by Helen van Huyssteen
One of the oldest cultivated trees, the olive tree is mentioned 34 times in scripture and is also one of the seven varieties of Israel mentioned in Deut 8:8. Also mentioned in the following scriptures:
“The Lord called you green olive tree fair and with choice fruit” (Jer 11:16)
“I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” (Psalm 52:10)
“His splendor will be like the olive tree” (Ps 52:10)
In Romans 11, in his message, Paul uses the image of the olive tree to convey his thoughts written in this portion of scripture. At that time olives were a major crop in the Mediterranean and were familiar to Paul in his native Tarsus, and in Jerusalem, as well as in Corinth where he was writing this to his audience in Rome. The olive was mainly grown for its oil, known as the “light bulb” of the ancient world. But most importantly also for food, healing, and anointing kings, priests and prophets. The olive tree is evergreen, providing shade and beauty throughout the year. The teaching of Paul in Romans 11 therefore, teaches that we as Gentiles, need to be rightly related to Israel, as the natural olive tree seeing that we are fed by the sap of the same root of the olive tree.
“I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous” (Romans 11:11)
As Paul says their unbelief has caused the natural branches to be broken off the olive tree. But he mentions that those branches can again be restored by the process of grafting olive branches that have been broken off, back onto their original Olive tree. (Romans 11:25)
Grafting in was the quickest way of propagating olives of a desirable variety. If an olive tree is propagated by just planting a shoot in the ground, it takes 10 years to bear a decent crop of olives. But a sturdy, mature tree which will have a well developed root, can receive grafts of 20-30 branches that will produce fruit within 3-4 years.
The Jewish people have been described as the natural olive tree. We, as non-Jews have come to share in their inheritance. Paul likens the wild grafted-in olive branches onto a natural tree, as being fed by the nourishing sap of the same natural tree. Paul likens the rich spiritual inheritance to the nourishing sap of the natural olive tree and how we as the wild branches have come to share in this rich inheritance.
In Rom 9:4 Paul makes some amazing statements which are part of the inheritance of Israel namely:
Theirs is the adoption as sons: Theirs the Divine Glory; The Covenants of God; The receiving of the Torah; The temple worship and the promises; Theirs are the patriarchs and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God overall. As non -Jews we have come to share in their inheritance as Paul so aptly also describes in the chapter of Rom 11.
Paul also states that grafting branches from a wild olive tree, onto a cultivated tree, is “contrary to nature”. In practice it was always the natural branches that were grafted in, by farmers. Paul then expands this process by stating that wild olive branches (Gentiles) have been grafted into the tree, as some of the natural branches (Jews) were broken off, due to their unbelief.
In addition he mentions that the natural branches could be grafted back again if their faith in Messiah is restored. But he also cautions the wild branches in Romans 11:17+18.
“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive branch grafted in among them, became partakers of the rich root of their Olive tree. Therefore, do not be arrogant towards them. For if you are arrogant, remember it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you”.
Israel’s triumph over the nations of the world is the main theme, not only of the Old Testament but the whole Bible. Unfortunately many Christians believe that the Church has permanently replaced the Jews as the recipients of the blessings promised by God to Abraham in Genesis 12: 2-3.
“And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”.
As if recognizing the erroneous belief that Israel has been replaced, Paul’s teaching in specifically Romans 11, warned believing Gentiles against becoming arrogant in their place of blessing in contrast to the Jewish believers. He then likened Jewish unbelievers to the natural olive branches that have been broken off of their own Olive tree, because of their unbelief (Romans 11:17).
“If they do not continue in their unbelief, they will be grafted back, as the natural branches, to their Olive tree”.
Paul then also taught that Gentile believers should not consider themselves more righteous than Israel, or think that Israel has been cut off permanently. At the appointed time the Jewish people will return to faith in Jesus Christ, when God finally will bring them to Himself (Romans 11:25).
“For I would not want you brethren to be uninformed of this “mystery”, lest you be wise in your own estimation; for a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles come in”.
In Ephesians Paul also makes important statements regarding Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:10-14).
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that for merely you Gentiles in the flesh, at that time were separate from Christ; also excluded from the common wealth of Israel; strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and no future; and without God in this world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were formerly afar off; have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace; who made both groups into one new man and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.”
Paul then repeats his contents in (Romans 11:11+15).
“I say then have they stumbled so as to fall? May it never be! By their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. For if their rejection be the reconciliation of the world; what will their acceptance be, But life from the dead”.
In (Romans 11:26+29) it is written that from the stand point of the Gospels they are enemies for your sake; but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)
AMEN