THE OLIVE TREE

Romans 11:13-24 / Keywords 11:20

Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

 

11:13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

1. Paul, a Jew, was an apostle to the Gentiles, but he loved his Jewish people. He prayed that his Gentile ministry might make the Jews jealous enough to repent and return to God, like a dead branch coming to life after getting grafted to an olive shoot. The root of Israel is the Messiah (Isa 11:1). The olive tree is the people of God. When branches are connected to God and the Messiah, they are alive. When they are cut off from God, they are dead. Paul prayed for Israel to recover her life and mission.

 

2. Paul is writing to Gentile believers. He wants them to have a sense of history. They should not be arrogant; they should fear God. Israel was cut off because of pride and unbelief. Gentiles are included by God's grace because of their faith alone. They derive their nourishment from being attached to the root, by being a part of God's people and his history. If Israel repents and believes, she can again be grafted into God's history.

 

Prayer Lord, by grace you grafted me into Jesus and into your redemptive history. Help me to stand.

One Word Stand by faith, connected to the root