153
faith, separate [draw aside] the Old Testament revelations from the true Messiah, and snatch them out of the hands of believers ? Paul answers, God has power : comp, the, powerful [able], ch. xiv. 4 : and He will show the glory of this power, against which no one in the Gentile world can strive. There will then be a great work ! — vruXiv, again) not only in [with] a smaller [comparatively small] number, as now, but in [with] a greater number, as formerly, when they were the people of God.
24. ' AypnXatou, of the wild olive tree) There is as great a dis- tinction between those, who either have not, or have the revealed word, as there is between the wild and cultivated olive- tree. — rrapa <p{j<nv) quite contrary to nature , for in the art of gardening, the process of engrafting, which unites two trees of a different nature, commits the soft graft, which is followed by the fruit, to the woody stem : but Paul says, that the graft of the wild olive is inserted into the good olive-tree, in order that it may follow [in consequence partake of] the fatness of the good olive. — paXhov, how much more) He gradually comes from that which can be, to that which actually is. The discourse in fact assumes an augmentation of force ; formerly Paul demon- strated from the prophets, that in Israel there were more wicked than good men, he now demonstrates in like manner from the prophets, that there will be hereafter more good than wicked men ; and while he is drawing forth this statement, he calls it a mystery , fitted to check the pride of the Gentiles, lest they should think that the part assigned to the J ews was to be always inferior.
25. M vffrrjpiov, a mystery) Paul does not always apply the term, mysteries , to those doctrines, which from the very first are necessary to be known by believers, but to the secrets, which were unknown even to many believers, until, as the case required, for the sake of faith or love they were opened up to them from the Scriptures, heretofore in this respect sealed. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 51, and on a similar occasion Eph. iii. 3. The calling of the Gentiles had been a mystery , ch. xvi. 25. But now the conversion of Israel is likewise a mystery. [ There- fore something different is intimated from such conversions , as were exhibited day by day in the times of Paul. — Y. g.] Each of these
154