Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:25
I would not - that ye should be ignorant of this mystery - Mystery, μυστηριον , signifies any thing that is hidden or covered, or not fully made manifest. The Greek word seems to have been borrowed from the Hebrew מסתר mistar , from the root סתר sathar , to hide, conceal, etc.; though some derive it from μυεισθαι , to be initiated into sacred rites, from μυειν , to shut up. In the New Testament it signifies, generally, any thing or doctrine that has not, in former times, been... read more
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 11:24
The olive tree, which is wild by nature - Which is κατα φυσιν , naturally, wild and barren; for that the wild olive bore no fruit is sufficiently evident from the testimony of the authors who have written on the subject; hence the proverb, Ακαρποτερος αγριππου· more unfruitful than the wild olive. Λακωνες γαρ αγριαν ελαιαν αγιππον καλουσι· for the Lacedemonians term the wild olive αγριππον . See Suidas. And hence Hesychius interprets αγριελαιος , the wild olive, (the word used... read more