Read Romans 11:17-25a
In our last article we were looking at the metaphors that Paul used to describe Israel’s relationship with Abraham. We saw that Abraham was represented by “the firstfruit” and “the root” (v16). On the other hand, Israel was represented by “the lump” and “the branches.” We saw that “the firstfruit” and “the root” were described as “holy.” Hence, “the lump” and “the branches” are described as “holy” also, since they share the same nature as “the firstfruit” and “the root.” Abraham was described as holy because he believed God, and as a result was justified (Gen 15:6). Hence, Paul described Israel as being holy, because Abraham was the father of the nation. That is, Israel was brought into a special relationship of favour with God because of Abraham’s faith. We are about to see that this doesn’t mean that they were all saved.
Paul now leaves the illustration of “the firstfruit” and “the lump” and develops his teaching relative to “the root” and “the branches” in verses 17-24. He proceeds by saying, “If some of the branches be broken off …” (v17).1 Although he has not yet stated why “some of the branches be broken off,” he does indicate that God hasn’t totally rejected the nation. Those branches that remain represent the remnant that Paul wrote of in verses 1, 2 and 5. But Paul goes on, “and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree …” (v17). Paul is here referring to the Gentiles, as a class of people distinct from Israel. He is not referring to believers distinctly. In the metaphor, these branches have been grafted into the olive tree, as a result of which they share, along with the remnant branches, the benefits provided by the olive tree. In other words, since Israel, nationally, has rejected Christ, the gospel has now been offered to the Gentiles.
Paul continues by stating that this is not ground for Gentiles to boast as those who are in God’s favour, for “thou bearest not the root, but the root thee” (v18). Lest they still thought that this gave them grounds for boasting (v19), Paul states, “Because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee” (vv20-21). If God cut off Israel, nationally, while still saving those who trusted Christ, He could just as easily take away the gospel from the Gentiles, as a class of people, while saving those who believe.
Notice in this section that when Paul is addressing Gentiles, he uses the pronoun “thou”; at least, that is how it is translated in the KJV. “Thou” always represents a pronoun in the singular form. In other words, Paul is not addressing Gentiles as individual people but as a single entity. Then he states, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell [the Jews], severity; but toward thee [Gentiles], goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise, thou also shalt be cut off” (v22). Notice the use of the word “severity” in this verse. The Greek word comes from a word meaning “to cut.” Paul is still following the metaphor of “the olive tree.” Paul is warning the Gentiles that if they reject the favour they are receiving, they also will be “cut off.” That is, the gospel will no longer be offered to them. This, no doubt, will take place at the end of this dispensation of grace, when the Church is raptured to heaven.
Paul continues by writing, “And they also [the Jews], if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again” (v23). During the tribulation period, God will again commence working among the Jews, and they will ultimately know national deliverance and salvation. This is not what this verse is referring to, of course. It is referring to the fact that, even while, nationally, Israel is rejected, if individual Jews trust Christ, they will be saved. Verse 24 implies that God has not ceased to love them because of Israel’s national rejection of Christ. If Gentiles, who are not the natural seed of Abraham, can, by faith in Christ, be partakers of God’s promises to Abraham, surely those to whom the promises were originally given can be saved, if they trust Christ. However, this verse leads Paul to the next paragraph in verses 25-32.
Verse 25 commences, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits.” The word “mystery” in the New Testament does not refer to something that is difficult or impossible to understand, but to something that God has kept secret in the past, but has “now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Eph 3:5). There are many such mysteries in the NT. For example, in Matthew 13 we have the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, in 1 Corinthians 15:51 the mystery of the transformation of the believer’s body at the Rapture, and in 1 Timothy 3:16 the mystery of godliness.
In Romans 11:25, Paul sought to enlighten the Gentiles as to the fact that Israel’s blindness and the consequent enlightenment of Gentiles to the gospel was due to divine intervention, and was not grounds for boasting on their part. Then Paul informed them of the subject of the mystery of which he was writing, “that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” First of all, the blindness was judicial, because as a nation the Jews had rejected their Messiah when He came. Second, it was partial (“blindness in part”). Not all Jews were blinded; many had received Jesus as their Messiah, of which Paul was an example (v1). Third, it was temporary (“until”). The judicial blinding of Israel was never intended to be permanent.
We will continue this subject in our final article.
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.
