The Jews and the Gentiles Are Both Part of One Olive Tree—Christ

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; (Romans 11:17)

The Olive Tree is Christ. Christ came to Abraham according to the will of God. The Messianic anointing passed to Isaac, to Jacob, and then to the tribes of Israel.

When Christ, the Lord Jesus, was born in Bethlehem, the Olive Tree was among people.

According to God’s promise, the Olive Tree, the Messianic anointing, has now been given to elect Jews and Gentiles.

And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9:23,24)

If we wish to understand how God works we must realize the Kingdom of God comes by Divine promise. The Jews possessed the Kingdom originally because of God’s promise, not because they were more righteous or obedient than other people.

The Kingdom passed on, in the first century, to a remnant of Jews and to chosen Gentiles; not because the remnant of Jews or the chosen Gentiles were more righteous or obedient than other people but according to the promise of God.

The reason the Gentiles have become inflated with pride is that they suppose in their goodness they received Christ while the Jews rejected Him. If that were the case, Gentiles might have reason to boast.

But this is not what took place. God has always worked in terms of His own counsel. The Jews are nothing at all and the Gentiles are nothing at all, except for God’s sovereign working.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:5,6)

We may notice in the Book of Acts that the calling of the Gentiles to membership in the Body of Christ was by Divine election, not because of human goodness or wisdom.

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:48)

"Were ordained to eternal life"!

For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. (Acts 18:10)

God had "much people" in Corinth.

The eleventh chapter of Romans speaks of one divinely ordained olive tree. There is no other tree that is acceptable. There is no Gentile tree that is acceptable. The Gentile who would become part of the Body of Christ, of the royal priesthood, must be grafted on the cultivated olive tree.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, [remember that] thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. (Romans 11:17,18)

The Jew is the natural branch of the olive tree. Gentiles must be grafted on the tree because they do not belong to the tree by nature. The Jew who was broken off must be attached once more to his own tree.

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? (Romans 11:24)

It is the Lord’s plan to turn again to the Jews just as soon as God’s will has been accomplished in the ordained number of Gentiles. The olive tree, the Divine promise, that was with the Jews and then passed to a remnant of Jews and elect Gentiles, shall return in the last days to the nation of Israel.

For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. (Romans 11:27,28)

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