Romans 11:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then, having reproachfully said, "Do not boast against the branches," the Apostle seems to console the Jew. In reality he shows his low worth and great dishonor.

Therefore he did not say, do not boast, but, "do not boast against the branches." Do not exalt yourself before them as broken-off branches, because you have been placed in their stead and enjoy what belonged to them.

Do you see how he seems to reproach the Gentiles, but in reality wounds the Jews?

"But if you boast," he continues, "you do not bear the root, but the root bears you." What benefit is this to the broken-off branches? None.

As I have already observed, the Apostle seems to devise some weak shadow of consolation. Yet even by that with which he reproaches the Gentiles, he inflicts a mortal blow on the Jews.

What benefit is this to the branches that were broken off? It belongs to the root to support. Do you see how he praises the Jews only in appearance, striving merely to console them? Yet even by this he encourages the Jews to zeal, showing the harm they suffered and how others received and now possess what was their own.

Therefore do not boast that your entrance into the Church was accomplished by their removal. For you do not support the root. This belongs to the apostles, who, like roots, support us.

Believe me: however many synagogues I have seen, each time I remember the Apostle’s words that we must not exalt ourselves over the olive whose branches have been broken, but must fear. For if the natural branches were broken, how much more should we, grafted from a wild olive, fear lest we become like our fathers, “a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose heart was not steadfast and whose spirit was not faithful to God” (Ps 77:8).

It is displeasing to God when someone rejoices over the failures of others, as Solomon says (see Prov 24:17). The Jews were not rejected for the sake of the Gentiles, but because they did not believe, thereby giving occasion for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles. “But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” That is, if you exalt yourself over those to whose roots you were grafted, you insult the people who received you, so that you might turn from evil to good. You will not stand if you destroy that by which you are supported.

Therefore he counsels those who have believed from the Gentiles not to exalt themselves over those Jews who have not believed, for he calls these Jews broken-off branches. Look, he says to the Gentiles: coming from another kinship, you attached yourselves to this tree and received the richness of the pious root. “But if you boast, you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Consider, then, that the root supports you, and you do not support the root. You need it, and it does not need you.

With regard to chapter 4, verse 5, we have already explained that when the Apostle speaks of justification by faith without works, he means the justification given in baptism.

He does not mean the justification that will be given at Christ's judgment, which will be final. For this final justification, both faith and works are equally necessary.

The necessity of distinguishing these two kinds of justification is especially clear from what is said below in chapter 11.

The Apostle says that the Israelites, except for the remnant preserved "by grace, and not by works" in verse 6, "were hardened" in verse 7. They "fell and were diminished" in verse 12, were "rejected" in verse 15, and were "broken off" in verse 17.

Having spoken of the future great destiny of the Hebrews who were rejected for a time, the Apostle exhorts the Gentiles not to boast before them at all.

For they too can fall away from their gracious state if they weaken in faith and virtue, while the Hebrews may turn and be saved.

"If the firstfruits," for example from the harvest or the dough, "are holy, so also is the whole," that is, the whole harvest and all the dough; see Num 15:17-21.

"And if the root is holy," meaning the patriarchs and forefathers of the Hebrews, "so also are the branches" (Rom 11:16). That is, the Hebrew people in its fullness may still be recognized as sacred and holy (Chrysostom).

"Do not boast against the branches." Do not exalt yourself over these broken-off branches. Do not humiliate them or take pleasure in them when you see what disaster unbelief has cast them into.

As Ambrosiaster observed, this should not be done even according to the general rule of the Wise One. One must not rejoice at another's stumbling, because this is not pleasing to the Lord; see Prov 24:17-18.

But the Apostle gives as his motive precisely how the Gentiles were brought into such a state that they could, though sinfully, boast over the Jews.

Though they became better than the broken-off branches, they are still branches on another's root, not a separate tree with their own root.