Romans 11:17-24

17: But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
18: do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
19: You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
20: Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
21: for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
22: Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23: And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24: For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?

*** 

Paul used the analogy of an olive tree to refer to the Jewish people and explain why the believing Gentiles should not be arrogant against the unbelieving Jew. He said that some of the branches—the Jews—were broken off the olive tree. This refers to the Jewish nation itself that came from the root of Abraham. These broken-off branches are the Jews who rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Yet branches from a wild olive tree—the Gentiles, or those not of Jewish descent—had been grafted into the olive tree to partake of the rich root. Paul told the wild branches (Gentiles) not to be arrogant against the natural branches that were cut off (non-believing Jews) because the Jewish root is what supports them.

The unbelieving Jews were broken off so the Gentiles could be grafted in, but it was the unbelief of the Jews that cut them off, not anything special that the Gentiles did to cause them to deserve to be grafted in. Paul said not to be conceited about their "grafting in" but to be humble in the fear of the Lord. If God didn’t hesitate to cut off the natural branches for their unbelief, He certainly wouldn’t hesitate to cut off the wild, grafted in branches if they fell into unbelief.

So we see both the kindness and severity of God. The one who continues in His kindness will remain grafted in, otherwise they too will be cut off. And God is well able to graft in again those Jewish people—the natural olive branches--who repent and believe in Jesus.

With all the talk Paul had been giving about the Jews who rejected Jesus, the consequences of that, and the salvation that is extended to all nations, he wanted to be sure that non-Jewish believers didn’t think of themselves as superior to the Jews or become arrogant in their faith. Salvation for all—Jew or Gentile—is by faith and God’s grace. That is the only way to become, and remain, a branch in the tree.



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