© 2004 Tony Garland - contact@SpiritAndTruth.org
"if the firstfruit is holy, the
lump is also holy"
Paul makes an analogy
based on the Old Testament practice of setting aside the first of
one's increase to God (Ex. 22:29; 23:19; Nu. 15:20). By setting aside the firstfruits to God, the entire
portion was considered dedicated or set apart. By honoring
God with the very first increase, God would respond and bless
subsequent production and the entire crop was set apart for God's
increase. Holiness includes the idea of separation or setting
aside.
"if the root is holy so are the
branches"
The "root" upholds and
sustains the branches. The root of the cultivated olive tree is
considered to be holy and therefore so are the branches.
"some of the branches were
broken off"
Paul declares all
the branches to be "holy" prior to some of
the branches being broken off.
Three Entities
The
natural branches are the Jews--the nation of Israel.
1)
Natural Branches - Some of the natural branches are
broken off. These are the unbelieving Jews who rejected Jesus. These
are the "not all Israel who are of Israel" (Rom. 9:6) who Jesus mentions as being members of the "synagogue
of Satan" (Rev. 2:9;
3:9). The remaining
natural branches are believing Jews which Paul refers to elsewhere
as "the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16).
2) Wild Branches - The
wild branches are Gentiles, some of which came to faith and became
grafted into the cultivated olive tree.
3)
Root and Fatness - The root and fatness is the base of the
cultivated olive tree which supports all the branches in the tree,
both grafted and natural. This represents the promises and covenants
given through the fathers (see diagram below).
Grafted Into a Cultivated Olive Tree
"do not boast"
"Boast"
is katakauchō meaning "to look down on," "to
despise," indicating a feeling of comparative superiority.
"the root supports you"
The root of a plant provides the very basis for
the continued survival of the branches. The root can survive without
the branches--even sprouting new branches, but the branches are
absolutely dependent upon the root.
Salvation is of the Jews
The
covenants of promise, such as the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:3), and the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31), were given to the Jews --through Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. Believing Gentiles only participate on account of their
identity with Jesus Christ, Himself the ultimate representative of
Israel.
"... you stand by faith. Do not
be haughty"
Do not think highly of yourself
because the means by which you were grafted in the place of the
broken off natural branches is faith alone.
Your salvation by grace through faith is a gift of God given
without regard for merit (Eph. 2:8-9).
Natural Branches Favored
The
natural branches were cultivated by God. The Jews occupied a favored
position according to God's election of the nation Israel (Deu. 7:6-8; 14:1-2; Ps. 135:4).
Even Natural Branches Were Not
Spared
Even though the natural branches had been
cultivated by God and given tremendous promises, faith
was still required in order to remain in the olive tree. Paul
emphasizes that if it was possible for God to break off natural
branches which have an affinity for the cultivated tree, how
much easier it would be to break off the wild branches only
recently grafted in!
"on those who fell, severity"
God's severity fell on those Jews who failed to
exercise faith and rejected Messiah Jesus at His presentation to
Israel (Zec. 9:9; Mat. 21:4-5).
"toward you, goodness"
The Gentiles of faith must remember that they only
occupy their position in the tree because of God's unmerited grace.
In both severity or goodness, it is God's sovereignty which
ultimately is the source of what has taken place. If
some of the natural branches fell, so could some of the wild
branches!
"if you continue... otherwise
you also will be cut off"
In the same way
that individuals among Israel did not continue in faith and fell
from God's grace, so too will it be with the Gentiles. This verse
reinforces the scriptural truth that true faith continues whereas
professed faith may wane and show itself for that which it truly
is--not faith at all. Therefore, Paul exhorts believers to examine
themselves to see whether they are in the faith (2Cor. 13:5). Those who are truly saved cannot lose their salvation:
1) They are sealed with the Holy
Spirit as a guarantee of their redemption (2Cor. 1:21-22; 5:4-6;
Eph. 1:13-14).
2)
They have eternal life having passed from death
to life (John 5:24).
3) Those who 'fall away' were never
known by Jesus (Mat. 7:21-23).
"if they do not continue in
unbelief"
Israel has not fallen permanently
to be "replaced by the Church." If Israel, as a nation of
individuals, comes to faith by some means, then God is able to graft
them into the natural olive tree again. As we will shortly see, this
is the very thing predicted by Scripture (Rom. 11:25-26).
"grafted contrary to nature"
The Torah (Law of Moses), and various other
promises and covenants were not given to the Gentiles, but to Israel
(Eph. 2:11-13). It is
not "natural" for Gentiles to be partaking in what is
essentially a Jewish faith (Christianity) founded on a Jewish
promise -- the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31). It is only by God's grace and the faith of Gentiles in
Jesus, Himself born a Jew, that this situation has come to exist.
"how much more these"
Never forget that the future task of turning the
unbelieving among Israel back to faith prior to the Second Coming
will be considerably easier than what God accomplished at the
First Coming of Christ when the Gentiles came to faith in what is
essentially a foreign Jewish Messiah: Jesus.
"grafted into their own olive
tree"
Writing after the cross and the
rejection of Messiah Jesus by the majority in Israel, Paul still
refers to the cultivated olive tree as the Jews' "own tree."
The tree and the promises associated with the root are theirs and
we who are believing Gentiles are the outsiders who, by God's grace,
are participating in their promises (Rom. 9:4; Eph 2:12).
Salvation is of the Jews - Take note: believing Gentiles are not called "natural branches," but rather "wild branches" grafted in among believing Jews. This is a clear indication of the Jewishness of the roots of Christianity. As Gentiles, we should seek to understand the Jewish context of Christianity in order to better understand Scripture. Also: the fact that we, as clueless Gentiles, have come to faith in a Jewish Messiah through Jewish Scriptures should tell us just how easily God can graft Jews back into their position as people of faith.
If the Root is Holy, so are the Branches - All branches, even those broken off by God, are "holy" in the sense of being set aside to fulfill God's purpose for the nation. We will see in the next few verses that even nonbelieving Jews, as part of Israel, are to be loved on account of their role in the plan and purpose of God.
Believing Gentiles are not the "New Israel" - Israel is the same old Israel. The analogy Paul uses involves three main components, not two: (1) the natural branches (Jews); (2) the wild branches (Gentiles); and (3) the root and fatness which supports them both (the promises and convenants via the fathers). The wild branches (believing Gentiles) do not become natural branches (Jews). Nor are they grafted into the natural branches. both natural and wild branches participate in the root and fatness. Both wild and natural branches are joined into the same cultivated tree. This is a removal of the wall of separation between the natural and wild branches forming "one new man from the two" (Eph. 2:15).