The Fruit of the Tree
In Romans 11 Paul pictures God’s people as the branches of an olive tree (11:17-24). Some of the branches have been broken off. These are Jews who trace their heritage back to Abraham but who have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Not all the Jews have done this and those that have received Jesus are pictured as branches remaining firm in the tree.
Other branches, not “natural” to this olive tree, have been grafted in. Paul identifies these as Gentiles (non-Jews) who have believed in Jesus as their Saviour. Paul is at pains to warn his mainly Gentile reading audience not to be arrogant in their new acceptance by God (along with believing Jews) as God’s people. He explains that God removed unbelieving Jews and can easily remove them if they don’t continue in faith and humility (11:20).
The olive tree was a picture of God’s people in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 11:16). The obvious purpose of the olive tree is to produce its fruit – olives, and from the olives, olive oil. The removed branches were no longer drawing life from the root – the life of God. Unbelieving Jews were removed and believing Gentiles were added. The life that flowed from the root to the branches gave them their life and allowed them to produce fruit. This is very similar to Jesus’ own metaphor in John 15. The issue is not Jew versus Gentile but whether there is fruit. Jesus had earlier said ‘I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit’ (Matthew 21:43). Jesus is looking for fruit.
His heart is still for the nations of the earth (Psalm 2:8; Matthew 28:19; Luke 24:47). Can you hear His heartbeat?
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