- by Lewis
Hrytzak
First of all, I would like to point out that there are
seven axioms of Bible Interpretation. Any Interpretation of the Scriptures, to be true, must be harmonious: 1)
With itself. 2) With every Bible passage. 3) With every Bible
doctrine. 4) With God’s character of wisdom, justice, love and
power. 5) With the Ransom by Christ. 6) With facts. 7)
With the purposes of God as disclosed in Scripture.
I believe what follows is presented with these axioms in
mind.
This brief article will deal with the “unbelieving
branches” that were broken off the olive tree, and how God will show mercy to
such ones.
The
Interlinear Bible, Greek English (by Jay P. Green) translates Romans 11:28 in the following
way: “Indeed, as regards the gospel, enemies for you;
but as regards the election, beloved for the sake of the fathers.”
Paul explains what he means by this in the following
verses:
Verses 29 - 32: “For the free gifts, and the
calling of God, are without repentance. For as you also then disobeyed God, but
now have obtained mercy by the disobedience of these; so also these now have
disobeyed, so that they also may obtain mercy by your mercy.”
The
RVIC 2000, (a
translation of the Greek text by J. B. Parkinson), translates the above verses
as follows: “As
touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are
beloved for the fathers’ sake.
For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented
of. For as ye in times past were
disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience even so
have these also been disobedient, that by your mercy they also may now obtain
mercy.”
The explanation Paul provides in his letter to the Romans
is really quite simple. Gentiles “disobeyed God,” but later “obtained mercy by
the disobedience of these,” (i.e., unbelieving branches). In the same
way, the “unbelieving branches” that refused to accept Christ (by their
disobedience), will also be shown mercy. How?
Paul answers: “by your
mercy.” Both translations quoted above bear this out very
clearly. The RVIC is even more emphatic, for it states:
“that by your mercy they also may now obtain mercy.”
Paul’s last remark in verse 31, “by your mercy,” can only be understood correctly if we carefully follow
what he is saying in the context. To get a clear picture of this, we must ask
the following questions: How were the Gentile believers shown mercy? Was
it not by God drawing them to his Son, Christ Jesus, and granting them
forgiveness of their sins? Yes, indeed!
Furthermore, God’s “calling” went out to them for a very good reason.
According to Paul’s illustration of the “garden olive,” God grafted them in as
“believing branches” so that
In God’s eyes, the natural branches that were unfaithful
had withered and died, even as Jesus testified in a similar illustration, in
the parable of the vine. (John chapter 15) This meant that the natural, unfaithful
branches that were broken off, ceased
to exist as a nation, for they were replaced with a “nation,” a “land” “born in one day” as foretold by the prophet
Isaiah, who said: “Zion …has given birth to her sons.” That is what happened on
the day of Pentecost. The sons of
Paul tells us that “God shut up (natural)
In this age, it is still possible for the “lopped off”
branches to be grafted in again, provided they exercise faith in Christ
Jesus. However, when that “holy nation,
the temple” (which Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 2:4-9) is fully built, then our
Lord will return, and begin his rule over all the nations of the earth, including
the State of
Now then, how will God show mercy to these unbelieving
branches? Will it be by forgiving them, and making them a special
nation, as
an outstanding example for other nations, as some
Christians believe? Is that Scriptural? Is it reasonable?
What such Christians tend to forget is that God already has a nation, “a
holy nation”, as Peter shows. Moreover, this was foretold by the prophet
Isaiah (66:8), as already mentioned above.
The prophet asks: “Who has
heard of a thing like this? Who has seen things like these? Will a “land” be brought forth with
labor pains in one day? Or will a ”nation” be born at one time? For
This prophecy, like the one in Joel 2:28,29, was fulfilled
on the day of Pentecost, when God poured out his holy spirit upon those
believers. This is what Paul was speaking of when he wrote to the Corinthians,
(2 Cor. 5:17) “Consequently, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new
creation, the old things passed away, look! new things have come into
existence.” The “land,” the “nation”
that was brought forth in one day was the Christian congregation that was built
on the original “root stock” or “stump.” Meanwhile, the garden olive tree had
received a severe pruning. Unbelieving branches were “broken off” and believing
branches, from the Gentiles, were grafted in to take the place of such broken
off branches.
The reason why the Jews refused to accept Christ Jesus as
Messiah was due to their failure to see that God was about to establish a new
“nation,” as foretold by Isaiah. Furthermore, they failed to see the new
requirements for this nation, as
foretold by the prophet Jeremiah many centuries earlier. By means of his
prophet, God introduced a new covenant, for the law would now have to be
written on one’s heart in order to qualify as a member of that new nation.
(Jeremiah 31:31-33) Unfaithful
Well, then, how will the Jews who were “shut up in
disobedience” be shown mercy? In Romans 11:31 Paul wrote: “so also these now…may obtain mercy by your mercy.” What does Paul mean when he says,
“these…may obtain mercy by your mercy?”
Surely, this can only mean one thing. Paul clearly says
that the unbelieving branches will “obtain
mercy by your mercy.” The gentile believers were shown mercy because
of their faith in Christ Jesus.
Moreover, they have been grafted into the garden olive tree. That olive tree is
The families of the earth, including the natural,
unbelieving branches of
Jesus compared the kingdom of the heavens to a man who
hired workers for his vineyard. The parable shows that workers were hired at
different times of day. Even in the eleventh hour, workers were still being
hired. When it became evening, each worker received exactly the same pay,
despite the fact that some had worked all day, while others worked for a very
short time. (See Matthew chapter 20) The point of this illustration is
that the ultimate gift we get from God, through Christ, is life, and it’s the
same for everyone, because life is the greatest gift we can get. It is
not life for some, and life plus something else for others. Mind you, as
regards the Church, it may appear to be that way, because they are privileged
to be the “seed of promise,” by whom the families of the earth will bless
themselves. But even so, the reward is the same for everyone – life.
Paul laments that natural
Jesus makes it obvious that God would shift his focus to a
new “nation,” or “land,” even as foretold by Isaiah. However, Jesus did not
tell them they would be destroyed for their wicked behavior.
Therefore, as Paul states: “(It is) for the sake of their
fathers God will show them mercy.” What a wonderful God! No wonder, after
saying God will show them mercy, Paul exclaims: “O the depth of God’s
riches and wisdom and knowledge. How unsearchable his judgments are! For
who has come to know his mind, or who has become his counselor?” (Romans
11:33, 24)
Although God will show them mercy by drawing them to his
Son, and forgive their sins, there is no indication in Scripture, whatever,
that God will set them apart from other nations, (making them a special
nation), when Christ Jesus begins to reign. Why would God do that?
After all, God caused Daniel to prophecy that the kingdoms of the earth would
cease, and be replaced by his kingdom, whose dominion will cover the
globe. What is more, God’s kingdom consists of Christ Jesus the King and
his Bride, the true Israel of God, also called the new “nation”
or “land.” They are the real nation of
Despite what has been stated above, some Christians insist
that there are many prophecies yet to be fulfilled on natural
Zechariah 2:10,11 Here the prophet looks beyond what the
Jews were then building. He is looking to a temple and a city that are
to be far more glorious! For that reason, God states: “I will reside
in the midst of you.” This is what we are told in Revelation 21:1-3. We
have already considered Peter’s words at 1 Peter 2:4-9 where he speaks of the
new temple being built with “living stones.” The prophet Zechariah also says
that “many nations will certainly become joined to Jehovah in that day, and
they will actually become my people…” The apostle Peter clearly shows that
this applies to the Christian congregation. They are the olive tree. They are the “temple” that is being built
with “living stones.” What physical
temple could even begin to compare with that?
Absolutely none! Peter also says
they are the “holy nation.” Indeed, both
Paul and Peter apply this to their day, i.e., this age, the gospel age.
Zechariah 6:12-15 refers to the “man whose name is sprout” (some
translations use the word branch),”who will build the temple of the Lord,” and
it says of him: “He shall sit and rule upon his throne.” Hebrews 8:1 shows
fulfillment (or beginning thereof) in this gospel age. Christ Jesus is the “stone that the builders
rejected” and he has become “the chief cornerstone.” He is both the foundation stone, and the
headstone of the new temple. (1 Peter 2:7)
Zechariah
8:23 “…It will happen in those days that ten men out of
all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take
hold of a man who is a Jew, saying: “We will go with you people, for we have
heard that God is with you people.” This
prophecy is speaking of a Jew, not according to the flesh, but according to
circumcision by spirit, even as Paul shows at Romans 2:28,29. That people of
the nations of the earth will come to such ones for help is obvious for such
ones are the “promised seed” by whom the families of the earth will bless
themselves. Indeed, the “unbelieving
branches” that were “broken off” will themselves “take hold of a man who is a
Jew,” that is, a member of the Bride of Christ. Although this prophecy has
fulfillment now, in this gospel age, (in a limited way), it will be fully
realized when Jesus and his Bride begin their rule.
Zechariah 9:9 Jesus said he was fulfilling this
prophecy in his day.
Zechariah 13:7-9 This is
the prophecy of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. “Smite the shepherd and the
sheep will be scattered.”
Zechariah 13:8 “Two parts shall be cut off”
Some Bible Scholars believe this could have reference to the two great Jewish
parties, the Scribes and Pharisees. The third part would, quite likely, be the
believing Jews, for he says: “It will be left remaining.” Remaining
where? Obviously, in the garden olive, for it is not broken off as the
unfaithful branches were broken off. At any rate, one third is a remnant,
at most, and it is only an approximation of those being saved. That’s
what the Scriptures foretell, i.e., that only a remnant would be saved of
Zechariah 13:1 “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house
of David and to the inhabitants of
Zechariah 14:8 Foretells “living waters shall go out of
In Acts 13:32-34
Paul stood up in a Jewish synagogue and said: “And so we are declaring to you
the good news about the promise made to the forefathers, that God has entirely fulfilled
it to us, their children in that he resurrected Jesus, even as it is written in the second
Psalm, “You are my son, I have become your Father this day.” It is interesting to note that Paul says such
promises, made to the forefathers, is entirely fulfilled in Paul’s day.
There are many, many other examples that can be given, but
one fact should remain very clear to us: The apostles themselves, under inspiration,
wrote to the effect that these things have been fulfilled. (In my previous article on
this, I have already given many examples). This must be so, because the “garden
olive” (true
Two
helpful publications:
I would like to recommend two publications that provide a
“worth-while read,” The first is called, The Hope of Israel, by Russell H. Collins, (Produced
by New Covenant Fellowship, Box 797, GOP, Melbourne, Victoria, 3001,
Australia), and the other is called, New Creation The End of All Things According To Flesh
by Daniel Anderson (Scripture Research Inc., PO Box 51716, Riverside,
Calif. 92517)