Keraia
Romans 11

Romans 11:24

The Ingrafting of the Gentiles · Romans 11:11–24
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Translations

Modern
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Traditional
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?
Literal
For if you were cut off out of the naturally wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural, be grafted into their own olive tree!
Latin
Nam si tu ex naturali excisus es oleastro, et contra naturam insertus es in bonam olivam: quanto magis ii qui secundum naturam inserentur suæ olivæ?

Original

Greek
English
For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Notes

Romans 11:24

contrary to nature: Farmers usually increased olive production by grafting a branch from a cultivated olive tree onto a wild olive tree. This allowed the cultivated branch to benefit from the strength of the wild tree.

Paul reverses this practice in his picture. God grafted branches from a wild olive tree (Gentiles) into a cultivated olive tree (the people of God). By doing this, God acted in a way that is opposite to normal farming practice.

Romans 11:17–24

In Paul’s extended metaphor, God’s special olive tree represents the people of God. This image would have been familiar to his readers. The olive tree was the most common fruit tree in the Mediterranean region. It was also already used as a symbol for Israel in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 11:16; Hosea 14:5–6).

Paul describes non-Jewish (gentile) Christians as branches from a wild olive tree because they were not originally part of God's people.

Romans 9:1–11:36

n this section, Paul addresses a serious question. Many Jews did not believe in Jesus. If God had promised salvation to Israel, how could Jesus truly fulfill God’s plan when so few Jews believed (9:1–5)? In response, Paul uses the Old Testament to show that God always planned to save only a remnant, that is, a smaller group within Israel (9:6–29). Paul also explains that many Jews did not accept Christ because they refused to trust in him (9:30–10:21).

Paul then makes clear that God has not rejected Israel. Some Jews have already believed in Christ (11:1–10). Many more will trust in Christ in the future (11:12–26).

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of Esther Elect, Election Land Letter to the Romans Mystery

Topics

Agriculture or Farming: Operations in Grafting Grafting: General Scriptures Concerning Olive: The Wild, a Figure of the Gentiles; the Cultivated, of the Jews Salvation: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To The Jews: Conversion of, Illustrated The Olive-Tree of Christ The Olive-Tree: (When Wild) the Gentiles The Olive-Tree: Grafting of, Alluded To Trees of Christ