“The cultivated olive tree was a symbol of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 11:16-17; Hosea 14:4-6). The wild olive tree represents the Gentile world. [Note: Bruce, p. 204.] The rich root of the cultivated tree, Israel, probably corresponds to the Abrahamic Covenant from which all God’s blessings and the very life of the nation sprang.” (Dr. Thomas B Constable) We are now talking about individual salvation, as with the first fruits and the lump.
"And if the root is holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:16b)The root is grounded in Messiah. “Israel then are the natural branches, and on this account are ‘holy’- not intrinsically, of course, but as to outward position, just as are children of believers [or husband and wife]. Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:14; 1 Corinthians 7:14.” (L. M. Grant)— “‘And if some of the branches were broken off,’ (Romans 11:17a)— ...a reference to pruning, the implied thrust of such an illustration being ‘and men gather them into bundles and burn them.’” (Burton Coffman) ”A part of national Israel, in fact the greater part, and they were [cut off from the cultivated olive tree], Matthew 23:37-39.” (Garner-Howes) They were thus devoted to end-time destruction. But they can change camps yet still by repentance and faith.
“‘And (rather ‘but’) you [the church members], being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them.’… It would be possible to translate the words, 'in place of them' (the branches broken off).” (C J Ellicott)— “and with them [the remaining natural branches] became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,” “Now Gentiles partake of the blessing of Abraham. This was given on the principle of faith, and Abraham received it by faith. Thus all who are of faith - Jews or Gentiles - are children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7).” (L. M. Grant)— “do not boast against the (natural) branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.” (Romans 11:17-18) If we boast, we should boast in the Lord... for the faith of the church is built on the foundation of the law and the prophets. "They [and we] must go back to Torah to get a biblical understanding of their heritage. They [and we] must learn how to think like a Hebrew for new insights into the apostolic writings and the teachings of Jesus the Messiah.” (Pari)
“You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.” (Romans 11:19-20)The church “as a whole shouldn’t think that God will maintain it. If they don’t fear Him, they will share in Israel’s fate.” (de Koning) “It might be possible for the Gentile to claim a special providence in his substitution for the Jew. He should rather be reminded that there is a condition—faith—which is attached to this substitution; this he must be careful to observe, or else he will lose all that he has gained.” (C J Ellicott) "For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either." (Romans 11:21) “The jew may yet come in again, and the haughty gentile may again be cut off, and perish with Gog and Magog, fighting against the truth.” (Sutcliffe) “If the Lord, in His infinite justice and holiness, could not tolerate sin in the people whom He foreknew, whom He had so long loved, cherished, miraculously preserved and blessed; take heed lest He also spare not thee.” (Adam Clarke)
“'Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God— on those who fell (of national Israel), severity; but toward you (Gentile believers in Messiah, belonging to the other nations- here Rome), goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?" (Romans 11:21-23) It would not be a difficult matter for some natural branches to be grafted back in to their own olive tree.
On those who fell- severity. "St. Paul, as a prophet, and the first of prophets, often names the destruction of Jerusalem with as much certainty as though it had been accomplished. Hebrews 10:25. On them we see the severity of God in requiring blood for blood. Acts 8:4. How great then was his goodness in calling the gentiles to be his new or peculiar people.” (Sutcliffe) But what is required of all is to begin by trusting Jesus for salvation. Towards us who believe, He directs His goodness. We must "continue in His goodness" (Rom 11:21). Here is taught the perseverance of the saints. If they should "substitute Arian philosophy for the gospel, the Lord would cut them off also... Zion, spoiled by vain philosophy, has her candlestick removed." (Joseph Sutcliffe)
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