"I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, 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; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; 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. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"
- Romans 11:11-24
If the Church was a brand new work why are gentiles grafted into Israel in this section of Scripture?
Israel is sometimes protrayed as an olive tree.
In verses 7-12 we find that God has temporarily blinded (set aside) Israel.
15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Now he is speaking that the purpose of their being set aside is for the reconciliation of the world. Paul describes this receiving of Israel as raising them out of spriitual death into spiritual life.
16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
The "firstfruit" of the tree is the good fruit that the good branches produce, and represent those in Israel that believe God.
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou (members of the Body of Christ), being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them,
and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
The "broken off" branches represent "unbelieving" Israel and are "broken off" (removed). Into the place of the borken off branches were grafted in the branches of a "wild olive tree." The grafted in branches represent the Church, the Body of Christ.
The fruit of the wild olive tree is not the same fruit as the remaining branches. The brances are attached to the same tree but produce different fruit.
The key to understanding verses 17-22 lies in this verse - 17. Many today believe that this verse means that the Church, the Body of Christ, was grafted into Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth. The first clue is that the fruit of the natural branches is different from the branches of the grafted in branches. Yet, we both get our nurishment from the same roots.
The blessings that belong to natural brances are salvation/justification, and a place in the earthly kingdom. The source of these blessing come from the root - Christ.
The blessings that belong to the grafted in brancehs are salvation/justification, and a home/hope in heaven. The source of these blessings come from the root - Christ.
The Church, the Body of Christ IS NOT grafted into Israel.] However, both Israel, and the Church, the Body of Christ, get our blessing from the same source - Christ.
18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Paul here is warning the grafted in branches (Body of Christ) not to think of themselves higher the original branches (Israel) because their source of blessings come through the same source as those of the nation of Israel.
From the above we should be able to see that the natural branches and the grafted in branches both produce different fruit. However, they both get their nourishment from the same source - the roots - Christ Jesus.
19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
Paul says that some Gentiles might get haughty and think that God is now chosing them over the Jews.
20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Because of unbelief, God broke off the unfruitful natural branches, so the Gentiles should not get too highminded because they too can be broken off.
The Chruch, the Body of Christ, is not Israel or "spiritual" Israel.
God Bless.
Live Well, Laugh Often and Love the Lord!
