Romans Part 36 – Romans 11-18-24
Verse 17-20
• “verse 17” – branches = unbelieving Israel. “Wild olive tree” = Gentiles. Olive tree = Israel and their covenants.
• “Boast not against the branches” - This is the reason for verse 13 and why Paul points to his apostleship to address these/this Gentiles.
• “but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee” – These Gentiles are graffed into Israel’s promises. The root/tree bears the branches. Without Israel and their covenants these Gentiles would have nothing.
• We are the Body of Christ, not a tree – Gal 3:28.
• “vs 19” – Remember verse 11.
• “vs 20” – Cf Heb 3:12-4:11, Psalms 132:13-14
• “but fear” – because these Gentiles are in Israel’s program and can also be cut off if they fall in unbelief.
• We as members of the Body of Christ are told to not have the spirit of fear – 2Tim 1:7, Rom 8:15.
Verse 21-24
• “vs 21” – not doctrine for the church – Rom 5:1, 8:38-39, 1Thess 1:10, 5:9.
• “on them which fell, severity; but toward the goodness” – Rom 9:15 It is Gods prerogative to give mercy to whom he will and to harden whom he will.
• “if thou continue in his goodness” – The abiding here is conditional - John 15:1-10.
• “otherwise thou also should be cut off” – This can’t be you – Col 2:9-10, 2Tim 2:13, Eph 5:30.
• “vs 23” – The “they” is Israel. One of Paul’s points in this chapter is that God is not done with Israel.
• “vs 24” – Matt 7:15-19, 21:33-43, Luke 18:32. You will know them by their fruits. Only the branches that bear fruit stay on the tree. The branches that don’t bear good fruit are cut off. It’s better to be a wild tree and have faith than to be a good tree and have unbelief.
• “into their own olive tree” – It is quite clear here that the olive tree belongs to Israel.
• If you make the grafted in branches the church then you must take the replacement theology stance which is unbiblical and contrary to Paul’s point here that God is not done with the nation of Israel.
• It is also interesting that Paul uses the singular when referring to the gentile in verses 17-24.
If you have any questions email me at csb33@centurylink.net
