Romans 11:11-24 Lesson 305

Romans 11:11-24
Lesson 305

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Transplanted branches.
Israel's fall (11:11-12) is the Gentile's salvation (11:13-17).

God offered the Gospel to Gentiles via Jews.

An olive tree.

Study Tip:

Be wary of all interpretations of the Bible, including these lessons.
Let God speak to you, then form your own conclusions.

The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Romans

The King James Bible

Romans 11:11-24
Israel's fall

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Margin notes:

"Have they stumbled that they should fall?" (11:11) - Means, "Has Israel stumbled so badly that they are forever lost?"

"Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles." (11:11) - Salvation was offered to Jews, and then to Gentiles after Israel rejected Christ (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 22:21; 26:17-18).

"The diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles." (11:12) - Israel's loss brought spiritual blessings to Gentiles.

"How much more their fulness?" (11:12) - How much more blessed will the world be when Israel comes to believe.

"I magnify mine office." (11:13) - "I stress my ministry."

"I may Provoke to emulation them which are my flesh." (11:14) - "I may provoke my fellow Jews to jealousy."

"Might save some of them." (11:14) - Paul would use "any means" to save some of his fellow Jews (1 Corinthians 9:22).

"If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world." (11:15) - "If rejecting them (Israel) means salvation for the world."

"What shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead." (11:15) - "What will it mean if Israel receives Christ, it will mean life for the (spiritually) dead."

"The firstfruit be holy." (11:16) - In biblical times, the first grain harvested from each crop was blessed, made into dough, and offered up to God (Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 2:12; Numbers 15:20-21). This blessed the rest of the crop. Likewise, Paul is saying that since Abraham (the first Jew) was blessed, so were his children (Israel). See also John 4:22.

"If the root be holy, so are the branches." (11:16) - Similar to the metaphor above, Abraham is the root, and the branches are his descendants.

"If some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them." (11:17) - Means, Jews (branches) who don't believe in Jesus are "broken off" (separated) from the tree (God) while Gentiles are accepted. See also "Todays Question" below.

"Partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree." (11:17) - "Enjoy the blessings and richness of the olive tree (God)."

"Be not highminded, but fear" (11:20) - "Don't be proud, be humble."

"If God spared not the natural branches." (11:21) - "If God didn't spare Israel." For an example, see Ezekiel 7:9.

"Continue in his goodness." (11:22) - "Persevere in your faith."

"God is able to graft them in again." (11:24) - This means God will forgive and welcome sinners back.

New Living Translation

Romans 11:11-24

11 Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.

12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.

13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,

14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.

15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!

16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy-just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.

17 But some of these branches from Abraham's tree-some of the people of Israel-have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree.

18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.

19 "Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me."

20 Yes, but remember-those branches were broken off because they didn't believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.

21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won't spare you either.

22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.

24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's Question:

1. What does the metaphor of the olive tree represent? (11:17-22)

The more you read the Bible, the more you'll love its Author.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. In this metaphor, the olive tree represents God, and the branches are the Jewish people. Because of their lack of faith, some of the Jews (branches) have been broken off. These broken branches (faithless Jews) are then replaced with wild olive branches (Gentiles). Although these grafted branches are from a different tree, they still prosper because the olive tree (God) nurtures Jew and Gentile alike.

Additional note: Jesus used a similar metaphor of a vine and its branches in John 15:1-7. The theme of broken olive tree branches is also found in Jeremiah 11:16.

Application thought for the day:

Not only are we saved by our faith, but we remain saved by our faith.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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