Study note

Romans 11:24

contrary to nature: Farmers usually increased olive production by grafting a branch from a cultivated olive tree onto a wild olive tree. This allowed the cultivated branch to benefit from the strength of the wild tree.

Paul reverses this practice in his picture. God grafted branches from a wild olive tree (Gentiles) into a cultivated olive tree (the people of God). By doing this, God acted in a way that is opposite to normal farming practice.