What are believers grafted into? What is the meaning of Romans 11? What was the branch that was cut off? This post will take a closer look at this passage of Romans and the meaning of being grafted in for believers today, and offer fresh commentary on this misunderstood part of Scripture.
The chapter opens with Paul addressing the question of if God has rejected his people. He explains that this is not the case, saying plainly that, "YHWH has not rejected his people whom he knew beforehand." He then goes on to talk about the northern kingdom of Israel, and some writings of King David before getting to the part this passage is known for.
"Branches were broken off, and you being a wild olive tree, have been grafted in among them to share the root and richness of the olive tree." -Romans 11:17
The popular interpretation of this verse as seen on tee shirts and ministry logos and spoken by teachers and rabbis is this: the Jews in the New Testament that rejected the Messiah are the branches that were broken off, so that "Gentile" people could have salvation and eternal life. The Jews said no, so God decided to extend the offer to other people - the story goes. The Messianic movement uses this interpretation to tell believers that they need to look and act Jewish, because they mistakenly think that Judaism is what you get grafted into. But this is not the case!
This analogy has been misunderstood, and this chapter of the Bible isn't talking about those who rejected the Messiah in his day. If we zoom out and look at the broader context, we can see that this passage is talking about the House of Israel being scattered or cut off back in 2 Kings 17, which would have been a pressing issue to the disciples and early church.
The context of Romans 11 is not focused on the house of Judah or those practicing Judaism. The context is the house of Israel. According to 1 Kings 11, Israel and Judah became two distinct kingdoms. The house of Israel was scattered or cut off because of idolatry back in 2 Kings 17. This was a historic event where the people of Israel went into other nations and mixed - physically living elsewhere, and intermarrying with non-Israelites. Even though YHWH sent them away at that time, they are invited to come back to the kingdom through the work of the Messiah!
This is why a few chapters earlier, in Romans 7, Paul talks about the Biblical laws related to remarriage when the wife has been unfaithful to her husband. Because that's exactly what Scripture likens the house of Israel to...an unfaithful bride. This is why Jeremiah 3 tells us that YHWH divorced Israel. When Scripture speaks of divorce as "putting away," that fits with the northern tribes of Israel literally being sent from the promised land into the nations. That's not a vague spiritual principle, it physically happened when he exiled Israel in 2 Kings 17.
When the people of Israel physically moved from the promised land they became 'mixed' with the people in the new places they lived. In the sense that they lived among others, but more significantly, that they began to act like other nations and didn't follow Scripture's commandments for worshiping God. When they intermarried, the children they produced were both part of Israel and from the nations, but it's likely that after a few generations most people would have no idea their ancestors had physical heritage in Israel!
"By their fall deliverance has come to the nations." -Romans 11:11b
Why is it important to know what grafted in means?
Highlighting this overlooked detail of Scripture illuminates many other passages of the Bible. That verse in Jeremiah 3:6 about God divorcing Israel is not just a vague spiritual principle, but is tied to this specific historical event. The prophet Hosea naming his child, 'Not My People,' changes my perspective of that from being a strange thing to do, to seeing the powerful message of redemption when YHWH says, "I will say to those who were not my people, 'You are my people.' And they will say, 'You are my God,'" (Hosea 2:23). Paul's analogy in Romans 7 about a bridegroom not being able to remarry an unfaithful bride shows the necessity of why the Messiah had to die: to remarry unfaithful Israel.
When we look at Romans 11 through this light, it fits with many other parts of the Bible, including much of the Old Testament. The northern kingdom of Israel being restored would fit with prophecies such as Ezekiel 37 and the valley of dry bones coming back to life. It would tie together historic events from the Bible, prophecies of Israel and Judah coming back together, and the writings of Paul. And it would still mean that now all people are free to be grafted into the olive tree of the people of God.
But if we choose to look at the analogy of the olive tree as being that the New Testament Jews are what get cut off the tree, that would really be a brand new idea in the Bible.
To review:
The branches of the olive tree that were cut off, were the people of Israel's northern kingdom, after it split from Judah. They were cut off because they repeatedly chose to disregard Biblical laws and partake in the worship of idols. This happened roughly around 925 BC.
This passage is not saying that Jewish people were cut off, which would have happened around 50 AD.
This is not to say that Biblical things that many Christians think of as being 'Jewish' or 'just for the Jews' do not still apply to believers today. After all, each of us is grafted into the olive tree, and the olive tree is about worshipping YHWH and having the freedom to do the things he has called us to do - including things like keeping Sabbath days.
But this passage does highlight that God's people are not just one specific culture or ethnicity. All of us get to take part in the things of YHWH - forgiveness of sins, the fruit of the spirit, celebrating what he celebrates, resting when he says rest, and following his commandments.
Related posts:
The Two Houses: Israel and Judah in Scripture
Why Paul Withstood Peter in Galatians 2
The Covenant of Vocation - The Death of Jesus Freed Us from Idolatry
