| Geneva Study Bible Now if the fall of them be the {k} riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their {l} fulness? (k) By riches he means the knowledge of the Gospel to everlasting life: and by the world, all nations dispersed throughout the whole world. (l) Of the Jews, when the whole nation without exception will come to Christ. People's New Testament 11:12 If the fall of them be the riches of the world. In contributing to the conversion of the Gentiles their fall has been riches. How much more their fulness? In the remaining part of the chapter the apostle shows the grand results which will follow the final conversion of the Jewish nation as a body. Wesley's Notes 11:12 The first part of this verse is treated of, Rom 11:13, and c; the latter, How much more their fulness, (that is, their full conversion,) Rom 11:23, and c. So many prophecies refer to this grand event, that it is surprising any Christian can doubt of it. And these are greatly confirmed by the wonderful preservation of the Jews as a distinct people to this day. When it is accomplished, it will be so strong a demonstration, both of the Old and New Testament revelation, as will doubtless convince many thousand Deists, in countries nominally Christian; of whom there will, of course, be increasing multitudes among merely nominal Christians. And this will be a means of swiftly propagating the gospel among Mahometans and Pagans; who would probably have received it long ago, had they conversed only with real Christians. King James Translators' Notes diminishing: or, decay, or, loss Scofield Reference Notes Margin world kosmos = mankind. See Scofield Note: note "Mt 4:8" Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 12. Now if the fall of them-"But if their trespass," or "false step" be the riches of the-Gentile world-as being the occasion of their accession to Christ. and the diminishing of them-that is, the reduction of the true Israel to so small a remnant. the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness!-that is, their full recovery (see on [2248]Ro 11:26); that is, "If an event so untoward as Israel's fall was the occasion of such unspeakable good to the Gentile world, of how much greater good may we expect an event so blessed as their full recovery to be productive?" Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 11:11-21 The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till, as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham and to God was, as it were, cut off. The Gentiles were grafted into this tree in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made heirs of Abraham's faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild branches into the good olive. The wild olive was often ingrafted into the fruitful one when it began to decay, and this not only brought forth fruit, but caused the decaying olive to revive and flourish. The Gentiles, of free grace, had been grafted in to share advantages. They ought therefore to beware of self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their privileges. If we stand at all, it is by faith; we are guilty and helpless in ourselves, and are to be humble, watchful, afraid of self-deception, or of being overcome by temptation. Not only are we at first justified by faith, but kept to the end in that justified state by faith only; yet, by a faith which is not alone, but which worketh by love to God and man. | 
