The Olive Trees and the VineSunday, June 19th, 2011 | Bible - NT - Romans | Comments | |
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The Parables of the Olive Trees and the Vine “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” This is a line from the famous parable that Jesus taught the people. He addressed Himself as the vine and us as the branches. In Romans 11:16-24, Paul wrote the parable of olive tree to describe about our faith. So by studying Paul’s parable, let us seek the meaning Jesus’ parable of the vine and it’s branches.
The Grafted Branches Paul used the analogy of olive tree to describe about the salvation that was given to both Israelites and the Gentiles. And in this parable, Paul described that God himself is the tree and the root. He said that branches are the one who were saved but at the same time, he noted that we are from the wild olive tree and not the natural branches. Which means that we were grafted to Christ by the salvation. We were not the branches of the olive tree but by we were made the branches of God when we received faith. Because we were once gentiles before we were saved. But we were grafted to Jesus Christ the olive tree by His grace. The Wild Olive Tree Branches We are the branches from the wild olive tree but the Israelites who turned away from God were once the natural branches as well. So that is why we were called “the wild olive tree branches”. Some of the Israelites were broken off from the tree because of their unbelief but instead we were grafted in by faith. The Branches that Remained on the Tree But Paul also warned us not to become proud but fear, because the reason that we were grafted in was not because we did something right and the Israelites did wrong, but the salvation was given to us only by God’s grace. We were saved by His grace like some of the Israelites that remained on the tree by the election of Grace. So God did not reject all the Israelites but the Israelites that turned away from Him were broken off from the tree. Likewise we can be broke off from the tree if we turn away from God and do not stay in His mercy. Paul described this as the kindness and the severity of God. For this kindness, if the branches that were once broken off repent and return to God’s mercy, they will be grafted again. Jesus Christ the Vine What did Christ teach the people through the parable of the vine? As Paul used the metaphor of olive tree to describe about Jesus Christ. Jesus used “vine” as the metaphor for Himself and compared us to it’s branches. He also mentioned about the “vinedresser” in His parable. The vinedresser is God our Father who takes away the branches that does not bear fruit. But from the parable of Olive Tree in Romans, we can tell that he also grafts the branches that believe in Him. If the Root is Holy, So Are the Branches There is an important keyword that comes out in both parables. The words “holy” or “clean” were used in both passages. The context that these words were used are not similar but when Christ told this parable he said “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”. And Paul said “if the root is holy, so are the branches.” about being grafted to Christ. In both parables, God was likened to the tree and we are it’s branches. Both Christ and Paul taught us to stay in God’s love and mercy by telling these parables. So that we will not be broke off from the tree for our unbelief. Because those who will be taken away from the tree are the ones who do not bear fruit. But we have to stay in God’s love and mercy by keeping His commandment. As Christ taught us in John 15, loving each other as God loved us is the way to keep His commandment and the way to stay grafted to “the tree”.
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