but out of a desire to court and recover those that are distressed. Observe how in the whole of the passage one finds him working at this object, the wish to solace them. And if you deny it, many contradictions will follow. But let me beg you to notice his wisdom, how while he seems to be speaking for them, and devising a solace for them, he aims a secret blow at them, and shows them to have fallen from being Abraham's kinsmen. For what he was desirous of saying was, that they had nothing in common with them. For if the root be holy, and these be not holy, then these are far away from the root. Then under the appearance of solacing the Jews, he again by his accusation smiteth them of the Gentiles. For after saying, "And if some of the branches were broken off," he proceeds.

"And thou being a wild olive wert grafted in."

For the less esteem the man of the Gentiles is of, the more the Jew is vexed at seeing him enjoy his goods. And to the other, the disgrace of the little esteem he was of, is nothing to the honor of the change. And consider his skilfulness. He does not say, "thou wert" planted "in," but "thou weft grafted in," by this again cutting the Jew to the heart, as showing that the Gentile man was standing in his own tree, and himself lying on the ground. Wherefore he does not stop even here, nor after he had spoken of grafting in does he leave off (and yet in this he declared the whole matter), but still he dwells over the prosperous state of the Gentile, and enlarges upon his fair fame in the words, "And with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree." And he seems indeed to have viewed him in the light of an addition. But he shows that he was no whit the worse on that account, but in possession of everything, that the branch which had come up out of the root had. Lest then on hearing the words, "and thou wert grafted in," thou shouldest suppose him to be lacking when compared with the natural branch, see how he makes him equal to it by saying, that "with them thou partakest of the root and fatness of the olive:" that is, hast been put into the same noble rank, the same nature.

"According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber."

Now whence came this blinding? He had indeed mentioned the causes of it before, and turned it all upon their own heads, to show that it was from their unseasonable obstinacy that they had to bear this. And now he speaks of it too. For when he says, "Eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear," he is but finding fault with their contentious spirit. For when they had "eyes to see" the miracles, and were possessed of "ears to hear" that marvellous Teaching, they never used these as were fitting. And the "He gave," do not imagine to mean here an agency, but a permission only. But "slumber" is a name he here gives to the habit of soul inclinable to the worse, when incurably and unchangeably so. For in another passage David says, "that my glory may sing unto Thee, and I may not be put to slumber": that is, I may not alter, may not be changed. For as a man who is hushed to slumber in a state of pious fear would not easily be made to change his side; so too he that is slumbering in wickedness would not change with facility. For to be hushed to slumber here is nothing else but to be fixed and riveted to a thing. In pointing then to the incurable and unchangeable character of their spirit, he calls it "a spirit of slumber."

"Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block."

That is, let their comforts and all their good things change and perish, and let them be open to attack from any one. And to show that this is in punishment for sins that they suffer this, he adds, "and a recompense unto them."

"Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow Thou down their back alway."

Do these things then still require any interpreting? Are they not plain even to those ever so senseless? And before our words, the very issue of facts has anticipated us in bearing witness to what was said. For at what time have they ever been so open to attacks? at what time such an easy prey? at what time hath He so "bowed down their backs?" At what time have they been set under such bondage? And what is more, there is not to be any unloosing from these terrors. And this the prophet hath also hinted. For he does not say only, "bow Thou down their back," but, "forever bow Thou down." But if thou art disposed to dispute, O Jew, about the issue, from what hath gone before learn also the present case. Thou didst go down to Egypt; and two hundred years passed, and God freed thee speedily from that bondage, and that though thou wert irreligious, and wentest a whoring with the most baneful whoredom. Thou wast freed from Egypt, and thou didst worship the calf, thou didst sacrifice thy sons to Baalpeor, thou didst defile the temple, thou didst go after every sort of vice, thou didst grow not to know nature itself. The mountains, the groves, the hills, the springs, the rivers, the gardens didst thou fill with accursed sacrifices, thou didst slay the prophets, didst overthrow the altars, didst exhibit every excess of wickedness and irreligion. Still, after giving thee up for seventy years to the Babylonians, He brought thee back again to thy former freedom, and gave thee back the temple, and thy country, and thy old form of polity and there were prophets again, and the gift of the Spirit.

"And if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works, then is it no more grace, otherwise work is no more work."

He again springs upon the disputatiousness of the Jews, in what has just been quoted; and on this ground bereaves them of excuse. For you cannot, he means, so much as say, that the Prophets called indeed, and God invited, and the state of things cried aloud, and the provoking to jealousy was enough to draw us to Him, but what was enjoined was grievous, and this is why we could not draw nigh, since we had a display of works demanded of us, and laborious well-doings. For you cannot even say this. For how should God have demanded this of you, when this would just throw His grace into the shade? And this he said out of a wish to show that He was most desirous that they might be saved. For not only would their salvation be easily brought about, but it was also God's greatest glory to display His love toward man. Why then are you afraid of drawing nigh, since you have no works demanded of you? Why are you bickering and quarrelsome, when grace is before you, and why keep putting me the Law forward to no purpose whatsoever? For you will not be saved by that, and will mar this gift also; since if you pertinaciously insist on being saved by it, you do away with this grace of God.

"For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; if by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them."

Again he endeavors much to get himself clear of untoward suspicion. And he seems to be blaming the Gentiles, and to be humbling their conceits, yet he gives a gentle provocation to the Jew also. And indeed he goes round about seeking to veil and allay this great ruin of theirs. But he finds no means of doing it, owing to the nature of the facts. For from what he had said, they deserved but the greater condemnation, when those who were far short of them had taken the good things prepared for them. This is why then he passes from the Jews to those of the Gentiles, and puts in between his discourse the part about them, as wishing to show that he is saying all these things in order to instruct them to be reasonable. For I praise you, he means, for these two reasons; one, because I am necessitated to do so as being your commissioned minister; the other, that through you I may save others. And he does not say, my brethren, my kinsmen; but, "my flesh." And next, when pointing out their disputatious spirit, he does not say, "if by any means I may" persuade, but, "provoke to jealousy and save;" and here again not all, but, "some of them." So hard were they! And even amid his rebuke he shows again the Gentiles honored, for they are causes of their salvation, and not in the same way. For they became purveyors of blessings to them through unbelief, but these to the Jews by faith. Hence the estate of the Gentiles seems to be at once equal and superior.

"He hath not cast off His people, whom He foreknew."

As though he said, I have with me three, five, or ten thousand. What then? has the people come to be three, five, or ten thousand? that seed that compared with the stars of heaven for multitude, or the sand of the sea? Is this the way you deceive us and put a cheat upon us, by making the whole people thyself and the few that are with thee; and didst thou inflate us with idle hopes, and say that the promise has been fulfilled, when all are lost, and the salvation comes down to a few? This is all bombast and vanity! we cannot away with such sophistry as this. Now, that they may not say this, see how in the sequel he proceeds to the answer, not giving the objection indeed, but before it grounding the answer to it upon ancient history. What then is the answer?

"Wot ye not," he says, "what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace."

What he means is nearly this. "God hath not cast off His people." For had He done so, He would have admitted none of them. But if He did admit some, He hath not cast them off. Still it is said, if He had not cast off, He would have admitted all. This does not follow; since in Elijah's time the part to be saved had come down to "seven thousand:" and now also there are probably many that believe. But if you do not know who they are, this is no wonder, for that prophet, who was so great and good a man, did not know. But God ordered things for Himself when even the prophet knew them not. But consider his judgment. Now in proving what was before him, he covertly augments the charge against them. For this is why he gave the whole passage, that he might parade before them their untowardness, and show that they had been so from of old. For if he had not wished this, but had directed his whole attention to prove that the people lay in the few, he would have said that even in Elijah's time, seven thousand were left. But now he reads to them the passage further back, as having been throughout at pains to show that it was no strange thing that they did with Christ, and the Apostles, but their habitual practice. For to prevent their saying that it was as a deceiver we put Christ to death, and as impostors that we persecute the Apostles, he brings forward the text which says, "Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down thine altars." Then in order not to make his discourse galling to them, he attaches another reason to the bringing forward of the text. For he quotes it not as if it was on purpose to accuse them, but as if intent upon showing some other things. And he leaves them without any excuse even by what had before been done.

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?"

What he means is nearly this: that though He is so wise, yet He has not His Wisdom from any other, but is Himself the Fountain of good things. And though He hath done so great things, and made us so great presents, yet it was not by borrowing from any other that He gave them, but by making them spring forth from Himself; nor as owing any a return for having received from him, but as always being Himself the first to do the benefits; for this is a chief mark of riches, to overflow abundantly, and yet need no aid.

"I say then, Hath God cast away His people whom He foreknew? God forbid."

And he introduces the form a person would use in doubt, as though taking occasion from what had been said, and after making this alarming statement, by the denial of it he causes the sequel to be allowed with readiness; and what by all the former arguments he had been laboring to show that he makes good here also. What then is this? That even if there be but a few saved, the promise yet stands good. This is why he does not merely say "people," but "people which He foreknew." Then proceeding with the proof that the "people" were not cast off, "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin."

I, he says, the instructor, the preacher. Now since this seemed contrary to what was said before in the words, "Who hath believed our report?" and, "All the day long have I stretched forth My hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people;" and, "I will provoke you to jealousy by them which are no people;" he was not satisfied with the deprecation, nor with having said, "God forbid," but makes it good by taking it up again and saying, "God hath not cast away His people." But this is not a confirmation, men may say, but an assertion. Observe then the confirmation, both the first, and that which follows it. For the first is that he was himself of that race. But He would not, if on the point of casting them off, have chosen from them him to whom He entrusted all the preaching, and the affairs of the world, and all mysteries, and the whole economy. This then is one proof, but the next, after it, is his saying, that "people whom He foreknew," that is, who He knew clearly were suited to it, and would receive the faith. For three, five, even ten thousand were believers from among them. And so to prevent any from saying, Art thou the people, then? And because thou hast been called, hath the nation been called? he proceeds.

"For God is able," he says, "to graft them in again," since He doeth things beyond expectation. But if thou wishest for things to be in order, and reasons to be consecutive, you have from yourselves a demonstration which more than meets your wants.

"For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree."

If then faith was able to do what was contrary to nature, much more will it that which is according to nature. For if this person, who was cut off from those by nature his fathers, came contrary to nature unto Abraham, much more wilt thou be able to recover thine own. For the Gentile's evil lot is according to nature (he being by nature a wild olive), and the good contrary to nature (it being contrary to nature for him to be grafted into Abraham), but thy lot on the contrary is the good by nature. For it is not upon another root, as the Gentile, but on thine own that thou art to be fixed if thou art minded to come back. What then dost thou deserve, when after the Gentile had been able to do what was contrary to nature, thou art not able to do that which is according to nature, but hast given up even this? Then as he had said "contrary to nature," and, "wert grafted in," that you may not suppose the Jew to have the advantage, he again corrects this by saying that he also is grafted in. "How much more shall these," says he, "which be the natural branches be grafted into their own olive-tree?" And again, "God is able to graft them in." And before this he says, that if they "abide not still in unbelief, they shall be also grafted in." And when you hear that he keeps speaking of "according to nature," and "contrary to nature," do not suppose that he means the nature that is unchangeable, but he tells us in these words of the probable and the consecutive, and on the other hand of the improbable. For the good things and the bad are not such as are by nature, but by temper and determination alone.

"What then? Israel hath not obtained that, which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded."

He had said that God did not cast off His people; and to show in what sense He had not cast them off, he takes refuge in the Prophets again. And having shown by them that the more part of the Jews were lost, that he might not seem to be again bringing forward an accusation of his own, and to make his discourse offensive, and to be attacking them as enemies, he takes refuge in David and Isaiah. Having then mentioned the state of things in Elijah's time, and shown what grace is, he proceeds, "What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for." Now this is as much what an accuser would say, as what one who was putting a question. For the Jew, he means, is inconsistent with himself when he seeketh for righteousness, which he will not accept. Then to leave them with no excuse, he shows, from those who have accepted it, their unfeeling spirit, as he says, "But the election hath obtained it," and they are the condemnation of the others. And this is what Christ says, "But if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Wherefore they shall be your judges." For to prevent any one from accusing the nature of the thing, and not their own temper, he points out those who had obtained it. Hence he uses the word with great propriety, to show at once the grace from above and the zeal of these. For it is not to deny free-will that he speaks of their having "obtained" it, but to show the greatness of the good things, and that the greater part was of grace, though not the whole. For we too are in the habit of saying, "so and so chanced to get," "so and so met with," when the gain has been a great one. Because it is not by man's labors, but by God's gift, that the greater part was brought about.

"And the rest was blinded."

See how he has been bold enough to tell with his own voice the casting off of the rest. For he had indeed spoken of it already, but it was by bringing the prophets in as accusers. But from this point he declares it in his own person. Still even here he is not content with his own declaration, but brings Isaiah the prophet in again. For after saying, "were blinded," he proceeds; "according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber."

"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in His goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

And he does not say, Behold thy well doing, behold thy labors, but, "Behold the goodness of God" toward man, to show that the whole comes of grace from above, and to make us tremble. For this reason for boasting should make thee to fear. Since the Lord hath been good unto thee, do thou therefore fear. For the blessings do not abide by thee unmovable if thou turnest listless, as neither do the evils with them, if they alter; "For thou also," he says, "unless thou continue in the faith, wilt be cut off."

"I say then, Have they stumbled, that they should fall? God forbid."

When he has shown that they were liable to evils without number, then he devises an allayment. And consider the judgment of Paul. The accusation he had introduced from the prophets, but the allayment he makes come from himself. For that they had sinned greatly, he would say, none will gainsay. But let us see if the fall is of such kind as to be incurable, and quite preclude their being set up again. But of such kind it is not. You see how he is attacking them again, and under the expectation of some allayment he proves them guilty of confessed sins. But let us see what even by way of allayment he does devise for them. Now what is the allayment? "When the fulness of the Gentiles," he says, "shall have come in, then shall all Israel be saved," at the time of his second coming, and the end of the world. Yet this he does not say at once. But since he had made a hard onset upon them, and linked accusations to accusations, bringing prophets in after prophets crying aloud against them, Isaiah, Elijah, David, Moses, Hosea, not once or twice, but several times; lest in this way he should both by driving these into despair, make a wall to bar their access to the faith, and should further make such of the Gentiles as believed unreasonably elated, and they also by being puffed up should take harm in matter of their faith, he further solaces them by saying, "But rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles." But we must not take what is here said literally, but get acquainted with the spirit and object of the speaker, and what he aimed to compass. Which thing I ever entreat of your love. For if with this in our minds we take up what is here said, we shall not find a difficulty in any part of it. For his present anxiety is to remove from those of the Gentiles the haughtiness which might spring in them from what he had said. For in this way they too were more likely to continue unshaken in the faith, when they had learnt to be reasonable, as also those of the Jews were, when quit of despair, more likely to come with readiness to grace. Having regard then to this object of his, let us so listen to all that is said on this passage. What does he say then? And whence does he show that their fall was not irremediable, nor their rejection final? He argues from the Gentiles, saying as follows:

"Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy."

This language is not his own only, but in the Gospels too the parables mean this. For He who made a marriage feast for His Son, when the guests would not come, called those in the highways. (Matt. xxii. 9). And He who planted the Vineyard, when the husbandmen slew the Heir, let out His Vineyard to others. (ib. xxi. 38, etc.) And without any parable, He Himself said, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel." (ib. xv. 24.) And to the Syrophoenician woman, when she persevered, He said somewhat further besides. "It is not meet," He says, "to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs." (ib. xv. 26.) And Paul to those of the Jews that raised a sedition, "It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you: but seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn unto the Gentiles." (Acts xiii. 46.) And throughout it is clear that the natural course of things was this, that they should be the first to come in, and then those of the Gentiles; but since they disbelieved, the order was reversed; and their unbelief and fall caused these to be brought in first. Hence it is that he says, "through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy." But if he mentions what the course of things issued in, as if the chief design of Providence, do not feel surprised. For he wishes to solace their down-stricken souls, and his meaning is about this. Jesus came to them; they did not receive Him, though He did countless miracles, but crucified Him. Hence He drew the Gentiles to Him, that the honor they had, by cutting them to the heart for their insensibility might at least out of a moroseness against others persuade them to come over. For they ought to have been first admitted, and then we. And this was why he said, "For it is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile." (Rom. i. 16.) But as they had started off, we the last became first. See then how great honors he gathers for them even from this. One that he says, we were then called, when they were not willing; a second that he says, the reason of our being called was not that we only might be saved, but that they also, growing jealous at our salvation, might become better. What does he say then? that if it were not for the Jews' sake, we should not have been called and saved at all? We should not before them, but in the regular order. Wherefore also when He was speaking to the disciples, He did not say barely, "Go to the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matt. x. 6), but, "Go rather to the sheep," to show that to those parts also they must come after these. And Paul again saith not, "It was necessary that the word of God should have been spoken unto you," but "should first have been spoken unto you" (Acts xiii. 46), to show that in the second place it must be to us also. And this was both done and said, that they might not be able, shameless though they were, to pretend that they were overlooked, and that was why they did not believe. This then was why Christ, though he knew all things before, yet came to them first.

All that follows is designed to prevent the Gentiles from being filled with pride toward the Jews. It is a secret unknown to mankind why the Gentiles were saved, because Israel's blindness in fact furnished the occasion for their salvation. The blindness continued until the Jews saw that the Gentiles were being saved, since all were called to salvation.

Some interpreters, who do not understand this passage and do not consider the reason for which or the people to whom the apostle is speaking, think that the pursuit of wisdom is forbidden by this text. But if this is so Paul will seem to contradict himself in the eyes of these interpreters, since here he is forbidding what elsewhere he asks of the Lord, that the Ephesians and others may receive.

If either of you changes you will experience severity and they will receive kindness. Humanly speaking, it is impossible to restore withered cuttings, but with God all things are possible and even easy.

Paul will always present himself to the Jews in such a way that they will want to imitate him.

They are Paul's enemies because he preaches Christ to the Gentiles. But if they believe they are beloved, i.e., doubly blessed.

If they believe, their sins will not be counted against them, because God does not repent that he made a promise with Abraham's descendants. Or it may mean if they believe they will be saved without the anguish of penance.

Do not rejoice in the fall of the Jews, or else you will hear that they do not abide through you but you through them and that you do not supply them with life, but they supply you.

Paul wants to show that he is especially anxious to save the Jews. As long as he is in the body he will honor his ministry, striving to save many of them by his example.

God has not rejected those whom he knew in advance would believe. Paul eliminates any occasion for pride among the Gentiles, in case they become boastful because so few of the Jews believed.

Christ is the mercy of the Gentiles. They have been such unbelievers that they too are justified not by their works but in mercy, as you are.

What was the occasion for the reception of the Gentiles but that they came to life because of the death of the Jews? Or it may mean from among the Jews that were dead, Christ and the apostles have become life to the Gentiles. Or perhaps if those whom Christ sets free from death contribute to your life.

If the transgression of the Jews benefitted you to the extent that without the works of the law you were made coheirs with them, and if the few Jews who believed called all of you to salvation, how much more could they benefit you with instruction if they all believed!

Previously nobody knew it, but at the time of writing Paul certainly knew it, as he indicated to others when he said: "We have the mind of the Lord."

Some interpreters regard all these events as future. To them one must reply: Then this prophecy … must still take place, and Christ will come again to set them free. If they have been blinded temporarily by God and not by themselves, what will become of those who are now perishing as unbelievers?

From him all creation received its beginning, through him it is governed, and in him are all things contained, whereas he is not contained by any created thing. He alone should receive glory, for it is from him that we live and move.At the same time, this passage also contradicts the Arians when it is said that it is one and the same God from whom and through whom all things are revealed to have been made, since the Evangelist indicated that in the beginning everything was made through the Word. The apostle here teaches that what the Evangelist testifies concerning the Son should be understood and believed of the Father, through the mystery of the unity.

If God did not spare those who sprang from the holy root because of their unbelief, how much less will he spare you if you sin!

Paul praises the wisdom of God, who according to his foreknowledge waited until all were in need of mercy in order to take from everyone the glory that derives from unfounded boasting in works. The judgments of God are a great deep, for they cannot be clearly grasped.

This new covenant Jeremiah promised which only those who are new, whose sins have been wiped away, will receive.

The table is where they rejoiced at the death of Christ while they ate the passover.

Who has done something beforehand, so that instead of magnifying God's mercy, he boasts that he has received what he deserved?

You did not believe when the Jews did, and now you have received mercy, but not because you have deserved it.

The branches were not broken off for your sake, but you were grafted in because they were broken off. You were an olive shoot, to be sure, but a wild and uncultivated one. "The richness of the olive tree" is the root of their fathers, the richness of Christ.

God has not imprisoned them by force, but for a good reason he has confined all those whom he found in unbelief, i.e., all Jews and Gentiles. He confined the Jews because previously they were only sinners, not faithless as well. But since they have not believed Christ they are equal to the Gentiles and receive mercy in the same way. God does all this so that he may have mercy on them all.

The rest were hardened through unfaithfulness, as it is written: "Unless you believe, you will not understand."It is God's prerogative to give them the spirit of stupor which they desired, for they have always disbelieved the words of God. If they had wanted to have a spirit of faith they would have received it. But even today Christians who doubt the resurrection reward or Gehenna have sought a similar spirit for themselves, for in this passage the prophet was addressing both believers and sinners.

Just as all did not perish then, so too some are saved now. The election of grace is faith just as works are the election of the law. Otherwise, what sort of election is it where there is no difference in merit?

This prophecy speaks of those who gave the Savior vinegar and gall to drink.

If so many men were hidden from the prophet, how much more are you unaware of how many Jews have been saved and are to be saved!

In case the Jews replied to Paul about those concerning whom the word comes to Elijah: "They were righteous; why were these sinners chosen?" the apostle adds that they too are saved freely just as the Gentiles are.

The prophets knew only the things which had been revealed to them by the Lord. That is why the king, uncertain of mind, asked Jeremiah if, at the time at which he spoke with him, a word of the Lord had come to him. … Elijah was unaware that there were others besides himself who worshiped God.

Their fathers had fallen away from nature because they had forgotten the law of nature, and when their habits had become fixed through repeated sinning, they came to be bitter and unproductive, as it were, by nature."And grafted, contrary to nature." … It is against nature to graft a wild olive tree into a cultivated olive tree, because the branch usually alters the effectiveness of the root. The root does not change the effectiveness of the branches to conform to its character.

Israel as a whole has not obtained righteousness because it did not seek it by faith but thought that it was justified solely by works of the law, even though it disregarded the greatest commandments of the law. That is why the Savior censures those who strain at a gnat but swallow a camel.

"Severity" is shown against those who assert that there are two Gods, one righteous and another good; and against those who deny that God punishes sinners.… But you were mercifully grafted in, through faith which has been bestowed upon you by the kindness of God.

Once more, Paul explains the position of the Jews. They have not fallen away completely and beyond hope. God loved them so much that the Gentiles were called for their salvation, so that when the Jews saw that the Gentiles were being allowed into the kingdom of God, they might perhaps repent more easily.

Believe me: as often as I see synagogues, I always have in my mind that which is said by the apostle, that we ought not to exult over the olive tree whose branches were broken, but to fear; since if the natural branches were cut off, how much more should we, who are grafted in from the wild olive, fear lest we become like our fathers, "a generation crooked and provoking, a generation which did not direct its heart, and whose spirit was not held faithful with God."

[Daniel 2:22] "It is He who reveals deep and hidden things, and He knows what is placed in the darkness, and with Him is the light." A man to whom God makes profound revelations and who can say, "O the depth of the riches of the knowledge and wisdom of God!" (Romans 11:33), he it is who by the indwelling Spirit probes even into the deep things of God, and digs the deepest of wells in the depths of his soul. He is a man who has stirred up the whole earth, which is wont to conceal the deep waters, and he observes the command of God, saying: "Drink water from thy vessels and from the spring of thy wells" (Proverbs 5:15). As for the words which follow, "He knows what is placed in the darkness, and with Him is the light," the darkness signifies ignorance, and the light signifies knowledge and learning. Therefore as wrong cannot hide God away, so right encompasses and surrounds Him. Or else we should interpret the words to mean all the dark mysteries and deep things (concerning God), according to what we read in Proverbs: "He understands also the parable and the dark saying." (Proverbs 1:6, LXX) This in turn is equivalent to what we read in the Psalms: "Dark waters in the clouds of the sky" (Psalm 18:11). For one who ascends to the heights and forsakes the things of earth, and like the birds themselves seeks after the most rarified atmosphere and everything ethereal, he becomes like a cloud to which the truth of God penetrates and which habitually showers rain upon the saints. Replete with a plenitude of knowledge, he contains in his breast many dark waters enveloped with deep darkness, a darkness which only Moses can penetrate and speak with God face to face (Exodus 33:11), of Whom the Scripture says: "He hath made darkness His hiding-place" (Psalm 18:11).

This is complete righteousness in man, not to impute any virtue that he can attain to himself but rather to the Lord, the giver.

By "first fruits" Paul means Christ, because he was selected out of the entire race of the Jews; by "root" he means Abraham, from whom the race descended.

Paul is using these words not as a prophecy but as a statement from the Scriptures which backs up what he has already said about the Jews, and at the same time he shows that there is nothing new under the sun.

Paul has mentioned not only his first ancestor but also the head of his tribe in order to show that he is not fabricating his claim.

Paul is telling us that we ought to learn from both these things and consider how great God's love for us is, that we should have been counted worthy through faith. We ought to become ever more eager to live a godly life bearing in mind how God rejected them because of their unbelief and do everything in our power not to fall in the same way.

For God to order his future works in his foreknowledge, which cannot be deceived or changed, is entirely (and nothing other than) to predestine. But just as he whom God has foreknown to be chaste, although this may be unclear to him, acts in such a way as to be chaste, so he whom God has predestined to be chaste, although this may be unclear to him, does not, simply because he hears that by God's gift he will be what he will be, fail to act so as to be chaste. Indeed, his charity is delighted, and he is not puffed up as if he had not received it. Not only is he not hindered from the work of charity by the preaching of predestination, but on the contrary he is helped in this task, so that when he glories he may glory in the Lord.

Predestination is sometimes designated by the name of foreknowledge, as here, where "he foreknew" can only mean "he predestined," as the context of what follows demonstrates.

Not all the Jews were blind; some of them recognized Christ. But the fullness of the Gentiles comes in among those who have been called according to the plan, and there arises a truer Israel of God … the elect from both the Jews and the Gentiles.

Paul is referring to the Trinity when he says this.

The apostle did not mean by these words that God would not condemn anybody. What he meant is made clear by the context. Paul was speaking about those Jews who would one day believe.

The "remnant" refers to the Jews who have believed in Christ. Many of them did believe in the days of the apostles, and even today there are some converts, though very few.

The election of which the apostle speaks is according to grace, not merit.

Behold mercy and judgment—mercy on the elect, who have obtained the righteousness of God, but judgment upon the others who have been blinded. And yet the former have believed because they willed it, while the latter have not believed because they have not willed it. Hence mercy and judgment were executed in their own wills.

Grace is given not because we have done good works but in order that we may have power to do them, not because we have fulfilled the law but in order that we may be able to fulfill it.

This refers to what Paul said above. Only those Jews who have believed in the Lord will be counted as descendants.

Paul says that the Jews have not fallen but rather that their fall was not pointless, since it led to the salvation of the Gentiles. The Jews did not sin only to fall as a punishment but so that their fall might serve the salvation of the Gentiles. Paul even begins to praise the Jewish people for this fall of unbelief, in order that the Gentiles should not become proud, seeing that the fall of the Jews was so important for their own salvation. On the contrary, the Gentiles ought to be all the more careful, lest they too should grow proud and fall also.

Although it was rejected, Israel will also be saved eventually, a hope which Paul confirms by quoting this text of Scripture. For indeed, Israel will be saved in its own time and will be called at the end, after the calling of the Gentiles.

Paul shows that both Jews and Gentiles were guilty of the same thing and that they were likewise cleansed by one and the same grace.

Wisely, Paul does not make the plight of Israel appear worse than it is. Even though he says that the nation is struggling in its blindness, he manages to say something positive at this point.

Israel tried to find righteousness in the type which was the law but did not obtain it. However, those who were sealed were elected and did obtain it on account of their belief, being justified by their faith. The rest were blinded, being hardened and rebellious.

I marvel at your kindness, Paul, and the way in which you so artfully craft the words of the divine dispensation. You assert that the Gentiles were called not because the Israelites had lost all hope of salvation after they had stumbled on Christ the stumbling stone but rather that they would imitate those who were so unexpectedly accepted by God, that they would recognize their wickedness, that they would want to understand better than before and that they would accept the redeemer.

No good work comes from the dead; nothing righteous from the ungodly. Their whole salvation is gratuitous and is therefore the glory of God, so that he who glories may glory in him of whose glory he has stood in need.

Paul insists that only a part of Israel has been hardened, for in fact many of them believe. He thus encourages them not to despair that others will be saved as well. After the Gentiles accepted the gospel, the Jews would believe, when the great Elijah would come to them and bring them the doctrine of faith. The Lord himself said as much: "Elijah will come and will restore all things."

Paul shows what an easy matter this would be for God to accomplish.

Paul evangelized the Gentiles of necessity, addressing himself to them and showing that the prophets had predicted this many centuries before. His aim was to make the Jews jealous and thus encourage some of them to come to salvation also.

Paul says this in order to encourage the Jews. In fact, of course, God did revoke the good gifts which he gave … King Saul, for example, who received spiritual grace which later deserted him. Likewise Solomon, who received peace through the kindness of God, but after his transgression was deprived of grace. And then there are the Jews themselves, who always had their prophets to take care of them but who at the present time have been deprived of them.

The "first fruits" refers to Christ in his human nature, the root is Abraham the patriarch and the branches of the olive tree are the Jews who descended from the root.

Note how diplomatically Paul phrases his statements. On the one hand he teaches those who already believe not to think too highly of themselves, and on the other hand he extends a hand to those Jews who do not believe, showing them that they could obtain salvation through repentance. In the following [verses] he develops this theme more clearly.

"All Israel" means all those who believe, whether they are Jews, who have a natural relationship to Israel, or Gentiles, who are related to Israel by faith.

God himself made all things and he rules in perpetuity over everything which he has made. Everyone ought to turn to him, to thank him for what they asked for and to put their trust in him for the future. They ought to honor him as well. In this way the holy apostle shows that there is no difference between the prepositions from and through, as if the former, which might mean something greater, should apply to the Father and the latter, which might mean something less, to the Son. In fact, both apply equally to both persons.

"The riches of the olive tree" means the teaching of righteousness.

Paul has put "consigned" here instead of "convicted." For God convicted the Gentiles, who had received the natural law and had created things to teach them the knowledge of God yet had not benefited from either the one or the other. He also convicted the Jews, who had received more teaching still (for besides nature and the creation they had also received the law and the prophets, who taught them what they needed to know) and had become liable to even greater punishments as a result. But God was pleased to offer salvation to each of them, even though basically they deserved to perish, if only they would believe.

Elijah did not know about these 7, until God revealed their existence to him. So it is not unbelievable that you too are ignorant of how many Jews have believed in the Savior.

Paul says that, if God had rejected his people, he would have been one of those rejected as well.

Paul could have supported his statement by referring to the 3, who believed at Jerusalem and to the many thousands spoken of by St. James, not to mention all those Jews of the diaspora who believed the message. But instead he uses himself as an example.

The elect are those who believed.… The rest were hardened because of their unbelief.

Paul calls the Lord Christ the "first fruits," because he was one of them according to the flesh, and through his resurrection he became the first to claim the inheritance.

When their sins are taken away and forgiven their salvation will be clear and indisputable.

The spirit of stupor prevented them from making the hard choice of repentance and conversion.

The apostle has expressed himself in this way … because he wants to show that the law and grace are completely incompatible and that the two of them can never go together. Of necessity, one must drive the other out.

Antony was confused as he meditated upon the depths of God's judgements, and he asked God, 'Lord, how is it that some die young and others grow old and sick? Why are there some poor and some rich? Why are there those who are bad and rich and oppress the good poor?' He heard a voice saying to him, 'Antony, worry about yourself; these other matters are up to God, and it will not do you any good to know them.'

But when the fulness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel shall thus be saved, here clearly speaking of the final consummation.

The Synagogue came first to the tomb, but did not enter, because although it received the commandments of the law and heard the prophecies concerning the incarnation and passion of the Lord, it refused to believe in the one who died. For John saw the linen cloths lying there, yet did not enter, because the Synagogue both recognized the mysteries of sacred Scripture and yet delayed entering through faith by believing in the Lord's passion. The one whom it had long prophesied from afar, it saw present and rejected; it despised him as a man and refused to believe that God had been made mortal in flesh. What does this mean, except that it both ran more quickly and yet stood empty before the tomb? But Simon Peter came following him and entered the tomb, because the Church of the Gentiles, coming after, both recognized the mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, dead in the flesh, and believed him to be the living God. ... Then therefore that disciple who had come first to the tomb also entered. After Peter entered, John also went in. He who had come first entered later. It should be noted, brothers, that at the end of the world Judea too will be gathered to faith in the Redeemer, as Paul testifies when he says: "Until the fullness of the Gentiles should enter, and so all Israel should be saved."

The Synagogue came first to the tomb, but did not enter, because although it received the commandments of the law and heard the prophecies concerning the incarnation and passion of the Lord, it refused to believe in the one who died. For John saw the linen cloths lying there, yet did not enter, because the Synagogue both recognized the mysteries of sacred Scripture and yet delayed entering through faith by believing in the Lord's passion. The one whom it had long prophesied from afar, it saw present and rejected; it despised him as a man and refused to believe that God had been made mortal in flesh. What does this mean, except that it both ran more quickly and yet stood empty before the tomb? But Simon Peter came following him and entered the tomb, because the Church of the Gentiles, coming after, both recognized the mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, dead in the flesh, and believed him to be the living God. ... Then therefore that disciple who had come first to the tomb also entered. After Peter entered, John also went in. He who had come first entered later. It should be noted, brothers, that at the end of the world Judea too will be gathered to faith in the Redeemer, as Paul testifies when he says: "Until the fullness of the Gentiles should enter, and so all Israel should be saved."

"In him are all things" not only because he has brought them from nothing into being but because it is by his operation that all things he made are kept in existence and held together. Living things, however, participate more abundantly, because they participate in the good both by their being and by their living. But rational beings, while they participate in the good in the aforementioned ways, do so still more by their very rationality. For in a way they are more akin to him, although of course he is immeasurably superior to them.

This is not to be taken in the sense of God acting but in the sense of God permitting, because of free will and because virtue is not forced.

He calls a mystery here that which is unknown and hidden. What then does this mystery consist of? In that the Jews did not all disbelieve, but were hardened in part. Many of them believed, whom, as was said above, God foreknew, and many will believe afterward; for the Israelites were hardened until all the Gentiles foreknown by God are saved.

Since, he says, you have submitted to the Gospel and have been accepted by God, they became more stubborn and recoiled further and became enemies; but since their ancestors were chosen by God from the beginning, God will not allow them to perish completely (for they are beloved), but will accept them if they believe.

Here he proves that the Gentiles were not chosen in place of the Jews because the Jews sinned, but for the faith which the Gentiles displayed. So where he seems to cast down the Gentile, there he shows that the fall of the Jews was inexcusable. But he corrects both groups. You, Gentile, will say that the branches were broken off so that you might be grafted in? Yes, they were broken off, but by their own unbelief, and not because God owed you that honor: for "you stand by faith," having been grafted into the root. Therefore "be afraid," because the grafting in is not a matter of nature, but of faith.

So too the Jews would have been grafted in, if they had not continued to remain in unbelief; for God did not first cut them off, but they themselves fell away of their own accord and were cut off by their unbelief. In saying that "God did not spare," he means that God does not show mercy to the Jews, but considers them unworthy of communion and fellowship with the holy forefathers. Most wisely Paul frightens the Gentile by what happened to the Jews, while to the Jew, by the example of what happened to the Gentiles, he inspires the boldness to be grafted in by faith and encourages him with hope in the power of God. God is able, he says, to graft them in; He does all things that surpass our hopes.

Therefore, do not be arrogant and do not boast against the branches. What good is this to the branches that were broken off? For it is the root that supports. Do you see how he only praises the Jews in appearance, seeking merely to console them? However, even by this he spurs the Jews to zeal, showing the harm they have suffered and how others have received their possession and hold it.

The Apostle could have been objected to: what are you saying, Paul? Do you really consider the people who are likened to sand and stars to consist of three thousand, five thousand, a great multitude of people? Therefore he says: even in the time of Elijah no more than seven thousand were saved; and even Elijah did not know them. And now, probably, there are many who have believed. If you do not know them, this is nothing new: Elijah too did not know those. At the same time, imperceptibly touching upon another subject with his words, he shows that the murder they committed was long ago foretold from above. Namely: lest they should say, we killed Christ as a deceiver, he asks: then how did your forefathers kill the Old Testament prophets? Were they too deceivers? They boldly caused grief? But how then did your forefathers dig up the altars? Did the altars too give offense? And how did they seek to kill Elijah himself, who was zealous for the Jews and renowned for his miracles? But if in those times, when there were so many wicked people, the Lord chose for Himself only seven thousand, as Scripture shows, that is, the revelation and word of God, then there is nothing at all new if He now too chooses only the worthy. He explains this further as well.

He calls the patriarchs the "firstfruit" and the "root," and those of their descendants who believed the "lump" and the "branches." So he comforts the unbelieving Jews, saying: you too will be holy if you believe. For it is necessary that the lump and the branches be like the firstfruit — that is, the former like the firstfruit, and the latter like the root. But if you have not become like them, this is a sign of great wickedness.

But the mercy shown to you will also be their mercy: they will emulate you and believe, and thus will be deemed worthy of your mercy.

If, he says, having been angered at them, He granted so much to others and made enemies into friends, what will He not grant when He receives them? Then there will be "life from the dead," that is, unending blessings; for He indicates these by the word "life." At the same time, he also hints at something more exalted, namely that just as the resurrection from the dead will not depend on the acceptance of the Jews, so too the salvation of others will not depend on them either, if they do not have faith. All of this he says seemingly in favor of the Jews, offering them a refreshing drink, as physicians often do with the gravely ill.

If, he says, the Jews, having stumbled, prepared salvation for the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were accepted when the Jews were rejected, and the fall of the Jews became the riches of the Gentiles, then how much more their "fullness," that is, when they, having turned back, shall all be saved. He says this to please the Jews and to console them. For although the Jews fell, the Gentiles would not have been saved if they had not had faith.

He alone, he says, knows His own works, and besides Him no one else. Being all-wise, He does not borrow wisdom from counsel with another, but of Himself was and is self-sufficient.

Then all Israel also will be saved, evidently having believed. Again he brings forth Isaiah, who exclaims that one will come from Zion who is able to save and cleanse the sins of the Israelites.

He Himself is the source of all things: this means "from Him." He is also the support of all things: this means "by Him." All things have their beginning from Him, and were created by Him, and all things stand and are held together, resting upon Him as upon a certain foundation. It is Paul's custom to end his discourse with thanksgiving when he speaks of something important. He does the same now as well. Since he was filled with amazement at the goodness, wisdom, knowledge, and ways of God's economy, he finally glorifies God, thereby teaching us also to thank God for His great blessings and to glorify Him in word and in life.

The Jews were sons of the patriarchs by nature, yet were broken off by unbelief. All the more should you fear, you who are grafted in, whether God will spare you in the case of your fall.

Reflecting on the dispensations of God from the beginning of the world, on how God arranges the opposite through the opposite and by means of some who are disobedient shows others to be obedient, he came to amazement, thereby confirming that He who so arranges our affairs will assuredly also arrange the future salvation of the Jews. By "riches" he means goodness, the depth of which only brings amazement, and the greatness of which is unknown: for to so enrich the Gentiles is a work of riches. Together with goodness he marvels also at "wisdom," by means of which God governs our life and made wise the ignorant Gentiles, and at "knowledge," by means of which He knows what is profitable for each person. Concerning His ways, he did not say "incomprehensible," but "unsearchable," that is, they cannot even be searched out. "His ways," that is, the methods of His dispensation, not only cannot be comprehended, but cannot even be searched out, that is, one cannot even see a trace of them.

But when will this be? "When I take away their sins," that is, when I deem them worthy of remission through baptism. Therefore, although they have not received the remission of sins now (for they are hardened), this will be fulfilled afterwards.

Since they, he says, are unchangeable in their wickedness, they will be subjected to the utmost punishment. "Their table," that is, all their goods and pleasures will be turned into the opposite; they will be caught in a net and captured, having become easily taken captive and overcome by all, and always having stumbling blocks and obstacles in their life. And so that it would be evident that they will suffer this for their sins, he said: "for a recompense." Moreover, from their calamities their eyes were darkened, both spiritual and bodily. And their back is bent, for they are in such slavery to the Romans, which will never end. This is the meaning of the word "forever," that is, they will never be freed from that slavery.

He is also the source of all good things, and whatever He gives, He gives not as one obligated to repay, like someone who has received something from another, but out of His own goodness. For "who has first given to Him," that is, to God, that it should be repaid to him? That is, so that the benefaction bestowed by God might be considered a repayment to the one who gave?

You, he says, who were formerly called Gentiles, did not wish to obey: therefore the Jews were chosen and received the law. Again, when the Jews were called and did not obey Christ, you were chosen and shown mercy.

He called the unbelieving Jews broken-off branches, for they became unworthy of the holy root. And he well said "were broken off," for God never rejected them in this way, although they sinned in many ways. And in place of them, the broken off, you, the Gentile, he says, were grafted in. He did not say "you were planted," but "you were grafted in," and by this he stings the Jew and shows that the Gentile stands on the tree of the Jew, that is, on the patriarchs, and "became a partaker of the root and the sap," that is, attained from God the same nobility and glory as the Jews.

That is, He convicted them, declared them disobedient, in order to save some by the stubbornness of others. For previously, when the Gentiles were disobedient, He saved, as was said, the Jews; again, when the Jews did not obey Christ, the Gentiles were saved, and when the Gentiles are saved, the Jews too will be saved, emulating them, and thus all will be shown mercy.

He brings forth Isaiah as a witness of their blindness, so that he would not appear to be speaking on his own. The words "God gave" are said in place of "granted," that is, He allowed, He permitted them to have "a spirit of slumber." By insensibility he means such a habit of the soul toward evil that is incorrigible and unchangeable; for to be pricked (κατανύσσεσθαι) means to be attached or to cling to something. Having eyes to see the miracles and ears to hear the Lord's teaching, they made use of neither as they ought. They did this not only in relation to Christ alone, but also in relation to the apostles. "Even to this day," it says.

A remnant exists even now, he says, that is, the best. When winnowed grain is fanned, what remains is the kernel. Just so God too, rejecting the wicked, keeps the worthy for Himself. When he said "by election," he showed the diligence of those being saved, because they became worthy of election through their diligence; and when he said "of grace," he indicated the gift of God.

Moreover, from their calamities their eyes were darkened, both spiritual and bodily. And their back is bent, for they are in such slavery to the Romans, which will never end. This is the meaning of the word "forever," that is, they will never be freed from that slavery.

Here he shows that the Jews who did not believe have no excuse whatsoever. You cannot, he says, say that God demanded deeds and labors from you. Everything is a matter of grace. Why then do you not wish to be saved, when such a good is offered to you without demanding labors from you? Therefore, those who wished were saved. These are the ones who constitute the people of God. So God did not reject His people who were worthy of salvation. If we were pleasing God by works, then grace would already be out of place; but if there is room for grace, then there is no longer any work, and work is not work. For where there is grace, no work is required; and where there is work, there is no grace.

Again consoling the Jews, he humbles the pride of the Gentiles, saying: I commend you for two reasons: first, because having been appointed as a teacher to you, I have need to glorify "my ministry," that is, you; and second, because I have in view to provoke to jealousy "my kinsmen according to the flesh" — the Jews. By the word "flesh" he showed his kinship with the Jews and his tender love for them. "And might not save" — he did not say: all, but: "some of them." For he subtly reveals their hardheartedness; because it could happen that some, being kindled by emulation, would imitate the Gentiles and believe.

If, he reasons, if you, a Gentile, to whom evil is akin by nature and who has ancestors resembling a wild olive tree, were cut off from them by faith, and, what was not in your nature, were grafted into the good olive tree, that is, into the patriarchs, then how much more will the Jew, to whom good is akin by nature, be returned to his own olive tree, that is, to his own fathers? And when you hear Paul say "by nature," understand it as: naturally and logically — for example: it was natural that the son of holy Abraham would be holy. Conversely, the expression "not by nature" should be understood as: unnaturally and illogically — for example: it is unnatural that the son of a vile pagan would be holy.

Having explained what grace is, that is, that it is a gift of God apart from works, he says that the Israelites, seeking righteousness, did not obtain it, because they sought it poorly and from works, by which it is impossible to obtain it. "But the elect obtained it." By the word "obtained" he shows the greatness of the blessings and that everything is the work of God's grace. And in ordinary conversation we too say: he obtained a profit, that is, he acquired a gain without labor.

He did not say: "you see" your own merit, but: "the goodness of God"; for all is the work of God's grace. And endeavor to continue — he did not say: in faith, but: "in goodness," that is, to the end of your life do what is worthy of God's love for mankind. If you do not act thus, you will be cut off.

Having called the Jews a disobedient people, he presents himself as doubting, saying: have the promises of God not been fulfilled because the people of Israel became disobedient? No, he answers. God has not rejected His people, "whom He foreknew," that is, whom He knew to be capable of receiving the faith. "For I also am an Israelite." Then, lest anyone object: are you alone the people? he adds: God has not rejected His people, that is, others besides me—there are three thousand, there are five thousand, there is a great multitude from the people who believed, as the Acts of the Apostles show (Acts 2:41, 4:4, 5:14).

Having sufficiently rebuked the Jews, he now devises consolation for them and asks: "Have they stumbled so as to fall completely?" — that is, have they sinned in such a way that it is no longer possible to heal them in any way? They stumbled, yet their fall was not such that there was no means of setting things right. At the time of the end of the world, as will be said further on, they too will be saved. Here he wishes to accomplish two tasks: first, to console the Jews, and second, to curb the pride of the Gentiles. He says: salvation became the possession of the Gentiles when the Jews stumbled and did not believe. In order, the Jews should have been saved first, and then the Gentiles; but since the Jews proved to be unbelieving, the Gentiles were chosen. This is also indicated in many places in the Gospel. And the Gentiles were saved "to provoke them to jealousy," that is, so that the Jews would be stung by the honor shown to the Gentiles and would be persuaded to come to Christ, at least out of rivalry with them.

The fact that the Jews will be converted is certain because of Isaiah and the Apostle who teaches authoritatively: "Though the number of the children of Israel are as the sands of the sea, the remnant shall be saved." And again: "A partial blindness only has befallen Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles should enter." The Jews oppose to the fact that none of the prophesied peace has come about as yet. But the prophet is not speaking of the first advent nor of the first calling, but of the last, when "the Lord will have His day against all that is arrogant." Nor should it be understood that in so doing, the Lord is dismissing these branches.

Therefore when it condemns and reprobates, it operates according to justice: but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice. Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, deserved to be condemned: therefore more are reprobated than chosen, so that it may be shown that salvation is according to special grace, but damnation according to common justice. Therefore no one can complain about the divine will, because it does all things most rightly; indeed in all things we ought to give thanks and honor the governance of divine providence. But if anyone should ask why it bestows the gift of grace on one sinner rather than another, here it is necessary to impose silence on human loquacity and to exclaim with the Apostle: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgments, and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him? For from him and through him and in him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Therefore when it condemns and reprobates, it operates according to justice: but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice. Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, deserved to be condemned: therefore more are reprobated than chosen, so that it may be shown that salvation is according to special grace, but damnation according to common justice. Therefore no one can complain about the divine will, because it does all things most rightly; indeed in all things we ought to give thanks and honor the governance of divine providence. But if anyone should ask why it bestows the gift of grace on one sinner rather than another, here it is necessary to impose silence on human loquacity and to exclaim with the Apostle: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgments, and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him? For from him and through him and in him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

This threefold radiation may be considered from the viewpoint of the originating principle, from that of the receiving subject, and from that of the object in which it terminates. For it concerns the originating principles in terms of the three causes: the primary (efficient), the exemplar (formal), and the final: For from Him and through Him and unto Him are all things. Hence truth indicates that our mind is carried by a natural inclination to the supreme Truth in that it is the cause of being, the reason of understanding and the norm of life. From the cause of being comes forth the truth of things; from the reason of understanding, the truth of words; from the norm of life, the truth of moral behavior.

On the part of the soul, every radiation of truth over our power of understanding comes about in one of three ways: it shines upon it absolutely, and then refers to things to be seen; or in relation to the interpretative faculty, and then consists in the truth of words; or in relation to the affective or motive faculty, and then it is the truth of things to be done.

It is the same as regards the object. Everything that exists depends upon essence, reason, or will. The first leads to the knowledge of things, the second to the knowledge of words, and the third to the knowledge of behavior. Hence, in relation to the principle, to the subject, and to the object, there is in the soul a threefold radiation of truth through which the soul may be lifted up to eternal matters and also to the cause of all. But if the spice of faith is added, things become easier: the cause of being is then attributed to the Father, the reason of understanding to the Son, and the norm of life to the Holy Spirit.

Now, this seven-fold series, either in the sensible world or in the minor world, arises out of the archetypal world, where causal principles exist in a seven-fold series. For God exists by reason of a triple-formed cause, original, exemplary, and final, and He cannot exist in any other mode. Hence the Apostle says: For "from Him and through Him and unto Him are all things." But the principle of causality is dependent upon four things: height of power, depth of wisdom, breadth of benevolence, and length of eternity, so that, as the Apostle says, "you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth." Power creates, wisdom governs, benevolence achieves, and eternity preserves.

Turning back again, let us say: because therefore the most pure and absolute being, which is simply being, is the first and the last, therefore it is the origin and consummating end of all things.

Because eternal and most present, therefore it encompasses and enters all durations, existing as it were simultaneously as their center and circumference.

Because most simple and greatest, therefore it is wholly within all things and wholly beyond all things, and therefore "it is an intelligible sphere whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere."

Because most actual and most immutable, therefore "remaining stable, it gives motion to all things."

Because most perfect and immense, therefore it is within all things, not enclosed; beyond all things, not excluded; above all things, not elevated; below all things, not cast down.

Because indeed it is supremely one and all-encompassing, therefore it is all things in all, although all things are many and it itself is nothing but one; and this because through most simple unity, most serene truth, and most sincere goodness there is in it all power, all exemplarity, and all communicability; and therefore from him and through him and in him are all things, and this because he is omnipotent, omniscient, and in every way good, which to see perfectly is to be blessed, as was said to Moses: I will show you all good.

But because from itself, therefore it lacks a producer and creator: therefore it can neither depend nor begin; and through this it has the highest and most perfect necessity, which excludes all mutability and dependence, inevitability and indigence, coercion and violence, which denote a diminished necessity: and conversely it posits the highest permanence and stability, the highest sufficiency and freedom. For because it is through itself, therefore it is permanent and most stable: because indeed for its own sake, therefore most generous and most sufficient: because indeed it is through itself and for its own sake, therefore it is the alpha and the omega: and therefore all other things are from it, and all other things for the sake of it, whether necessary or contingent. For just as all movable things flow from one first immovable being and are reduced to it; so all contingent things flow from the necessary being and are reduced to it. Therefore the necessity of the divine being is the origin and completion of all being, living and understanding; and all things proclaim that the first principle is necessary, whether they be necessary or contingent.

Therefore when it condemns and reprobates, it operates according to justice: but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice. Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, deserved to be condemned: therefore more are reprobated than chosen, so that it may be shown that salvation is according to special grace, but damnation according to common justice. Therefore no one can complain about the divine will, because it does all things most rightly; indeed in all things we ought to give thanks and honor the governance of divine providence. But if anyone should ask why it bestows the gift of grace on one sinner rather than another, here it is necessary to impose silence on human loquacity and to exclaim with the Apostle: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgments, and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him? For from him and through him and in him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

About the height of faith in understanding the eternal God and the depth in knowing God made man, the Apostle writes to the Romans: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways!" Wisdom refers to the understanding of the eternal God, knowledge to the knowing of God made man.

O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and unsearchable His ways! From which it is gathered that those things which pertain to divine wisdom are more comprehensible than the divine judgments; but in John 5 it is said that the Father has given all judgment to the Son, because He is the Son of man; from which it is gathered that the soul of Christ comprehends the divine judgments: therefore if those are less comprehensible than the others, much more strongly does He comprehend all the others.

To that which is objected, that the soul of Christ comprehends all the divine judgments: it can be said that those things are said of the assumed man on account of the communication of idioms; or certainly they are said of those things which are, were, and will be, which indeed can be comprehended by the soul of Christ; but it is not true with respect to all things that the divine wisdom understands, since it knows infinite things, as is clear from what has been determined above.

Therefore when it condemns and reprobates, it operates according to justice: but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice. Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, deserved to be condemned: therefore more are reprobated than chosen, so that it may be shown that salvation is according to special grace, but damnation according to common justice. Therefore no one can complain about the divine will, because it does all things most rightly; indeed in all things we ought to give thanks and honor the governance of divine providence. But if anyone should ask why it bestows the gift of grace on one sinner rather than another, here it is necessary to impose silence on human loquacity and to exclaim with the Apostle: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how incomprehensible are his judgments, and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him? For from him and through him and in him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

After leading the gentiles to a knowledge of the divine judgments, in which God's goodness and severity were manifested, the Apostle, acting as though they are still unable to consider these things, explains how they seem to him.
First, he presents the fact;
second, he proves it, at as it is written;
third, he gives the reason, at for as you also.

In regard to the first he does three things.

First, he states his intention, saying: I have urged you to consider the kindness and severity of God, for I would not have you ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, for you cannot grasp all mysteries. Hence, this is a prerogative of the perfect to whom the Lord says: to you it has been given to understand the mystery of God's kingdom (Luke 8:9); I will not hide from you the mysteries of God (Wis 6:24). But ignorance of this mystery would be very damaging to us: but if any man know not, he shall not be known (1 Cor 14:38).

Second, he discloses the reason for his intention: lest you should be wise in your own conceits, i.e., that you not presume on your own understanding to condemn others and prefer yourself to them: be not wise in your own conceits (Rom 12:16); woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight (Isa 5:21).

Third, he states what he intended.

First, with respect to the fall of particular Jews, when he says: that blindness in part has happened in Israel, not universally but upon a part: blind the heart of this people (Isa 6:10).

Second, he predicts the end of this blindness, saying: until the fullness of the gentiles should come in to the faith, i.e., not only some gentile nations as were then converted; but either in all or the greater part the Church would be established: the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness (Ps 24:1).

The gentiles converted to the faith are said to come in, as though from the exterior and visible things they venerated into spiritual things and the divine will: come into his presence with singing (Ps 100:2).

It should be noted that the word until can signify the cause of the blindness of the Jews. For God permitted them to be blinded, in order that the full number of the gentiles come in.

It can also designate the termination, i.e., that the blindness of the Jews will last up to the time when the full number of the gentiles will come to the faith. With this agrees his next statement, namely, and then, i.e., when the full number of the gentiles has come in, all Israel should be saved, not some, as now, but universally all: I will save them by the Lord their God (Hos 1:7); he will again have compassion upon us (Mic 7:19).

Then when he says, well, he excludes the objection.

First, he assigns the reason why the Jews fell away and the gentiles were promoted, saying: well, i.e., it is good that God permitted branches to be broken off, so that you might be grafted in, but consider the cause of the breaking off of the branches. It is because of unbelief, i.e., because they refused to believe in Christ, they were broken off: for you are among unbelievers and destroyers (Ezek 2:6); if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46). But you, O gentile, stand by faith, i.e., by believing in Christ, through whom you have obtained grace: for in faith you stand (2 Cor 1:23); I preached to you the Gospel, in which you stand, by which you are saved (1 Cor 15:1).

Second, he gives an admonition, saying: be not highminded, i.e., do not presume on yourself beyond yourself: not minding high things, but consenting to the humble (Rom 12:16); Lord, my heart is not exalted: nor are my eyes lofty (Ps 130:1); but fear, lest you too be broken off because of unbelief: blessed is the man that is always fearful: but he that is hardened in mind, will fall into evil (Prov 28:14); the fear of the Lord drives out sin (Sir 1:27).

Then when he says, you will say then, he excludes an objection from the gentiles:
first, he presents the objection;
second, he excludes it from a consideration of divine justice, at well;
third, he urges them to diligently consider God's judgments, at see then the goodness.

First, therefore, he says: therefore, O gentile, who boasts against the Jews, you might say: the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in, i.e., God permitted the Jews to fall from faith, so that I might enter into faith.

But no one accepts the loss of one thing save for something more precious and more desired, just as a physician allows a foot to remain sore in order to heal the eye. Thus, it would seem that the gentile nations are more valuable and acceptable to God than Judea. Hence it says in Malachi: I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations (Mal 1:10), and in Isaiah: it is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob; I will give you as a light to the nations (Isa 49:6).

Second, he shows the same with respect to the Jews. First, he states the fact: and they also, namely, the Jews, if they do not abide still in unbelief, shall be grafted in, i.e., restored to their former status: you have prostituted yourself to many lovers. Nevertheless, return to me, says the Lord (Jer 3:1).

Then he proves what he has said: first, from God's power, saying: for God is able to graft them in again; therefore, their salvation is not to be despaired of: behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save (Isa 59:1).

Hence he adds: if, by any means, I may provoke to emulation them who are my flesh, i.e., the Jews, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom 9:3): do not despise your own flesh (Isa 58:7). And that they may emulate by good emulation, as is said in 1 Corinthians: emulate the better gifts (1 Cor 12:31). And in this way I may save some of them, namely, of the Jews: not seeking my own advantage but that of many, that they may be saved (1 Cor 10:33).

But this seems contrary to what he says in 2 Corinthians: but we will not boast beyond limit, but will keep to the limits God apportioned us, to reach even to you (2 Cor 10:13). But he had not accepted the limit of his service, which was to the gentiles. Therefore, he should not have concerned himself about the Jews.

Some say that the Jews living in Judea did not pertain to his apostolate, but to that of Peter, James, and John (Gal 2:7). But the Jews living among the gentiles pertained to his apostolate and he worked for their salvation.

But this seems contrary to his statement here. For if those Jews were the limit of his apostolate, he would not be magnifying his service.

Therefore, it must be said that preaching to the gentiles was committed to him in such a way that he was bound to it by necessity, as he says: woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel. For necessity is laid upon me (1 Cor 9:16); but he was not forbidden to preach to the Jews, even though he was not bound to do so. Consequently, by working for their salvation he magnified his service. But he would not have done this, if he thought their fall irreparable.

Hence the Apostle's very zeal for the conversion of the Jews was the sign he adduced for stating that the fall of the Jews was reparable.

Then when he says, as concerning the Gospel, he proves his statement with a reason:
first, he presents the proof;
second, he removes an objection, at for the gifts and the calling.

First, therefore, he says that their sins will be taken away and that after they have sins, they are enemies of Christ. As concerning the Gospel, indeed, which they resist, they are enemies for your sake, i.e., it has turned out to your benefit. Hence, it says in Luke: as for those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me (Luke 19:27); and in John: but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father (John 15:24).

Or as concerning the Gospel means their enmity has helped the Gospel, which has been spread everywhere by reason of such enmity: in the word of truth of the Gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing (Col 1:5).

But they are most dear to God for the sake of the forefathers, and this as touching the election, because he chose their descendants on account of their forefathers' grace: the Lord loved your fathers and chose their descendants after them (Deut 10:15).

This does not mean that the merits established by the fathers were the cause of the eternal election of the descendants, but that God from all eternity chose the fathers and the sons in such a way that the children would obtain salvation on account of the fathers; not as though the merits of the fathers were sufficient for the salvation of the sons, but through an outpouring of divine grace and mercy, the sons would be saved on account of the promises made to the fathers.

Or it can mean as touching the election, i.e., as regards those elected from that people, salvation was obtained. For if they are dear to God, it is reasonable that they be saved by God: the eye has not seen, O God, besides you, what things you have prepared for them that wait for you (Isa 64:4).

Then when he says, for the gifts and the calling, he excludes an objection.

For someone might claim that even though the Jews were formerly beloved on account of their forefathers, nevertheless the hostility they exert against the Gospel prevents them from being saved in the future. But the Apostle asserts that this is false, saying: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. As if to say: that God gives something to certain ones or calls certain ones is without repentance, because God does not change his mind: the triumpher in Israel will not spare, and will not be moved to repentance (1 Sam 15:29); the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind (Ps 110:4).

However, this seems false, for the Lord says: it repents me that I made man (Gen 6:7) and if that nation against which I have spoken shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them (Jer 18:8).

The answer is that just as God is said to grow angry, not because the emotion of anger is in him but because he is related to the effect of punishments after the manner of an angry man, so he is said to repent, not because the change involved in repentance is in him but because he changes what he had done after the manner of one who repents.

Nevertheless, it does seem that God's gifts are not without repentance, because they are frequently lost, as in Matthew: take the talent from him and give it to him that has ten talents (Matt 25:28). Furthermore, God's call seems to be changed sometimes, since it is written: many are called but few are chosen (Matt 22:14).

But it should be noted that gift is taken here for a promise made according to God's foreknowledge or predestination, and calling is taken for election. Because both are so certain, whatever God promises is as good as given and whomever he elects is somehow already called. Such temporal gifts and callings are not voided by a change in God, as though he repented of them, but by a change in man who casts them off: take heed lest anyone be wanting in the grace of God (Heb 12:15).

This passage can also be taken to mean that God's gifts which are bestowed in baptism, and the calling by which the baptized person is called, exist without the repentance of the baptized person. Furthermore, it was introduced to counteract any despair about the future salvation of the Jews, since they do not seem to repent of their sin.

But against this interpretation are the words of Peter: repent and be baptized every one of you (Acts 2:38).

This can be answered by recalling that repentance is of two kinds: interior and exterior. Interior repentance consists in the heart's contrition by which one is sorry for past sins. Such repentance is required of the baptized, because, as Augustine says: no one who is arbiter of his own will can begin the new life, unless he repents of the old life; otherwise, he would approach dissembling.

But exterior repentance consists in making satisfaction outwardly, and this is not required of the baptized person, because by baptismal grace man is freed not only of guilt but of all penalty, in virtue of the passion of Christ who satisfied for the sins of all: all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death (Rom 6:3); by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit which he poured out upon us richly (Titus 3:5).

But since the keys of the Church and all the other sacraments work by the power of Christ's passion, it seems that by the same reasoning all the other sacraments should liberate man from guilt and from all punishment.

But the answer is that Christ's passion works in baptism in the manner of a generation, which requires that a man die completely to his former life to receive a new life. And because the debt of punishment belongs to the oldness of the former life, it is taken away in baptism. But in the other sacraments Christ's passion works in the manner of a cleansing, as in the sacrament of penance. But a cleansing does not require that right away every remnant of weakness be taken away. And the same argument applies to the other sacraments.

But since the confession of sins is relevant for exterior repentance, one could ask whether confession of sins is required at baptism. And it seems that it is, because Matthew says that men were baptized by John, confessing their sins (Matt 3:6).

But the answer is that John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, namely because by receiving that baptism they declared that they would undertake penance for their sins, and so it was fitting that they should confess so that penance could be meted out to them in accord with the nature of their sins. But Christ's baptism is a baptism for the remission of all sins, such that the baptized person no longer owes any satisfaction for his past sins, and for this reason there is no need for vocal confession. The reason confession is necessary in the sacrament of penance is so that the priest can, by the power of the keys, fittingly loose or bind the penitent.

Then when he says, but if you boast, he gives the reason for his admonition, saying: but if in spite of this admonition you boast by insulting the Jews, who stand upright or have been cut off, you should consider as a check to your boasting that you do not bear the root: but the root bears you, i.e., Judea did not receive salvation from the gentiles, but just the reverse: salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22). Hence, Abraham was promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed in him (Gen 22:18).

Then when he says, for if the firstfruit, he proves the same thing by considering the status of the Jewish race.

This he does in two ways.

First, on the part of the apostles, when he says: if the firstfruit be holy, so is the lump also.

That is called the representative portion which is taken from the whole lump of dough, as if for approval. The apostles chosen by God from the Jewish people are the representative sample taken from the whole lump. If, therefore, the apostles are holy, the consequence is that the Jewish people are holy. You are a holy nation, God's own people (1 Pet 2:9).

Second, he proves the same thing on the part of the patriarchs, who are compared to the Jews as root to branches; hence it says in Isaiah: there shall come forth a rod from the root of Jesse (Isa 11:1). If, therefore, the patriarchs, who are the root, are holy, then the Jews, who grew from them as branches, are also holy. And his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus, and his branches shall spread (Hos 14:6).

But this seems to conflict with what is said in Exodus: if a man is righteous, he shall surely live (Exod 18:9). Therefore, it does not follow that if the root is holy, so also the branches. There he also adds that if the son seeing the sins of his father will have been afraid and will not have done the same, he shall not die, but will live life; whence it seems not to follow that if the representative portion is holy, so is the whole lump.

The answer is that the Apostle is not speaking here of actual holiness, for he does not mean to say that unbelieving Jews are holy; but of potential holiness. For if their ancestors and descendants are holy, nothing prevents them from being called back to holiness themselves.

Or one might answer that those who imitate the patriarchs are a special type of branch, as it says in John: if you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did (John 8:39).

Then when he says, for I say to you, gentiles, he shows the same things by revealing the purpose of his ministry, which he first states;
second, he assigns the reason, at for if the loss.

In regard to the first it should be noted that whereas the previous parts of the epistle were directed to all the believers in Rome, whether from the Jews or from the gentiles, he is now directing his words to the converted gentiles.

He says, therefore: I have stated that their fullness will mean riches for the world. As testimony to this I say to you, gentiles, i.e., gentiles converted to the faith: I said, 'behold me' to a nation that did not call upon my name (Isa 65:1). This, I repeat, I say to you: as long indeed as I am the apostle of the gentiles, the special care of whom has fallen to me on account of the office entrusted to me: they gave to me and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowship: that we should go unto the gentiles, and they unto the circumcision (Gal 2:9); for this was I appointed a preacher and apostle, a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth (1 Tim 2:7); I will honor my ministry, not with things that pertain to worldly honor: but first by adorning it with good morals: as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way in much patience. (2 Cor 6:4). Second, by performing extra works to which he was not bound: what is my reward then? That preaching the Gospel, I may deliver the Gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel (1 Cor 9:18). Third, by increasing his solicitude for the salvation of all: besides those things which are without: my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches (2 Cor 11:28).

Second, when he says: God has not cast away, he shows that his people has not been rejected by God in regard to many chosen ones.
First, he states his proposition;
second, he recalls a similar situation, saying do you not know;
third, he adapts it, at even so then, at this present time.

First, therefore, he says: not only have I not been rejected, but God has not cast away his people which he foreknew, i.e., the predestined ones. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined (Rom 8:29). For the Lord will not reject his people (Ps 94:14). The Apostle applies this to the predestined.

Then when he says, do you not know, he recalls a similar situation which occurred during the time of Elijah, when all the people seemed to have turned from the worship of the one God.
First, he presents Elijah's plea;
second, the Lord's reply, at but what does the divine answer say.

First, therefore, he says: do you not know what the Scripture says of Elias, i.e., in 1 Kings (1 Kgs 19:10). Or, of Elias, i.e., in the book written about Elijah.

For the entire book of Kings was written mainly to make known the sayings and deeds of the prophets. That is why it is counted among the prophetic books, as Jerome says. How he, namely Elijah himself, calls on God against Israel.

The word of Samuel seems to be contrary to this when he says: far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you (1 Sam 12:23). Much less, then, should one intervene against the people.

But it should be noted that prophets intervene against the people in three ways: in one way by conforming their wills to the divine will revealed to them, as it says in a psalm: the just will rejoice when he sees the vengeance (Ps 58:10). In another way by intervening against the kingdom of sin, in order that men's sins but not men be destroyed. In a third way that the intervention or prayer be construed as a denunciation, as in Jeremiah: let them that persecute me be confounded (Jer 17:18), i.e., they will be confounded.

So these also, i.e., the Jews, now, i.e., in the time of grace, have not believed, namely, in Christ: why do you not believe in me? (John 8:46). And this is what he adds: for your mercy, i.e., in Christ's grace, by which you have obtained mercy: you have saved us according to your mercy (Titus 3:5). Or they have not believed so that they might enter into your mercy. Or they have not believed, which turned out to be the occasion of the mercy shown to you, that they also at some time may obtain mercy: the Lord will have compassion on Jacob (Isa 14:1).

Then when he says, for if, he assigns the reason for his interest, namely, that the conversion of the Jews would contribute to the salvation of the gentiles. Hence he says, for if the loss of them, i.e., their unbelief and disobedience, as a slave is said to be lost when he flees from the care and obedience of his master: my people have been a lost flock (Jer 50:6). If, I say, the loss of the Jews occasions the reconciliation of the world, inasmuch as we have been reconciled to God through the death of Christ, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? I.e., that the Jews will be accepted again by God, as it says in Zechariah: I took unto me two rods (Zech 11:17). What, I say, will such an acceptance mean but that it will make the gentiles rise to life?

For gentiles are the believers who will grow lukewarm: because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold (Matt 24:12), or will fall away entirely, being deceived by the Antichrist. These will be restored to their primitive fervor after the conversion of the Jews. And as the gentiles were reconciled after their enmity, the Jews having fallen away, so after the conversion of the Jews, the end of the world being then imminent, there will be a general resurrection, through which men will return from the dead to immortal life.

Then when he says, now if the offense of them, he answers the question as interpreted in the second way and shows that the fall of the Jews is reparable. He does this in three ways:
first, from its usefulness;
second, from the Apostle's intention, at for I say to you;
third, from the condition of that people, at for if the firstfruit be holy.

In regard to the first he presents the following reason: a good is more powerful than an evil in producing usefulness, but the evil which befell the Jews produced something very useful for the gentiles, therefore, their good will produce greater usefulness for the world. What he is saying is this: it has been said that by their trespass the salvation of the gentiles was achieved. Now if the offense of them, i.e., the Jews', be the riches of the world, i.e., for the gentiles, because the trespass of the Jews resulted in spiritual riches for the gentiles, about which it is said: riches of salvation, wisdom and knowledge (Isa 33:6), which refers to their guilt. And the diminution of them, by which they fell from the lofty glory they had, pertains to their punishment. For we are diminished more than any nation and are brought low in all the earth this day for our sins (Dan 3:37). They were, however, an occasion of the riches of the gentiles, as was said. Or the diminution of them, i.e., some of the least and most humble of the Jews, namely the apostles, enriched the nations spiritually, about which 1 Corinthians says: God chose the weak things of the world, that he might confound the strong (1 Cor 1:27). How much more will the fullness of them, i.e., their spiritual abundance or their multitude converted to God, result in riches for the gentiles? My abode is in the full assembly of saints (Sir 24:16).

And so, if for the benefit of the whole world God permitted the Jews to do wrong and be diminished, much more will he repair their disaster for the benefit of the whole world.

Then when he says, for who, he proves what he had said by appealing to two authorities, one of which is in Isaiah: for who has helped the spirit of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? (Isa 40:13). And in place of this he says: for who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? The other authority is from Job: who has given me before that I should repay him? (Job 41:2). And in place of this he says: or who has first given to him, and recompense shall be made him?

In these words and those that follow them the Apostle does three things.

First, he shows the excellence of divine wisdom as compared to our understanding, saying: how incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, namely, through which he judges and acts. As if to say: no one, unless God reveals it: who shall know your thought, except you give wisdom, and send your Holy Spirit from above (Wis 9:17) and the things of God no one knows but the Spirit of God. But to us God has revealed them through his Spirit (1 Cor 2:10).

Then when he says, as it is written, he proves what he had said about the future salvation of the Jews:
first, he proves this with an authority;
second, with a reason, at as concerning the Gospel.

First, therefore, he says: I say that all Israel should be saved, as it is written, where our text says: a redeemer will come from Zion and this will be my covenant with them that return to Jacob says the Lord (Isa 59:20). But the Apostle uses the Septuagint and touches on three things.

First, the coming of a Savior, when he says: there shall come he that shall deliver, namely, God in human flesh to save us, out of Zion, i.e., from the Jewish people who are signified by Zion, the citadel of Jerusalem, a city in Judea. Hence it says in Zechariah: rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, our king comes to you (Zech 9:9), and in John: salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22).

Or he says that he comes from Zion, not because he was born there, but because his doctrine went from there into the whole world, inasmuch as the apostles received the Holy Spirit in the cenacle in Zion: out of Zion shall go forth the law (Isa 2:3).

Second, he touches on salvation by Christ offered to the Jews, saying: he who shall deliver and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This could refer to deliverance from punishment: he will snatch my soul from death (Ps 115:8). He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob could refer to deliverance from guilt: O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion (Ps 53:6).

Or both could refer to liberation from guilt, but he says he who shall deliver, because of the few, who now are converted with great difficulty and with, so to speak, a certain violence: as if a shepherd should get out of the lion's mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear, so shall the children of Israel be taken out (Amos 3:12). But he says he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob to show the ease with which the Jews will be converted at the end of the world: who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? (Mic 7:18).

Then when he says, for from him, he shows God's depth, inasmuch as in him are all things.
First, he shows his causality;
second, his dignity, at to him be glory;
third, his perpetuity, at for ever.

First, therefore, he says: it is right to say that no one first gave to him, because from him, and through him, and in him, are all things. Thus nothing can be unless received from God.

To designate God's causality he uses three prepositions, namely, from, through, and in.

But the preposition from denotes a principle of change; and this is in three ways. In one way the acting or moving principle; in another way the matter; in a third way the opposite contrary, which is the point of departure of the change.

For we say that the knife came to be from the knife maker, from the steel, and from the unshaped matter. But the universe of creatures was not made from preexisting matter, because even their matter is an effect of God. Accordingly, created things are not said to be from something but from its opposite, which is nothing; because they were nothing, before they were created to exist: we are born of nothing (Wis 2:2). But all things are from God as from their first maker: all things are from God (1 Cor 11:12).

It should be noted that another Latin word for from is de, which seems to suggest the same relationships; however, de always designates a consubstantial cause. For we say that the knife is from the iron, but not from the maker. Therefore, because the Son proceeds from the Father as consubstantial with him, we say that the Son is from the Father. But creatures do not proceed from God as consubstantial with him; hence, they are not said to be from him but out from him.

The preposition through designates the cause of an action; but because an action lies between the maker and the things he makes, there are two ways in which the preposition through can designate the cause of an action.

In one way according as the action comes from its performer, as something which is its own cause of acting is said to act through itself. In one way this is the form, as we say that fire acts through heat. In another way it is a higher agent, as we say that man begets man through the power of the sun or rather of God.

So, therefore, all things are said to be through him in two ways: In one way as through the first agent, by whose power all things act: through me kings reign (Prov 8:15). In another way, inasmuch as his wisdom, which is his essence, is the form through which God makes all things: the Lord through wisdom founded the earth (Prov 3:19).

In another way the preposition through designates the cause of an action, not as it comes from the performer but as terminated in its products, as we say that the artisan makes a knife through a hammer: not that the hammer works with the artisan in the way described above, but because the knife comes to be from the activity of the artisan by means of the hammer. Therefore, it is said that this preposition, through, designates authority directly, as when we say that the king acts through his bailiff—which pertains to what is now being said. But sometimes in a causal sense, as when we say that the bailiff acts through the king—which pertains to the preceding mode.

In this mode about which we are now speaking, all things are said to have been made by the Father through the Son, as in John: all things were made through him (John 1:3), not that the Father has from the Son the power to make things, but rather that the Son accepts the power of making things from the Father, a power not instrumental but principal, not of a lower order but equal, not diverse but the same: whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise (John 5:19).

Hence, although all things were made by the Father through the Son, the Son is not an instrument or minister of the Father.

The preposition in also designates a causal relationship in three ways: in one way it designates matter, as we say that the soul is in the body or a form in matter. This is not the way in which things are said to be in God, because he is not the material cause of things.

In another way it designates a relationship of efficient cause, in whose power it lies to dispose of its effects. In this sense all things are said to be in him, inasmuch as all things lie under his power and arrangement: in his hand are all the ends of the earth (Ps 95:4); in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

In a third way it designates a relationship of final cause, in that the entire good of a thing and its preservation consists in its own optimum. In this sense all things are said to be in God as in the goodness preserving them. All things hold together in him (Col 1:17).

When he says, all things, it is to be taken absolutely for all things which have true being. Sins do not have true being, but insofar as they are sins they lack some being, due to the fact that evil is nothing else than a deprivation of good.

Therefore, when he says, from him, and through him, and in him are all things, this does not include sin, because, according to Augustine, sin is nothing and man accomplishes nothing when he sins. Yet, whatever entity is present in sin, it is from God.

Therefore, according to the foregoing, all things are from him, i.e., God as from the first operating power. All things are through him, inasmuch as he makes all things through his wisdom. All things are in him as in their preserving goodness.

Now these three things, namely, power, wisdom, and goodness are common to the three persons. Hence, the statement that from him, and through him, and in him can be applied to each of the three persons. Nevertheless, the power, which involves the notion of principle, is appropriated to the Father, who is the principle of the entire Godhead; wisdom to the Son, who proceeds as Word, which is nothing else than wisdom begotten; goodness is appropriated to the Holy Spirit, who proceeds as love, whose object is goodness.

Therefore, by appropriation we can say: from him, namely, from the Father, through him, namely, through the Son, in him, namely, in the Holy Spirit, are all things.

Then when he says, to him be honor and glory for ever, he shows God's dignity, which consists in the two things previously mentioned. For from the fact that all things are from him and through him and in him, honor and reverence and subjection are owed him by every creature: if I am a father, where is my honor? (Mal 1:6). But from the fact that he has not received either counsel or gifts from anyone, glory is owed him; just as on the contrary it is said of man: if then you received it, why do you boast as though it were not a gift? (1 Cor 4:7). And because this is proper to God, it is said: I am the Lord; my glory I give to no other (Isa 42:8).

Finally, he mentions his eternity when he says: forever, because his glory does not pass as does man's glory, of which it is said: all his glory is like the flower of the field (Isa 40:6). But God's glory lasts for all ages, i.e., through all the ages succeeding all ages, inasmuch as the duration of any given thing is called an age.

Or for ever refers to the durations of incorruptible things, which contain the ages of corruptible things. This applies especially to God's eternity, which can be spoken of as a plurality because of the multitude and diversity of things contained in it, even though it is one and simple in itself. The meaning would then be unto the ages that contain the ages: your reign is a reign of all ages (Ps 144:13).

He adds: amen, as confirmation. As if to say: truly it is so. This is the meaning in the gospels when it says: amen, I say to you. Sometimes, however, it means: may it come to pass.

Thus in Jerome's Psalter it says: all the people will say: amen, amen, where our text has may it come to pass! May it come to pass!

The reason for this admonition is given when he says: for if God has not spared the natural branches, i.e., the Jews, who descended by natural origin from the patriarchs, but allowed them to be broken off, fear lest perhaps also he does not spare you, i.e., lest he permit you to be broken off because of unbelief: the jealously and rage of the husband will not spare on the day of revenge (Prov 6:34); I will not spare and I will not pardon; nor will I have mercy, but to destroy them (Jer 13:14).

This, therefore, is the Apostle's answer; that when someone sees that he has obtained grace and another has fallen, he should not boast against the fallen but rather fear for himself, because pride is the cause of falling headlong and fear is the cause of carefulness and being kept safe.

Above the Apostle endeavored to assign a reason for the divine judgments, by which gentiles and Jews obtain mercy after unbelief; now he recognizes his inadequacy for such an investigation and exclaims his admiration of the divine excellence.
First, he extols the divine excellence;
second, he proves what he says, at for who has known.
In regard to the first he does two things:
first, he extols the divine wisdom in itself;
second, in relation to us, at how incomprehensible.

He extols the excellence of divine knowledge: first, as to its depth, saying: O the depth: it is a great depth. Who shall find it out? (Eccl 7:25); a glorious throne set on high from the beginning (Jer 17:12).

This depth is considered in regard to three things: first, in regard to the thing known, inasmuch as God knows himself perfectly: I dwell in the highest places (Sir 24:7); second, in regard to the manner of knowing, inasmuch as he knows all things through himself: the Lord looked down from his holy height, from heaven the Lord looked at the earth (Ps 102:19); third, in regard to the certainty of his knowledge: the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun (Sir 23:28).

Second, he extols the excellence of divine knowledge in regard to its fullness when he says: of the riches. Abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge (Isa 33:6).

This fullness is regarded in three ways: in one way as to the number of things known, because he knows all things: Lord, you know all things (John 21:17); in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3); in another way in regard to ease of knowing, because he intuits all things without search and difficulty: all things are open and laid bare to his eyes (Heb 4:13). Third, in regard to the abundance of his knowledge, because he gives it generously to everyone: if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives to all men generously (Jas 1:5).

Third, he extols the divine excellence in regard to its perfection when he says, of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God. For he has wisdom about divine things: with him is strength and wisdom (Job 12:16), and knowledge about created things: who knows all things knows her (Bar 3:32).

Then when he says, how incomprehensible, he shows the excellence of divine wisdom as compared to our understanding.

And first in regard to wisdom, whose function is to judge and put things in order, he says: how incomprehensible are his judgments, because man cannot comprehend the reason of God's judgments, since they are hidden in his wisdom: your judgments are like the great deep (Ps 36:6); perhaps you will comprehend the steps of God, and will find out the Almighty perfectly? (Job 11:7).

Second, in regard to knowledge, through which he is at work in things; hence he adds: and how unsearchable, i.e., not completely searchable by men, his ways, i.e., his procedures, by which he works in creatures. Even though the creatures are known by man, the ways in which God works in them cannot be comprehended by man: your way was through the sea, your paths through the great waters; yet their footprints were unseen (Ps 77:19); where is the way to the dwelling of light (Job 38:19).

Third, he shows the manner of salvation when he says: and this is to them my covenant, a new one from me, when I shall take away their sins. For the old covenant did not remove sins, because it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Heb 10:4). Therefore, because the Old Testament was imperfect, a New Testament is promised to them: I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jer 31:31) and it will have the power to remit sin through the blood of Christ: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28); he will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic 7:19).

Then when he says, and David says, he presents the authority of David on the same point.

First, he touches on the things which occasioned the fall of the Jews, saying let their table, i.e., the malice with which sinners are nourished: though wickedness is sweet in his mouth, though he hides it under his tongue (Job 20:12). This table is before them, when they sin from malice aforethought and it becomes a snare, i.e., a temptation to sin: he who comes out of the pit shall be caught in the snare: (Isa 24:18), and a trap, when they succumb to the pleasure of the temptation: they shall be trapped and taken (Isa 8:15), and a stumbling block, when they fall from one sin into another: much peace to those who love your law, and it is not a stumbling block to them (Ps 119:165), and a retribution unto them, namely, when they will be punished for their sins. Or because the very fact that God permits them so to fall is itself a retribution for their sins: render to the proud their deserts (Ps 94:2).

Or the table is the Sacred Scripture put before the Jews: she has set forth her table (Prov 9:2). It becomes a snare, when something ambiguous occurs; a trap, when it is not correctly understood; a stumbling block, when it falls into obstinate error; and a retribution, as explained above.

Second, he shows the excellence of divine wisdom according as it has height in itself, and indeed is that height which is the supreme principle. Two points pertain to this:
first, that it does not proceed from something else;
second, that other things proceed from it, at for from him.

That God's wisdom does not depend on a higher source is shown in two ways.

First, by the fact that it is not instructed by someone else's teaching. Hence, he says: or who has been his counselor? As if to say: no one. For counsel is needed by one who does not fully know how something is to be done, and this does not apply to God: to whom have you given counsel? Perhaps to him that has no wisdom (Job 26:3). Who has stood in the counsel of the Lord? (Jer 23:18).

Second, by the fact that it is not helped by another's gift. Hence he adds: or who has first given to him, and recompense shall be made him, as one giving first? As if to say: no one. For man can give God only what he has received from God: all this abundance comes from your hand and is all your own (1 Chr 29:16); if you do justly, what shall you give him, or what shall he receive of your hand? (Job 35:7).

Then when he says, for as you also, he gives the reason for the future salvation of the Jews after their unbelief.
First, he shows a similarity between the salvation of both people;
second, the cause of this similarity, at for God has concluded.

First, therefore, he says: so I say that Israel will be saved, although they are now enemies. For as you also, gentiles, in times past did not believe God: you were once without God in the world (Eph 2:12); but now have obtained mercy: the gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy (Rom 15:9); I will have mercy on him who was without mercy (Hos 2:23). And this was through their unbelief, which was the occasion of your salvation, as was said above.

After showing that the fall of the Jews was useful and reparable, the Apostle now forbids the gentiles to boast against the Jews.
In regard to this he does two things:
first, he shows that the converted gentiles must not boast against the Jews;
second, he answers an objection from the gentiles, at you will say then.
In regard to the first he does two things:
first, he forbids the gentiles to boast against the Jews;
second, he gives the reason for this prohibition, at but if you boast.

There seemed to be two things that might tempt the gentiles to boast against the Jews.

First, the defection of the Jews. Hence he says: we have stated that if the root is holy, so too the branches. And if some of the branches, i.e., some of the Jews but not all, be broken, i.e., separated from the faith of their fathers who are compared as the root, do not boast: the flame will dry up his shoots (Job 15:30); the branches not being perfect shall be broken (Wis 4:5).

The second ground for boasting was their own promotion. But the lower the state from which one has been promoted, the more he is inclined to vain boasting, as it says in Proverbs: by three things the earth is disturbed, and the fourth it cannot bear: by a slave when he reigns (Prov 30:21). Hence he reminds them of the low state from which they were raised, saying: and you, O gentile, when you were a gentile, being a wild olive, i.e., a tree bearing no fruit: he shall be like tamaric in the desert (Jer 17:6); every tree that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt 3:10).

Then he describes their promotion.

First, that they have been raised to the dignity of that race; hence, he says: are ingrafted in them, i.e., in their place: he shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead (Job 34:24).

Second, that they have been made associates of the patriarchs, whom he had compared to the root; hence he says: and are made partaker of the root, i.e., united to the patriarchs and prophets: many will come from the east and west, and sit at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matt 8:11).

Third, that they share the glory of the apostles when he says: and are made partaker of the fatness of the olive tree. The Jewish race is called the olive tree on account of the rich spiritual fruit they bore: the Lord called you once a plentiful olive tree, fruitful and beautiful (Jer 11:16); I am like a green olive tree in the house of God (Ps 52:8). But just as the roots of this olive tree are the patriarchs and prophets, so its richness is the abundance of the Holy Spirit's grace, which the apostles had more than all the others, as a Gloss says. Whence the olive tree was led to say: can I leave my fatness . . . to come to be promoted among the trees? (Judg 9:9); let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness (Ps 62:6). This, therefore, is the way the gentiles have been promoted to a partnership with that people, namely, with the patriarchs, apostles, and prophets: you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:19).

And although these may seem to be reasons for boasting, do not boast against the branches, i.e., against the Jews: your boasting is not good (1 Cor 5:1).

Then, when he says for God has concluded, he assigns the reason for this similarity, namely that God has willed to have mercy on all. And this is what he adds, for God has concluded, i.e., permitted to be concluded, all, i.e., every race of men, both Jews and gentiles, in unbelief, as in a certain bond of error: all were fettered with the bonds of darkness (Wis 17:2). That he may have mercy on all, i.e., that he may have mercy on every race of men: but you have mercy upon all (Wis 17:24). This does not extend to the demons in accord with the error of Origen, nor even to all men individually, but to every race of men. For the distribution is made according to races of individuals and not according to individuals of races. But God wills all to be saved by his mercy, so that they might be humbled by this and ascribe their salvation not to themselves but to God: destruction is your own, O Israel: your help is only in me (Hos 13:9); that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be made subject to God (Rom 3:19).

Then when he says, as it is written, he clarifies the first part of the conclusion:
first, on the authority of Isaiah;
second, of David, at and David says.

In regard to the first it should be noted that the Apostle bases himself on two passages from Isaiah. For it says in Isaiah: the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep (Isa 29:10). In regard to this he says: God has given them the spirit of compunction, which has to do with a perversity of emotion.

For compunction implies a puncturing of the heart or sorrow. Hence there is good compunction by which one grieves over his own sins, as it says in a psalm: you have made us drunk with the wine of compunction (Ps 60:3). There is also evil compunction, i.e., the compunction of envy, by which one grieves over the goods of another.

Therefore God gave them this spirit of compunction, i.e., envy, not by instilling malice but by withdrawing grace, as was said above: I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation (Rom 10:19).

Likewise it says in Isaiah: make the heart of this people fat, and their eyes heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears (Isa 6:10). And in regard to this he designates their weakened power of knowing, when he adds eyes that they should not see the miracles which Christ performed in their presence, and ears that they should not hear fruitfully the teachings of Christ and the apostles: you that see many things, will you not observe them? You that have ears open, will you not hear? (Isa 42:20).

To this the Apostle adds on his own: until this present day, because they will see and hear at the end of the world, when the hearts of the children will be converted to the hearts of their fathers, as it says in Malachi 4:5.

Then when he says, even so then, he adapts all this to the present situation.

First, he sets out the adaptation, saying: even so then, at this present time also, in which a multitude of people seems to have gone astray, there is a remnant saved according to the election of God's grace, i.e., according to the gratuitous choice of God: you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you (John 15:16).

Second, he mentions the weakening of their power to understand when he says: let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, which is said more as a prediction than as a desire: having their understanding darkened (Eph 4:18). And he mentions the effect when he says, and their backs, i.e., free choice, which carries something for good or for evil, bow down always, i.e., bend from eternal things to temporal things, from the path of justice to iniquity: bow down, that we may pass over (Isa 51:23).

Then when he says but what does, he gives the divine reply, saying: but what does the divine answer say to him, i.e., to Elijah. It is this: I have left me, i.e., for my worship by not permitting them to fall into sin, seven thousand men (this definite number is put in place of the uncertain number, because seven and thousand are perfect numbers), that have not bowed their knees to Baal, i.e., who have not abandoned the worship of God: all who call on my name, whom I created for my glory (Isa 43:17).

Second, he draws the conclusion from this: and if by grace they have been saved, it is not now by works: he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in justice, but in virtue of his own mercy (Titus 3:5).

Third, that this conclusion follows from the premises is shown when he says: otherwise, i.e., if grace is in virtue of works, grace is no more grace, which is so called because it is freely given: being justified freely by his grace (Rom 3:24).

In this intervention Isaiah alleges two things against them.

First, the impiety they committed against the worship of God. In one way, by persecuting his ministers, to which he refers when he says: Lord, they have slain your prophets: has it not been told my Lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord? (1 Kgs 18:13); which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? (Acts 7:52). In another way, they committed impiety against God's holy places, as it says: they set the sanctuary on fire (Ps 74:7). In regard to this he says: they have dug down your altars.

Here it should be noted what the Lord commanded, saying: you shall seek the place which the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there; thither you shall go, and thither you shall bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices (Deut 12:5). However, before the temple was built, the people were allowed to build altars in various places for divine worship; but because this became illegal after the temple had been built, the pious king Hezekiah destroyed all such altars. And that is what it says in 2 Kings: is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem: you shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? (2 Kgs 18:22). Therefore, what Hezekiah did in a spirit of piety, Achab and Jezebel did in a spirit of impiety in their desire to root out the worship of God entirely.

Third, he alleges against them the impiety they intended to do, saying: and I am left alone, namely, to worship the one God, because the rest did not show very clearly that they were God's worshippers. For it says of him: and Elijah the prophet stood up, as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch (Sir 48:1). And they seek my life, namely that they might carry him away. For Jezebel had sent word to Elijah, saying: so may the gods do to me, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them (1 Kgs 19:2), namely of the prophets of Baal whom Elijah had killed.

After showing that the fall of the Jews is deplorable, though not entirely excusable, the Apostle now shows that it is not universal.
First, he raises a question;
second, he answers it, at God forbid;
third, he draws a conclusion, at what then.

First, therefore, he says: I say then: has God entirely cast away his people? i.e., the Jews, because he calls them unbelieving and contrary. Even the Psalmist asks: O God, why dost you cast us forever? (Ps 74:1); the Lord has scorned his altar (Lam 2:7).

Then when he says, God forbid, he answers the question and shows that God has not totally rejected the Jewish people. And this is what he says: God forbid that the Jewish people be rejected in their entirety. He proves this, first of all, with respect to himself, saying: for I also, living in the faith of Christ, am an Israelite by race: are they Israelites? So am I (2 Cor 11:22).

And because there were among the people of Israel some proselytes not descended in the flesh from the patriarchs, he says that this is not so of him, adding: of the seed of Abraham: are they descendants of Abraham? So am I (2 Cor 11:23).

Furthermore, among the Jewish people the tribes were distinguished according to the sons of Jacob, some of whom were sons of slaves and some of wives. Joseph and Benjamin were sons of Rachel, Jacob's fondest wife. Hence he shows his eminence among the Jewish people, saying: of the tribe of Benjamin: of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5). Hence, some apply to Paul what is in Genesis: Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey, and at evening dividing the spoil (Gen 49:27).

Second, by arguing from the lesser, saying: for if you, O gentile, were cut out of the wild olive tree, i.e., from gentileness, which by nature was not fruit-bearing, not as God made nature, but because it was spoiled by sin: they were a wicked generation, and their malice natural (Wis 12:10); we were by nature children of wrath (Eph 2:3); and were grafted into the good olive tree, i.e., into the faith of the Jews, contrary to nature, i.e., against the common course of nature. For it is not the custom to graft the branch of a bad tree onto a good tree, but vice versa.

But what God does is not against nature; it is natural in the fullest sense. For we call that natural which is caused by an agent to which the patient is naturally subject, even if it is not in keeping with the specific nature of the patient; for just as the ebb and flow of the sea is natural, because it is produced by the motion of the moon, to which the water is naturally subject, although it is not natural to the nature of water: so, too, since every creature is naturally subject to God, whatever God does in creatures is natural in the full sense, although it is not natural to the proper and particular nature of the thing in which it is done, say when a blind man has sight restored or a dead man is revived.

If, I say, this was contrary to nature, how much more shall they that are the natural branches, i.e., which by natural origin pertain to the Jewish nation, be grafted into their own olive tree, i.e., be brought back to the greatness of their nation: he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers (Mal 4:6).

Then when he says, what then, he draws the conclusion he intended.

And first he sets it out, saying what then shall we say follows from what has been said? This, namely, that Israel, as far as the greater part of its people was concerned, has not obtained that which it sought, namely, justice. This is the way one must interpret what was said above: but Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice (Rom 9:31). You shall seek me, and shall not find me (John 7:34).

Nevertheless, the election, i.e., the elect of the Jews, has obtained it: he chose us in him, that we should be holy (Eph 1:4). But the rest, i.e., the remainder of the people, have been blinded because of their malice: their own malice blinded them (Wis 1:22).

Then when he says, see then the goodness and the severity of God, he invites them to a close scrutiny of divine judgments:
first, he invites them to consider;
second, he instructs them as though unable to consider by themselves, at for I would not have you ignorant (Rom 11:25);
third, as though he himself were not perfectly capable of this investigation, he exclaims in admiration of God's wisdom, at O the depth of the riches (Rom 11:33).

In regard to the first he does three things: first, he shows what should be considered, saying: see then, i.e., give careful consideration to, the goodness of God, having mercy: how good, O Israel, is God to the upright of heart (Ps 72:1); or do you despise the riches of his goodness? (Rom 2:4). And his severity in punishing: O Lord, you God of vengeance (Ps 94:1); the Lord is a jealous God and avenging (Nah 1:2).

For the first consideration begets hope; the second begets fear, so that despair and presumption are avoided.

Second, he indicates the ones affected by each of these two qualities, saying: towards them indeed that are fallen, i.e., the Jews, the severity: the Lord has destroyed without mercy all the habitations of Jacob (Lam 2:2); but towards you, the engrafted gentile, the goodness: you have dealt kindly with your servant, O Lord (Ps 119:65).

Third, he shows how the foregoing points should be considered, since the situation is not immutable but could change in the future.

First, he shows this with respect to the gentiles, saying: towards you, I say, goodness, if you abide in goodness: remain in my love (John 15:9). Otherwise, if you do not strive to persevere through fear and humility, you also shall be cut off: every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down (Matt 3:10).

After showing that the fall of the Jews is not universal, the Apostle now begins to show that their fall was neither useless nor irreparable.
In regard to this he does two things:
first, he shows that the fall of the Jews is useful and reparable;
second, he disputes the gentiles' boasting against the Jews, at and if some of the branches (Rom 11:17).
In regard to the first he does two things:
first, he asks a question;
second, he answers it, at God forbid.

First, therefore, he says: it has been stated and proved that except for the chosen, the rest of the Jews have been blinded. So the question arises: have they so stumbled, that they should fall?

This can be interpreted in two ways: the first way is this: has God permitted them to stumble only that they should fall, i.e., not for any benefit that might follow but merely willing their fall? This, of course, would be contrary to God's goodness which, as Augustine says, is so great that it would not permit any evil to occur except for some good, which he draws out of the evil. Hence it says in Job: he shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead (Job 34:24); and in Revelation: hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown (Rev 3:11), namely, because God permits some to fall in order that their fall be the occasion of salvation for others.

Another interpretation is this: have they so stumbled, that they should fall, i.e., that they should remain fallen forever? Will he not rise again from where he lies? (Ps 41:8).

Then when he says, God forbid, he answers the question:
first, according to the first interpretation, showing that the fall of the Jews was useful;
second, he resolves the question according to the second interpretation, showing that the Jews' situation is reparable, at now if the offense of them.

First, therefore, he says: God forbid that they fell to no use; but rather, by their, namely, the Jews', offense, salvation is come to the gentiles. Hence the Lord himself says: salvation is from the Jews (John 4:22).

This can be understood in three ways. In the first way, that by their offense, which they committed in killing Christ, the salvation of the gentiles was obtained through the redemption of Christ's blood: you know that you were ransomed not with perishable things, such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Pet 1:18).

In the second way, it can be understood of the trespass by which they rejected the teaching of the apostles, with the result that the apostles preached to the gentiles, as it says in Acts: it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, we turn to the gentiles (Acts 13:46).

In a third way it can be understood as meaning that on account of their impenitence they have been scattered among all the nations. As a result Christ and the Church had from the books of the Jews testimony to the Christian faith helpful in converting the gentiles, who might have suspected that the prophecies concerning Christ, which the preachers of the faith brought forward, were fabricated, if they had not been proven by the testimony of the Jews; hence it says in a psalm: let me look in triumph on my enemies, i.e., the Jews; slay them not, lest my people forget, make them totter by your power (Ps 59:10).

There follows so that they may be emulous of them.

And because he does not say who or whom, and since there are two kinds of emulousness, namely that of indignation and that of imitation, this phrase can be explained in four ways.

The first way is this. That the gentiles may be emulous of them, namely the Jews, such that they imitate them in the worship of the one God: you were at one time without Christ, alien to the way of life of Israel, and later he adds, but now you, who were once far off, have been drawn near in the blood of Christ (Eph 2:12); you have become imitators of the churches of God (1 Thess 2:14), which are in Judea.

Or it can be interpreted this way. The gentiles are emulous of the Jews, i.e., they are indignant against them on account of their unbelief: I beheld the transgressors and I pined away, because they do not keep your words (Ps 118:158).

Third, it can be understood in this way. The Jews are emulous, i.e., imitate the gentiles when everywhere, and now some of them particularly, they are converted to the faith, imitating the faith of the gentiles; and in the end all Israel will be saved when the fullness of the gentiles have entered. Thus will be fulfilled what is said in Deuteronomy: he will be the head and you will be the tail (Deut 28:44).

Fourth, it can be interpreted this way. The Jews are emulous of the gentiles, i.e., are disturbed out of envy towards them when they see their glory passing over to them: I will provoke you by that which is not a people (Deut 22:21).

A turkey is more occult and awful than all the angels and archangels. In so far as God has partly revealed to us an angelic world, he has partly told us what an angel means. But God has never told us what a turkey means. And if you go and stare at a live turkey for an hour or two, you will find by the end of it that the enigma has rather increased than diminished.

A forest is not in the least rude or barbarous; it is only dense with delicacy. Unique shapes that an artist would copy or a philosopher watch for years if he found them in an open plain are here mingled and confounded; but it is not a darkness of deformity. It is a darkness of life; a darkness of perfection. And I began to think how much of the highest human obscurity is like this, and how much men have misunderstood it.

Sometimes I can almost think that I was sent back to the false gods there to acquire some capacity for worship against the day when the true God should recall me to Himself. Not that I might not have learned this sooner and more safely, in ways I shall now never know, without apostasy, but that Divine punishments are also mercies, and particular good is worked out of particular evil, and the penal blindness made sanative.

In that sense we should agree with the account given by Christianity and some other religions, that God is 'good'. But do not let us go too fast here. The Moral Law does not give us any grounds for thinking that God is 'good' in the sense of being indulgent, or soft, or sympathetic. There is nothing indulgent about the Moral Law. It is as hard as nails. It tells you to do the straight thing and it does not seem to care how painful, or dangerous, or difficult it is to do. If God is like the Moral Law, then He is not soft.