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Priscilla: Romans 11:11-24
The Holy Olive Root, the Israelites, and the Gentiles

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11 I say, then, Did not they stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy.

12 But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default the riches of the nations, how much more their fullness?

13 For I speak to you, the nations, since I am an apostle of the nations, (I glorify my ministry),

14 if somehow I may provoke to jealousy my flesh, and may save some of them.

15 For if their casting away is the reconciliation of the world, what is the reception, except life from the dead?

16 Now if the firstfruit is holy, so also the lump. And if the root is holy, so also the branches.

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, and became a sharer of the root and the fatness of the olive tree,

18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, it is not you that bears the root, but the root bears you.

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

20 Well! For unbelief they were broken off. And you stand by faith. Do not be highminded, but fear.

21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, fear that it may be He will not spare you either.

22 Behold, then, the kindness and severity of God: On those having fallen, severity. But on you, kindness, if you continue in the kindness. Otherwise, you will also be cut off.

23 And those also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if you were cut out of the natural wild olive tree, and against nature were grafted into a good olive tree, how much more these being according to nature will be grafted into their own olive tree?

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer You my reflection on Your Word in Romans 11:11-24 concerning the holy olive tree, the people of Israel, and the Gentiles.

Dear God, I understand that verses 11 and 12 mean that the people of Israel stumbled over Christ because they did not believe He was the promised Redeemer that You had bestowed upon them. However, their stumbling did not cause them to lose the share of grace that You had promised to Abraham’s descendants. Instead, You used their stumbling to give the Gentiles the opportunity to receive the Gospel of Salvation. The Apostle Paul said that if Israel’s stumbling led them to reject Christ, You blessed and enriched the Gentiles who received Christ so that Israel would be stirred up to repent, believe in Christ, and thereby make the Gentiles who believed in You even more blessed. For You would then use Israel to bestow even more blessings upon the Gentiles.

I understand that verses 13 and 14 mean that the Apostle Paul did everything in his power to reach his fellow Israelites, his flesh and blood, his own people while fulfilling his ministry of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles so that Your grace might come to them. He hoped that some Israelites would come to believe in Christ when they saw the blessings You had bestowed upon the Gentiles who received the Gospel.

I understand that verse 16 means that everything offered to God is made holy by Him. Therefore, the bread offered to God is holy, and the lump of dough from which the bread is made is also holy. Likewise, if the root of a tree is holy, so are its branches. I understand that the Israelites were more privileged than the Gentiles, as they were descended from a holy man, Abraham, and were set apart by You for Your use.

Dear God, I understand that verses 17 to 20 mean that the Apostle Paul warned the Gentile believers that they received salvation through the sacrifice of Christ and the mercy of Your grace. Therefore, no one can boast. If anyone boasts that they are better, have stronger faith, or are more steadfast than the Israelites who were cut off, they should be careful not to be cut off like the majority of Israelites who rejected Christ. Your grace of salvation is given to whoever believes in Christ, so whoever believes must have a heart of gratitude and humility.

Dear God, I understand that verses 21 to 24 mean that You are loving, holy, and just. You always fulfill Your promises to all nations and individuals, according to Your will. However, if someone who has received Your salvation recognizes the truth but still violates Your Ten Commandments, they will want to return to a life of sin. For them, You will be strict and cut them off from the salvation of Christ. The people of Israel were in Your covenant, but they were cut off due to their stubbornness and refusal to accept Christ. If they repent and accept Him, they will be reinstated. I know that You have given each person the freedom to choose to accept Your salvation for eternal life or reject it and face eternal damnation.

I thank You, Lord, for making me human, for giving me the opportunity to know and accept the salvation of Christ, and for adding me to Your Church. I rejoice in the blessed hope promised in the Bible. I am blessed to be a believer in the Gospel at the time when Christ is about to return to take His Church out of this world. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
04/03/2023