Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 11:16-17
Romans 11:16-17. And their conversion will surely be effected, For if the first- fruit of them, the patriarchs, be holy He alludes to the waved sheaf, which was said to be holy, because it was accepted of God, in token of his giving the appointed weeks of the harvest: and by the first-fruit, he either means the patriarchs, who were called and separated to the service of God from all the people of the earth; or, as many commentators understand him, the first converts to Christianity... read more
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 11:17
If some of the branches - The illustration here is taken from the practice of those who ingraft trees. The useless branches, or those which bear poor fruit, are cut off, and a better kind inserted. “If some of the natural descendants of Abraham, the holy root, are cast off because they are unfruitful, that is, because of unbelief and sin.”And thou - The word “thou” here is used to denote the Gentile, whom Paul was then particularly addressing.Being a wild olive-tree - From this passage it would... read more