Romans 11 Part 2

Romans 11:17–24 ESV

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

17 Paul has issued a warning in previous chapters about the arrogance of the Jews.

There was a pride/arrogance among the Jews that extended not only to the unbelieving gentiles but also to Gentile believers. The olive tree is seen as a symbol of the nation of Israel. It’s a symbol of peace, the peace found because of God’s love towards His chosen people. Now note the exact picture given. The natural branches refer to Israel, and the wild olive branches refer to Gentile believers. The olive tree refers to God and a right relationship with Him.

Some natural branches are broken off and rejected. Some Jews did not and do not believe in Christ; therefore, they are not attached to God. They do not have a right relationship with God. But note: only some of the branches were broken off. Some Jews did accept Christ as the Messiah and did maintain a right relationship with God.

Some wild olive branches were grafted into the tree. Note that the words and thou or you are singular. Paul is not speaking to Gentiles as a whole, but to the individual Gentile. The Gentile believer is said to have been a wild olive branch. The word wild means that the Gentile was not part of the olive tree (God); he was outside and estranged and alienated from the olive tree (God). The Gentile believer is now said to have been grafted into the olive tree. He is now attached to God, that is, in a right relationship with God; therefore, he now partakes of the root and fatness of the olive tree. Very simply, this means that the believer is fed and nourished by God.

The glorious privilege of being nourished by God becomes as much the right of the Gentile as it is of the Jews.

Now, the Gentile believer is grafted into the olive tree with the natural branches. This is important to note, for it means there is only one family of God, not two. Both the natural branches and the wild branches are part of the same olive tree. The only difference is that the natural branches were the first branches that grew on the olive tree. The wild branches had to be brought or grafted into the tree. Note that some natural branches are broken off because they did not bear fruit.

Why was this warning for the Gentiles necessary?

18 The Gentile believer must not be arrogant and prideful over the Jews. The idea is that. There can be the tendency to look at the Jews differently or as inferior because they denied Christ. It might also be tempting to boast that we know the truth about the Messiah and they don’t. However, it gives us no right to place our faith above or over the Jews or anyone else. It puts us in the same category as the Jews when they elevated themselves over the Gentiles. If it had not been for Judaism, there would be no Christianity. If it had not been for Jewish believers, there would be no Christian believers. If Peter and Paul and the others had not surrendered their lives to preach Christ, then the message of Christ would have never reached us. We must never forget that “salvation is of the Jews”.

John 4:22 ESV

22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

What are the dangers of complacency and unbelief to the Gentile?

That we are more acceptable to God because we have replaced the Jews as the true followers of God.

That we are safe and secure in Christianity because Christianity is the religion that acknowledges God’s Son.

19-21 We must always remember what this Scripture is saying. Israel was not rejected by God so that we, the Gentiles, might be saved. Israel was rejected by God because of unbelief. God did not and does not reject one people in order to save another people. God reaches out to every nation of people longing for all to be grafted into Him.

God accepts a person because the person believes in His Son Jesus Christ. The Jews did not believe; some Gentiles did believe. A Gentile believer stands attached to the olive tree by faith, not because of any goodness or merit or value within himself.

Now note: the Gentile believer must guard against complacency, against feeling safe, secure, and more acceptable because he stands in Christianity, the religion that acknowledges God’s Son. The Gentile believer must not be highminded, but rather fear. He must fear, for God is less likely to spare the unnatural branches than He was the natural branches. The warning is strong: “Take heed lest He also spare thee not”

If God spared not the Jews because of their unbelief, how much more will He not spare us. The Jews were the natural branches; we are the unnatural branches. In light of this and of so much more depravity, we must guard against self-complacency and conceit. We must walk in humility and the fear of God, fearing unbelief lest we too be broken off.

What is the potential downfall of the Gentiles being self-righteous?

22 The severity of God is seen in the spiritual fall of Israel. The word severity (apotomia) means abrupt, sharp, rough, cut off. The Jews had committed the very sins the Gentiles are being warned about in this passage. They had developed an attitude of arrogance and boasting toward other people, refusing to carry the Word of God to them and had felt highminded and complacent, feeling safe and secure, thinking themselves to be more acceptable to God than other people.

In addition to these gross sins, the Jews had rejected God’s prophets down through the centuries until they eventually killed God’s very own Son. In one brief word, their sin was unbelief. The vast majority of the Jews never did believe God, not to the point that they loved God supremely. As a result, the judgment and severity of God fell upon them.

The goodness of God is seen in the grafting in and acceptance of the Gentiles by God. But note the stress of this point: the goodness of God is given only to those who continue in God’s goodness. A person who knows about the love of God must walk and live in God’s goodness. It is the picture of a person who is remaining and abiding in the house of God’s goodness. A Gentile believer must continue and abide, endure and persevere in the goodness of God, or else he too will be cut off (ekkopesei) just as the Jews were cut off.

What is the future of Israel, and how does that fit into the fourth warning?

23-24 The Gentile believer must know that Israel’s restoration is a probable event. The restoration of Israel is conditional. Note the word “if”—“if they abide not still in unbelief.” Genuine belief is the condition for salvation. A person has to run from his unbelief to belief in order to be grafted in and accepted by God. No person comes to God unless he believes in His Son Jesus Christ.

God is able to graft the Jews back into the olive tree. God loves everyone and will forgive any person for any thing if that man will turn from his life of sin and unbelief. God will accept any person who approaches Him through His Son Jesus Christ (Both Jew and Gentile).

Romans 1:16 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

He knows when a man’s heart is subject to Him and moving toward Him. He knows just when to move upon a person’s heart, and He can arrange circumstances that will cause the person to turn to Him. Therefore, when the time comes, He has the power to stir Jewish hearts to turn to Him in large numbers.

The grafting in of the natural branches (the Jews) is much more likely than the calling of the Gentiles was. Paul is confident that God is not only able, but God will graft the Jews back into the olive tree. Paul proclaims that the Jews will turn to Christ and be restored into a right relationship with God.

Romans 11:25–36 ESV

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Will God restore the Jews?

Israel’s history is a surety. God loves man with an infinite love, and God’s love is unchangeable. Therefore, any person can be restored to God if the person will call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Christ to save him. This is clearly seen in the history of Israel. Israel’s restoration is a surety and, as such, stands as a prime example of the unchangeable love of God toward man.

25-26 The mystery Paul speaks of is something that was unknown but now revealed. The future of Israel is now revealed and made known to men. Note exactly why God revealed the future of Israel: that we not be ignorant of Israel’s future, and that we not be wise in our own conceits or imaginations.

This last reason can mean two things.

Gentiles become guilty of looking down upon the Jews because the Jews are so different from the rest of us. They have rejected Jesus Christ and are opposed to Christianity to such a degree that they remain almost exclusively among themselves. Gentiles face the danger of becoming puffed up, of thinking that they are more acceptable to God because they look with favor upon Jesus Christ and are more open in professing Him. There is the danger of being prideful and arrogant, of lording it over the Jews.

A Gentile, especially a Gentile believer, can begin to think that his idea of Israel’s destiny is the correct idea and that he and the followers of his position are the persons who have a full understanding of the truth. All other understandings are incorrect. There is the danger of becoming “wise in [our] own conceits.”

Israel’s blindness is only partial, only “in part.” There were Jewish believers who followed Christ in His day and there have been Jewish believers who have followed Christ down through the centuries. The blindness and hardness of Israel to the gospel is not total; it is only partial. Granted, just as Scripture says, so many Jews have rejected and still do reject Christ that it is as though all Israel as a nation has stumbled and fallen over Him (see vv. 8–9). However, there have been and always will be some Jews who believe. Israel’s blindness is only partial.

Israel’s blindness is only “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” Note a significant point. It does not matter how a person interprets this clause, when the fullness of the Gentiles is completed, Israel’s blindness will be removed according to Scripture. Just what “the fulness of the Gentiles” means is open to different interpretations, but it does not change what is to happen to Israel. It only affects when the blindness is to be removed from Israel. Israel’s blindness is to continue only until the fullness of the Gentiles comes.

What does the fullness of the Gentiles mean?

A certain number of Gentile converts are to be saved, to fill up the “cut off branches of Israel”. The end of the Gentile age, a time when the emphasis of salvation will no longer be upon the Gentiles, but upon the Jews. The end of the Gentile age, a time when God will rapture the church (all believers) and cause a revival among the Jews who will then become the primary witnesses for Him.

“All Israel shall be saved” leads us to know Israel’s blindness is only temporary, Israel will be restored, and they WILL turn to Christ.

There is hope for every person. Note two critical facts:

(1) A person’s blindness to the Lord Jesus Christ is only partial. As long as a person is alive, he can still turn to Christ.

(2) A person’s blindness is temporary only if the person turns to the Lord Jesus Christ. Unless a person believes and commits his life to Christ, his blindness becomes permanent, and he is lost forever.

26-27 Scripture gives a glimpse into the future of Israel’s restoration in this verse, but note that it is only a glimpse. Just how Israel will be restored is not discussed in this passage. Some great manifestation of Christ the Deliverer will cause Israel to turn to the gospel. Jesus Christ will turn away ungodliness from Israel, and will fulfill God’s covenant with Israel - He will take away her sins.

28-29 The statement “they [the Jews] are enemies for your sakes” sounds as though God predestinated Israel’s rejection. However, God does not cause sin.

James 1:13-14 “13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”

God does not cause people to reject His Son and His will. What the statement means is this: the word enemy (echthroi) has both an active and passive meaning. It means either hostile or hated by, and it means either hating or being hated. It is possible that in this particular passage it is to be read both ways. The Jews were hostile to God; they had refused the offer of God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ, and they had refused to be the missionary force for God’s Son. Therefore, they had aroused God’s displeasure. They hated God; consequently, God was displeased with them.

God did what He had to do, He turned to the Gentiles. Israel had refused to be the missionary force for God’s Son, so God had to turn to the Gentiles. Among the Gentiles, God found a receptive people. The Gentiles accepted the offer of God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ, and they have become the missionary force for Christ to the world. It is critical to remember something, however: this does not mean that every Gentile is saved.

The statement “they [the Jews] are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” shows that God still loves Israel. As a people, they are still very precious to Him.

Why are the Jews still God’s chosen people?

The forefathers of Israel were a godly people, a people of unusual faith in God. There were people such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Ruth, Elijah—the list could go on and on. Such godly men and women knew God—knew Him personally and intimately—and God would never forget a people who loved Him so greatly. Keep this in mind as well: godly people are a praying people, a people who pray for their families and neighbors, for their nation and world. And God hears and answers the prayers of His people. God would never turn His back upon Israel for this reason alone.

There is a second reason why God still loves Israel: God Himself is unchangeable in His gifts and calling.

Every purpose for which God called Israel will be fulfilled in the lives of many Jews.

Every gift God promised Israel will be given to many Jews.

God does not change His mind. He is constant, immutable, unchangeable. He will perfectly fulfill His calling and gifts to Israel.

30-36 History will be repeated. In times past—before Christ ever came—the Gentiles did not know and obey God, but the Jews did. Eventually, the Jews rejected God which is ultimately seen in their killing God’s Son, Jesus Christ. They, too, failed to believe (obey God). Therefore, God turned to the Gentiles.

The point seems to be this: we truly know the mercy of God through Jesus Christ our Lord; therefore, we want the world to experience the same mercy and forgiveness of sins. In particular, we feel indebted to the Jews, the people through whom God gave us His Word, His Son, and His promises. Therefore, Scripture predicts that the evangelistic efforts to reach the Jews will someday bear fruit. The Jews will be reached by the mercy of God; they shall believe and obey Jesus Christ as Lord. The Jews shall be restored into the favor of God.

The word concluded means to shut up in a place, to close up, to lock up. This is an unusual idea: God has taken men, both Jews and Gentiles, and shut them up to unbelief or disobedience. This is the judgment of God.

It is the picture of God using sin and events for good. God takes sin and works it out for the good of the world. Man has chosen sin, choosing to go his own way in life, so God allows man to do his own thing. God locks man up in his own world of selfishness, allowing man to roam around in his world of sin. Why? So that man’s true nature of sinfulness will be clearly seen, and thereby cause the honest and thinking man to seek God. God wishes and will have mercy upon all, both Jew and Gentile; but before men can come to God, they must confess two things: that they are sinful and dying creatures in desperate need of God, and that God exists and that He will have mercy upon the person who diligently seeks Him.

God’s glorious plan for the world involves four great acts of God. His infinite wisdom and knowledge: knowing how to do everything perfectly; knowing how to create and arrange, order, and govern everything so that all things work out perfectly.

No man can grasp God’s plan. No man can know the mind of the Lord; no man can be a counselor to God. Believers do, however, have the mind of Christ. This does not mean that believers understand God and His ways perfectly, but it does mean that God reveals Himself and the truth to believers—enough of Himself and His ways to save them from sin, death, judgment, and hell.

No man can earn God’s gift. No man can give anything to God and claim that God owes him something in return. God owes man nothing. Man has rejected and rebelled against following God, choosing to go his own way. Man is committing high treason against God. Man does not deserve nor can he earn any favor from God. If man is to receive a favor from God, God has to freely give the favor.

God alone is the source, the means, and the end of all things. Therefore, God is to be glorified forever and ever.

Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Romans. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 1996. Print. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.