Romans 11:22

"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.

'" 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.

For indeed He is truly hard (according to what Matthew says) and "austere" (according to what Luke said), but to those who abuse the mercy of God unto their own negligence and not unto their own conversion, as the Apostle says: "Behold the goodness of God and the severity; toward those indeed who fell, severity, but toward you, goodness, if you shall remain in goodness". For whoever judges God to be good, believing that he will receive pardon if he shall have been converted to Him, to that man God is good. But whoever esteems Him so good that He cares nothing about the sins of sinners, to that man God is not good but hard and "austere"; for He is zealous over the sins of men who despise Him.

"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.

I think that the Mount of Olives is a mystery of the Church which is from the Gentiles, in which olive trees have been planted, each one of which can say: "but I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God". And perhaps too on this Mount of Olives the roots of the good olive tree are present, but the branches of the wild olive have been grafted in in the place of the branches which "were cut off through unbelief". And the husbandman residing on the Mount of Olives is the Word of God confirmed in the Church, Christ, who is ever grafting the branches of the wild olive into the good olive tree of the fathers, of Moses and of the rest of the prophets, so that, receiving richness from the holy prophets (through this, that they carefully understand their meaning, and receive also the Christ who is prophesied by them), they may offer abundant and richer fruit—than, that is to say, the former olives, which because of the curse that was in the law have been shaken down, so that they can no longer be of use.

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.

"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."

"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.

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.

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.

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).

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.