God’s Cultivated Olive Tree

5 April 2011

By Mark Farquharson

Verses 16-24 of Romans 11, is about God’s cultivated olive tree. At the start the boughs, the large branches of the olive tree were only Israel. That is the people of Israel were the boughs of the tree.

Romans 11:16 Now if the firstfruit is holy, the kneading is also; and if the root is holy, the boughs are also." {CLV}

If the firstfruit is holy and the root is holy, then the boughs, the large branches are holy also.

Romans 11:17-19 Now if some of the boughs are broken out, yet you, being a wild olive, are grafted among them, and became a joint participant of the root and fatness of the olive, be not vaunting, you are not bearing the root, but the root you." You will be declaring, then, "Boughs are broken out that I may be grafted in." {CLV}

Some of the boughs are broken out, and wild olives are grafted among the boughs. That is some of the people of Israel are broken out, that is they are no longer part of the olive tree. A wild olive that is grafted in, is a believer from among the nations. The boughs were broken out that the wild olives, the believers from the nations shall be grafted in.

Romans 11:20-21 Ideally! By unbelief are they broken out, yet you stand in faith. Be not haughty, but fear." For if God spares not the natural boughs, neither will He be sparing you!" {CLV}

They were broken out because of their unbelief. The believer is to stand in faith, for if you do not have faith God will not spare you.

Romans 11:22 Perceive, then, the kindness and severity of God! On those, indeed, who are falling, severity, yet on you, God's kindness, if you should be persisting in the kindness: else you also will be hewn out." {CLV}

The one grafted in should “Perceive, then, the kindness and severity of God!” Severity on the one falling, kindness on the one persisting in the kindness. If not persisting in the kindness you will also “be hewn out.”

Romans 11:23-24 Now they also, if they should not be persisting in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." For if you were hewn out of an olive wild by nature, and, beside nature, are grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much rather shall these, who are in accord with nature, be grafted into their own olive tree!" {CLV}

“They” meaning here the boughs that were broken out, those of Israel that were broken out. If those ones that were broken out “should not be persisting in unbelief,” then they will be grafted in, “for God is able to graft them in again.” The one from the nations, is the one hewn out of an “olive wild by nature” and is “grafted into a cultivated olive tree.” How much rather shall those who were broken out, “be grafted into their own olive tree!”

Romans 11:26-27 And thus all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, Arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob." And this is my covenant with them Whenever I should be eliminating their sins. {CLV}

All Israel shall be saved, because arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer. The Rescuer of course is Christ Jesus. While this verse does not mention the olive tree, I think it is important to show that all the boughs that were broken out will be grafted in again, because all Israel shall be saved.

The Rescuer will be arriving, that is Christ Jesus will arrive. All Israel will be saved, but not right when Jesus returns. Must will still be in unbelief, and they will inhabited the restored nation of Israel to start with in the next eon. The Rescuer, Jesus will be turning away their irreverence, their disrespect. Over time during the next eon all of Israel will be saved.

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