A Cultivated Olive Tree

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.  Romans 11:22 

Romans 11:11–24 – Romans: The Righteousness of God
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – August 27, 2023 (am)

Every candy store owner has learned with regard to their new employees what every parent already knew from raising their children: let them have all the candy they want and within a very short time they won’t want any at all!

Up the ante on both sides of this game and you have a bit better understanding of what Paul was describing in the final four verses of last week’s passage. Israel desired more than candy throughout their history and God responded with more than just letting them have what they wanted. They really desired the spiritual autonomy and self-determination that was afforded them in every expression of idolatry they welcomed, even though God had told them that: Psa.115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Furthermore: 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

So, what God did was blind Israel’s eyes and deafen their ears so they couldn’t see Him or hear Him (8). He let them have essentially everything they desired to see how they liked it! But then He hardened them (7). He locked them into the longings and implications of their favorite forms of idolatry, fulfilling the vivid descriptions in His Word. They became just like their idols! As David said of his enemies who’d [given him] poison for food, and… sour wine to drink (Psa.69:21), Paul said of Israel: 9 … Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

And that sets up Paul’s next question here (11)—vv.11-36 (or at least vv.11-32) are one thought unit, but we’ll take just the first half of it today (11-24) because there’s plenty there! We can see this passage in three parts.

One Last Rhetorical Q&A – 11-12

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? Paul is asking, essentially: Is this hardening from God permanent? Will they reject Christ and His righteousness forever? Has God intended this as the final cutting off of Israel? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. Bypassing Israel with the gospel and bringing the nations to salvation through her Messiah is intended to poke at her, to awaken her affections, make [her] jealous.

12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!  Several important things here: first, as we said Paul is insinuating that this hardening is temporary. Israel’s judgment will be lifted, her jealousy assuaged. She’ll recognize Christ (Messiah) as Savior just as the nations have done. So, Israel’s sin is the starting point of a process that will lead back to [her] blessing (cf. Moo 2018 705), just as it always has.

But, second, while she’s hardened, the riches, the spiritual inheritance promised to her through her Messiah, will be dispensed throughout the world, to the Gentiles, the nations. The ultimate manifestation of these riches is life from the dead (15), but we’ll see all of that more under the next point.

Third, though, it’s her sin (trespass) that’s led to her present failure. This word means diminution, degradation (Zodhiates), a reduction in size… or importance of something (OED). Sometimes this is a reduction in quality, which usually means some kind of defeat or loss, like Israel’s rejection of Christ results in her spiritual defeat, her judgment. Other times it’s a reduction in quantity, just meaning in numbers (Moo 2018 706-7).

Taken together with the word behind full inclusion, which means “full measure” or “completeness” (Moo 2018 707), we begin to hear what Paul is saying. Just as with failure, full inclusion can sometimes refer to quality and sometimes to quantity. If he’s speaking qualitatively here, Paul is pointing to the opposite of Israel’s “trespass” and “defeat.” He’s referring to the full restoration to Israel of the blessings of the kingdom that she is now [corporately] missing (Moo 2018 707). But if he’s speaking quantitatively, he’s referring to a “full number” of Jews which, in context, would seem to suggest that a much greater number of Jewish believers will be added to the present remnant to “fill up” the number of Jews destined for salvation (Moo 2018 707, edited).

Finally, factor in the return of this word full inclusion in v.25, where it speaks of the fullness of the Gentiles [coming into] relationship with Christ, and it seems best to understand this whole passage as speaking quantitatively about Israel. It’s saying that at some future time Israel will come to faith in Christ in great numbers! Paul is saying that the full number of elect Jews will be saved just as the full number of elect Gentiles will be. Israel’s hardening is partial, but salvation will be full, for her and for the Gentiles! (25)

But I like what Doug Moo has written on this point. Perhaps… we [don’t need to] choose between the qualitative and quantitative options. While [full inclusion (12)] probably has a qualitative [emphasis]…, the context and the parallel with v.25 suggest that this “fullness” is attained through a numerical process. Paul would then be suggesting that the present “defeat” of Israel, in which Israel is numerically reduced to a small remnant, will be reversed by the addition of far greater numbers of true believers: and this will be Israel’s destined “fullness” (Moo 2018 708). And I would add, that is when ‘how much more’ meaning will (12) be added to the salvation experience of the Gentiles, the new covenant community, really, that includes the nations and the Jewish remnant who are already together in Christ. What joy will it awaken as we see God fulfill this promise, lift His judicial hardening, and call Israel to salvation by faith in Christ?

The Flipside of Israel’s Unbelief – 13-16

But before Israel turns, while they’re still under God’s judgment, the gospel isn’t put on a shelf. It’s spreading to the nations. This is what we’re calling the flipside of Israel’s unbelief. 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles, one of the few places where Paul makes that clear. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify (glorify [Schreiner 579]) my ministry, meaning, I work very hard at it (Moo 2018 709), 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, as they see my zeal focused on the Gentiles, and thus save some of them. This doesn’t mean Paul has forgotten about election. He’s just reaffirming his love for his people and is hoping that God will use his devotion to his calling for the salvation of the Jews just like He’s using it for the salvation of the Gentiles. And if He does, that will be absolutely amazing!

15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? What is he saying exactly? Tom Schreiner has summarized it well. If the sin of Israel has led to the riches of salvation for the gentiles and to reconciliation of the gentiles to God, then the effect of the conversion of the Jews will be even more astounding (Schreiner 581). And what is more astounding than even spiritual life from the dead here in this world? It would have to be physical resurrection from the dead at the end of this world as we transition into the new heavens and new earth. And, indeed, if 25 … a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then it seems that their full inclusion (12), their acceptance (15), is pointing to the very end of this age, such that the end times resurrection is what comes next. Doug Moo wrote: … as Israel’s “trespass” (vv.11, 12) and “rejection” (v.15) trigger 714 the stage of salvation history in which Paul (and we) are located, a stage in which God is specially blessing Gentiles, so Israel’s “fullness” (v.12) and “acceptance” (v.15) will trigger the climactic end of salvation history. Paul insists on the vital, continuing significance of Israel in salvation history, against tendencies among Gentile Christians to discard Israel from any further role in the plan of God (Moo 2018 713-4).

V.16 follows as a transition. It introduces a metaphor from Num.15 in the firstfruits of the dough—holy firstfruits ensure that the whole lump is clean. The meaning here is unclear on its own, but the second half of the verse seems to be parallel to it, and the meaning there is much clearer.  16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Vv.17-18 confirm that the branches are believing Jews. But it’s not clear until v.28 that Paul is using the root to identify the patriarchs. 28 … [Israel is] beloved for the sake of their forefathers. So, even though they’re currently under God’s judgment for the sake of the salvation of the Gentiles, God has not rejected (1) them for the sake of their forefathers (28), the original company of the elect.

Lessons from the Olive Tree – 17-24

The second half of v.16, then, gives us an on-ramp into the familiar and profoundly important metaphor in vv.17-24. The imagery itself isn’t hard to understand. The olive tree spotlights the Jewish origin of the gospel and the covenant people of God. The root is, again, the patriarchs (28), the original elect of God (cf. 29). The branches broken off are those born into this covenant family who did not pursue the righteousness of God by faith (cf. 9:30-32). The wild olive shoot refers to Gentiles who were grafted in among the other branches through saving belief in Jesus, Israel’s promised Messiah. But this section we’ve labeled lessons from the olive tree, so let’s go there. Three, I believe, are profoundly important.

There are not two peoples of God. There is one. Israel is not synonymous with the church. And the church neither replaces nor displaces Israel. But the promises God made to Israel were always intended to be kept only with the remnant, believing Israel who walked by faith according to the covenant. And God warned them of this clearly and distinctly again and again in every part of their scriptures, Law, Prophets, and Writings. The church is one new entity made up true believers in Jesus, Israel’s Messiah, whether Jews or Gentiles (Eph.2:11-22). And they all inherit the promised blessings of God together, just as He has always intended, evidenced most clearly in His promise to Abraham that all the families of the earth shall be blessed in [him] (Gen.12:3). Because of all this, it’s fine to call the church the new Israel, not meaning that there is no longer any old/ethnic/Jewish Israel, but because believing Gentiles—remaining Gentiles; think of Paul’s argument in Gal.; think of the Jerusalem Council in Act.15—are grafted into this olive tree (17). The church is called by Peter a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God’s] own possession who have received mercy (1Pe.29-10); and God has mercy on whomever he wills (9:18). The new covenant promised through Ezekiel (36:22ff.) and Jeremiah (31:31ff.) is describing the salvation of all who believe, from Israel and every other nation. It’s the eternal inheritance of Jew and Gentile together in Christ.

Arrogance toward Israel (18) is good evidence that saving belief is not present in one’s heart. Those who’ve received forgiveness are tender toward others. They react in gospel ways to gospel needs. Jesus taught this again and again (e.g., Mat.6:14-15; Luk.6:37; 7:47). But we also learn from Jesus what Paul has explained again here, most clearly spotlighted in c.8, that we don’t lose our standing with God after we’ve received it by faith, even though we continue to live as sinners (c.7). Yet, Paul writes: 20 … 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. What does he mean? It has to be similar to what Jesus taught at the end of His Sermon on the Mount: Mat.7:21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” 23 And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me….” The gospel changes our hearts to be like God’s heart. And when a gospel-changed, Holy Spirit-inhabited heart senses arrogance creeping in, it forsakes it in repentance and faith. It doesn’t express itself in a tearing down of others, but in prayer and gospel witness and self-denying love. 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.

True as this is, repentance and faith are still available to Israel: 23 … even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. And we’ll see as this text progresses that He intends to do just that, to display with all possible clarity the [vast] depth of the riches and wisdom [of His] knowledge and [His entirely] unsearchable and [incomprehensible] ways! (33)

Conclusion

So, what should be our takeaway today? How about we just listen to the three commands.

18 [D]o not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. All who savingly believe in Jesus are children of Abraham (4:6-7).

20 … 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. So, how does this work? How do we do it?

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. And you continue in His kindness by walking in repentance and faith, trusting in Jesus.

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Resources

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NEXT SUNDAY: That He May Have Mercy on All, Romans 11:25–36