“MERCY”

ROMANS 11:17-32

May 3, 2020   Prepare your heart and mind for your next group Bible study.

 

Mercy

All who come to Christ by faith will be included in God's covenant people.

 

Romans 11:17-32

As you once disobeyed God but now have received mercy through their disobedience, so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also may now receive mercy.  For God has

imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all. Romans 11:30-32 CSB

Click here to read the complete passage.

After Paul was converted, he went to the synagogues first in every town to take the gospel to the Jews there. Paul repetitively taught that all people must come to God the same way; by faith in Christ and not by the law. However, most of the Jews in the culture refused to let go of their dependence on the law and did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. As a result, Paul turned his evangelistic efforts toward the Gentiles. In this passage Paul used the analogy of the olive tree to

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Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and

illustrate the significance of the covenant that God made with the Jewish people and how that impacted the Gentiles.

Olive trees had been growing in the region for thousands of years and were very familiar to the people. Farmers would cultivate good olive trees then graft some of their branches onto wild, uncultivated olive trees to increase production. Paul described the community of faith as a cultivated tree which, against nature, had wild branches grafted onto it.

God had initiated a covenant with the Jewish patriarch Abraham to create a people who were set apart to make Him known among the nations. The Jews were a people who were planted and tended by God. They were a cultivated community of faith through whom God would send Jesus, the Messiah. In this illustration, the Jews who rejected God's plan of salvation were the natural branches that had been cut off from the covenant community and the Gentiles who trusted in Christ were the wild branches that were grafted on.

Paul warned the Gentile Christians not to become conceited that they had been included while many of God's chosen people had been excluded. Just as the Jews could not receive God's salvation through the law, the Gentile's inclusion into this covenant community was not based on their merits but on the kindness of God. Paul pointed out the reason the Jews were cut off was because of their unbelief. Inclusion totally depended on God's grace extended through Christ. Neither Jew not Gentile had any room for boasting.

How thankful are you for God's grace? In what ways do you demonstrate gratitude?

says, 'I can clean that if you want.' And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes our sin.Max Lucado

Mercy is like the rainbow, which God hath set in the clouds; it never shines after it is night. If we refuse mercy here, we shall have justice in eternity.Jeremy Taylor

God's mercy to us is the motivation for showing mercy to others. Remember, you will never be asked to forgive someone else more than God has forgiven you.Rick Warren

Paul pressed the church to consider the attributes of God's kindness and His severity. God does not overlook evil; it has to be accounted for. The Messiah had come as a sin offering on behalf of those who would believe. So, the Jews who rejected Christ stood before God bearing all their own guilt. The Gentiles who had trusted in Christ experienced the kindness of God's forgiveness and reconciliation. If however the faith they professed proved to be merely lip service, they too would experience God's severity.

God's kindness would yet be experienced by the Jews if they turned from their unbelief. They would be grafted into the community of faith that God had established through His church. This was Paul's own testimony. Initially Paul trusted in the Jewish law and rejected Christ. When Paul turned from his unbelief, putting his faith in Christ, he was like the natural branch, though once cut off from the cultivated tree, had been grafted back into it.

When Paul spoke of a mystery, he meant something previously hidden that was now revealed. God had not washed His hands of the Jewish nation. Their rejection of the Messiah had caused Paul to take the gospel to the Gentiles. There was still a time to come when the Jews would trust in Christ. Paul quoted the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah who foretold the Messiah would turn Israel from godlessness and take away their sins (Isa. 59:20; Jer. 31:31-34).

What is the central truth of this lesson for you? How will you respond? 

 

15 minute lesson overview video  

 

Take time to reflect on the analogy of God taking cuttings from a wild tree and grafting them into a tended, cultivated tree. We were like that. Wild and growing from a root that would never be anything other. But God took us from the wild and attached us to a tree whose root is Jesus Christ. Who do you know that needs to hear that they are not too far gone to be taken from the wild and attached to Christ?

Thank God for the Jewish nation through whom God gave us His Commandments, Holy Scripture, and Jesus Christ. Pray for people of Israel to recognize Christ as their Messiah and turn to Him in faith.

Before your next group meeting, write questions you have about this session. Also, list one key truth from the session you can contribute to the group time.

 

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Romans, Lesson #10Ingrafted Branches / Romans 11

Good Questions Have Groups Talkingwww.mybiblestudylessons.com

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DIG1. Romans 11.17 – 32. Paul uses an olive tree to teach a lesson

about salvation. What can we learn about theology from an olive tree?Paul continues his exhortation to his Gentile readers about the savableness of Israel through a horticultural metaphor of an olive tree. The olive tree represents the people of God, the root is the patriarchal promises, ethnic Israel is the “natural branches,” and Christian Gentiles are the “wild olive shoot.” What Paul sets out to do here is try to adjust the attitude of his Gentile audience toward Israel—hence the repeated use of the personal pronoun “you” throughout. He wants to make sure that they do not bask in Israel’s failure or think that Israel is excluded from a future place in God’s people. The proper perspective they should have is to see Israel and Gentile Christians as potential exemplars of each other. Just as Gentiles were grafted into the tree, so too can Israel be regrafted into the tree. Just as Israel was cut off from the tree, so too can Gentiles be cut off from the tree. Gentile boasting is excluded because the cutting off of branches and the grafting in of shoots cuts both ways for both ethnic groups. So rather than boast over Israel, Gentiles should look at unbelieving Israel and say, “There but for the grace of God go I,” or else the Gentiles should testify to unbelieving Israel in saying, “We benefit from the spiritual nourishment that was first yours and can still be yours.” — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 386.

2. Back up to verse 16. What do we learn about theology from a loaf of bread?Paul begins with metaphorical language about bread offering and botany to prove that what is true of the part of something is also true for the whole of something: “If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches” (v. 16). The thought is clearly transitional as Paul tries to tie together his claim about the interlocking destiny of Jews and Gentiles in vv. 10–15 with his forthcoming olive tree metaphor in vv. 17–24. In general, the imagery of dough and a tree stresses that the qualities associated with an item’s germinal state extends to its germane parts. More specifically, in the case of a bread offering (see Num 15:19–21), once the firstfruits of the dough have been offered to God, the whole batch is considered holy and

consecrated for use. In the case of an olive tree, if the root is holy, then so are its extended branches (see Jer 11:16–17; Hos 14:6).It is generally agreed that the “whole batch” and “branches” are symbols for ethnic Israel in its state of unbelief, but what precisely is symbolized by the “firstfruits” and the “root”? Given the surrounding context, I am inclined to see the “firstfruits” as the remnant of Jewish Christians who have been chosen by grace, including Paul himself. Paul often uses “firstfruits” to refer to “first converts” (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15; 2 Thess 2:13).15 These Jewish believers are the firstfruits of believing Israel, who are sanctified by their faith. A corollary is that the whole of Israel, from whom the remnant was drawn, must be regarded as holy too—somewhat analogous to how an unbelieving person is sanctified by their believing spouse in 1 Corinthians 7:13–14. The identity of the “root” is open to conjecture, and numerous suggestions have been made in the history of interpretation—e.g., that it refers to the Jewish Christian remnant, the Messiah, or God. The most likely option is the patriarchs16 since Paul sees the patriarchs as one of Israel’s greatest privileges (9:5), the patriarchs are the basis for God’s love for Israel (11:28), and the Messiah served the Jews to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs (15:8). Unpacking the symbolism of the root and branches, Paul means that the holiness and belongingness of Israel’s patriarchal origins extends even to Israel’s current position. — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 386–387.

3. Back to verse 17. What are the branches? What is the wild olive shoot?The imagery of the tree root and tree branches is then transformed into a metaphor for which his readers are meant to identify themselves: “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you” (vv. 17–18).18 The basic plot is that some of the “branches” (i.e., ethnic Israel) may have been broken off (i.e., stumbled, hardened, rejected, stupefied), while you/wild olive shoot (i.e., Gentile Christians) have been grafted onto the tree and share in its nutrients (i.e., salvation in Israel’s Messiah). Yet the point that Paul initially draws from the metaphor is to reprimand his Gentile readers for a disparagement of ethnic Israel. Paul does not want Gentiles to think that

their elect status somehow licenses them to gloat over unbelieving Israel. Paul will not allow them to rewrite redemptive history as if Israel was merely the cocoon and Gentile Christians were the butterfly and to brag over Israel as now dispensable and discarded. To do that would be to engage in the very kind of boasting that Paul censures his hypothetical Jewish interlocutor for performing (see 2:17, 23). — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 387–388.

4. This is some pretty deep theology. What is the application?The principle of the gospel is that all boasting is excluded (see 3:27; 4:2) save boasting in the glory of God (see 5:2, 11). At ground level in the city of Rome this means that Gentile Christians cannot indulge themselves in the ethnic prejudice and cultural bigotry that Roman satirists and political elites often exercised toward Rome’s Jewish minority.19 The basis for that injunction is Paul’s claim: “You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Christian Gentiles stand on the patriarchal promises for Israel, not vice-versa. The Gentiles must remember that they get in only on the coattails of the patriarchal promises given to Israel. — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 388.

5. We shouldn’t boast, for sure. But then, branches were cut off to make room for us, right?Immediately following, Paul broaches and rebuts a potential objection: “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble” (vv. 19–20). Paul presents his imaginary Gentile Christian interlocutor taking a supersessionist view whereby Gentile Christians have replaced Israel in toto. Out with the menorahs and in with the foreskins! Paul actually accepts the premise (kalōs, “Granted” [NIV]; “Fine” [CEB]; “Quite so” [Dunn]), but only to the extent that a part of Israel has been broken off and the Gentiles have been included within Israel’s inheritance (hence the “some [tines] of the branches have been broken off” and “you have been grafted in among them [en autois]” in v. 17).Yet it is the implications Paul draws that set his position apart from the interlocutor’s view. Paul does not see this breaking off and engrafting as the grounds for some kind of replacement theology, with the Gentile

church supposedly replacing Israel once and for all. Gentile inclusion within Israel does not entail the replacement of Israel. Once more the determinative factor is faith, since unbelief led to Israel being “broken off” and belief is what enables Gentiles to be “grafted in.” If so, Gentiles have no right to hubris or haughtiness, since they may well find themselves in the same position as Israel if they do not “stand by faith.” — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 388–389.

6. Verses 21 – 22. What is the application of this passage?The warning against smug self-superiority and willful arrogance becomes even more explicit in the following explanation: “For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off” (vv. 21–22). The reason why Gentile Christians need a healthy fear of the Lord is because God did not spare Israel from the consequences of their unbelief even though they naturally belonged to the patriarchs. Therefore, God is even less likely to spare Gentiles who are outside the covenants made with the patriarchs. While Christian Gentiles currently enjoy the “kindness” of God, they would do well to remember that God’s “sternness” can equally fall on those who fall away from faith. Thus, the place of Gentile Christians is conditional in that it depends on keeping side with God’s kindness by staying in the faith. — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 389.

7. Verse 21. He will not spare you, either. What is this talking about?How this rather serious warning about falling away relates to the promises of assurance in 8:18–39 is a genuinely good question. I. Howard Marshall simply embraces the tension by concluding that “side by side with the stress on divine initiative in election and salvation there is a warning to show awe in the sight of God lest anyone should be cut off for failing to continue in His kindness.”20 In the very least we must surmise that Paul is saying that the only saving faith is a persevering faith (see Rom 8:13; Col 1:23; Heb 3:6, 14).21The fact that faith is what matters not only gives Gentile believers cause for trepidation, but might also count in Israel’s favor as Paul continues:

“And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (v. 23). Here we find the point that Paul has been getting at. Israel can still be saved if they come to the position of faith. Already we have heard that God is willing to save ethnic Israel (see 9:22–23; 10:1, 21); now we learn that God is able to do so as well. — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 389–390.

8. Read through to verse 24. What do we learn about God from this section?The point is then defended by framing the matter in a rhetorical form that moves from the harder to the easier. Paul adds: “After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!” (v. 24). If God can bring pork-eating, idol-worshiping, bisexual pagans into his new covenant people (a hard thing to do), how much more can he incorporate the people who already possess an adoption to sonship, divine glory, the covenants, receiving of the law, temple worship, the promises of the patriarchs, and a shared ancestry with the Messiah into his renewed covenant people (a comparatively easier thing to do). While the Gentiles get in, they do so as unnatural outsiders to the olive tree, whereas Israel, by faith, can come back to their own olive tree. — Michael F. Bird, Romans, ed. Scot McKnight, The Story of God Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 390.

9. Proverbs 11.25 – 32. What is the application of this section?Again, Paul’s stated purpose in this passage is to prevent Gentiles from becoming “wise in yourselves,” which is an idiom for “conceited” (11:25). To preclude their conceit, he reveals a “mystery,” a previously unknown spiritual fact; in this case, a glimpse of the future from God’s perspective. What has occurred is a “partial hardening” of Israel, meaning that some, but not all Jewish individuals have been hardened. However, the current era of temporary discipline will end when “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” — Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Romans, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 231.

10. Note the phrase “full number” in verse 25. What is that talking about?During His earthly ministry, Jesus revealed that God’s plan included bringing elect Gentiles into the fold (Luke 21:24; John 10:16). The word “fullness” is extremely important to note. God knows the number and the identities of the Gentile individuals and has orchestrated world events around the time of their belief. How long is that? Only the Father knows (Matt. 24:36). All we know is that since the days of Israel’s exile, the Jew has lived under the heel of the Gentile world, which is part of God’s severe mercy on His people (11:22). But, when the time is right, when all of the elect Gentiles have entered the fold, the gate will close and the partial hardening of Israel will end. — Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Romans, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 231–232.

11. What is meant by “all Israel” in verse 26?When the era of the Gentiles has ended, “all Israel will be saved” (11:26). This may or may not include the majority of Jewish individuals. Remember, “all Israel” or the true Israel is not determined by numbers, but by belief. Therefore, “all Israel” and “the fullness of the Gentiles” represent the sum total of God’s elect. When all of God’s chosen individuals have believed, the next age will begin. Paul alludes to this coming era by quoting from Isaiah 59. — Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Romans, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 232.

12. Romans 11.32 – 36. How would you summarize the message of this passage?“Give Praise to God” was the first of the new Reformation hymns to be written. The occasion was the fiftieth anniversary celebration of The Bible Study Hour on September 12, 1999. The weekend’s theme was Toward a New Reformation, and the text for the Sunday morning sermon was Romans 11:36, the last verse of the magnificent doxology that closes the great doctrinal chapters of that book. Verse 36 is the climax and the Apostle’s testimony to all he has written. So the verse offered itself, particularly the last line “To Him be the glory forever! Amen” as an obvious refrain for the hymn. The stanzas of the hymn follow the preceding sections of the doxology, the first expressing the thoughts of verse 33, asking the worshiper to praise God for his infinite knowledge

and wisdom, and acknowledging that God’s ways are beyond our understanding.The second recognizes, as does verse 34 of Romans 11, that because God’s knowledge and wisdom are beyond our comprehension, no one can counsel God. Rather he is our true Counselor to whom we should look for wisdom and guidance. The third stanza points out that we cannot give anything to God either, as if the Creator of all things could need anything. The fourth and final stanza expresses the first part of verse 36, acknowledging, as we must, that all things come both from and through God himself and lead rightly to the worship of God by his redeemed creation.The majestic sweep of the doxology “For from him and through him and to him are all things; to him be the glory forever. Amen” displays a powerful rhythm and rhetoric well-suited to musical expression. The hymn’s four stanzas of eight-syllable lines provide a regular and stately framework for this noble text. To complement this regularity while avoiding the possibility of the music sounding too “fixed” or square, the setting is in three-quarter time, grouped in four-measure phrases with half-note stresses falling on significant syllables. The key of D major, often associated with celebration and “royal” music, particularly in the Baroque because of its accessibility for trumpets and timpani, was chosen for these associative reasons as well as for its natural brilliance. The melody has a British flavor and finds its climax at the text “heaven’s high throne” where the rhythm, constant in the other five lines, is intentionally altered so as to point us heavenward. The tune name [Soli Deo) (“God alone”) is an abbreviated form of the Reformation’s soli Deo gloria (“Glory to God alone”). — FIRST SUNG: SEPTEMBER 12, 1999 / James Montgomery Boice and Philip Ryken, To the Glory of God: A 40-Day Devotional on the Book of Romans (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2010).

13. The ESV says that God’s ways are inscrutable. What does inscrutable mean?Bruce Larson tells how he once heard on the radio an old fashioned Southern revival preacher, who said: “Today I’m going to explain to you the unexplainable. I’m going to define the indefinable. I’m going to ponder the imponderable. I’m going to unscrew the inscrutable.” — John Stott, The Preacher’s Notebook: The Collected Quotes, Illustrations, and Prayers of John Stott, ed. Mark Meynell (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).

14. What do we learn about God from this passage?Positively, it is a summons to us to recognize that God the Creator is transcendent, mysterious and inscrutable, beyond the range of any imagining or philosophical guesswork of which we are capable-and hence a summons to us to humble ourselves, to listen and learn of him, and to let him teach us what he is like and how we should think of him.“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,” God tells us; “neither are your ways my ways,” for “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:8-9). Paul speaks in the same vein: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord?” (Rom 11:33-34). — J.I. Packer, Knowing God, 1973.

15. Robert Morgan says of this passage, “Good theology makes for good doxology.” What does he mean by that?We Ascribe Him Praise (v. 33a). Romans 11:33 follows several chapters of Paul’s presentation of God’s Person and His plan. As Paul concludes his discussion of theology, he bursts forth in a doxology of praise. Good theology makes for good doxology. Paul recognizes that God is unlimited in His resources. God knows all there is to know. His wisdom is supreme. When we ponder the greatness of God we will praise the glory of God. Praise should be our natural response to an encounter with God. When we enter into the presence of His majesty and glory, of His holiness and love, we should stand in awe. When we catch a fresh vision of God’s glory, we ascribe Him praise. — Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2008 Edition. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007), 171.

16. Theologians call this “transcendence.” What does transcendence mean?We Assert His Transcendence (v. 33b). God is beyond our comprehension. How unsearchable are His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Isaiah 55:8–9 says: “ ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” Sometimes we can see a part of His wondrous ways, and we can be thankful for that glimpse. But often we can’t understand. We can,

however, learn to trust that God knows what He’s doing and that He will do what is right. What we can do is worship Him in wonder and awe. God is the transcendent One. — Robert J. Morgan, Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2008 Edition. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007), 171–172.

17. Read for application. What difference does this passage make in our day to day lives?When life throws at us circumstances we can’t understand, we either question God or trust Him. Lisa Beamer learned that lesson—twice.Lisa is the wife of 9–11 hero Todd Beamer, who with other passengers on United Airlines Flight 93, took control of their plane long enough to crash it to the ground, preventing an attack on the U.S. Capitol.After the crash, Lisa remembered when her father died quite suddenly when she was fifteen. At the time she had wrestled with the thought, God, You could have prevented this if You had wanted to! Why didn’t You? Then one day a college administrator confronted her with the reality that it was time to accept that for whatever reason, God had allowed her father’s death.1Bible verses Lisa had read came back to her:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” . . . For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! — ROMANS 11:33–34, 36

Lisa thought to herself, Who are you to question God? You think you deserve a happy life and get angry when it doesn’t always happen. She decided to stop questioning God and start trusting Him, not knowing that she would need to lean on that decision again—with her husband’s death.No, we don’t understand all that happens. But deciding to trust God is the only way to peace. — Darlene Sala, You Are Chosen: Inspiration to Reassure Your Soul (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Books, 2014).

18. God is beyond our understanding. What is most mysterious about God for you?Much of what matters is discovered when we wrestle with mystery, the areas of life beyond our understanding.

The character of the human spirit is certainly a mystery. Women are mysterious to men, as men are to women. Teenagers are in their own category of mystery to the average parent. Humans are complex, simple, and full of unpredictable emotion.And then the even deeper mysteries: If God exists, why won’t He prove His existence? If God is loving, how can He allow evil and suffering? What happens after you die?Understanding is important. There are answers out there for many of your questions. But it is in negotiating mystery that you’re forced to move beyond yourself into the realm of faith and trust.So the ultimate question perhaps isn’t, “What do you know?”It is, “Whom do you trust?”

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out. . . . For from him and through him and for him are all things. — Romans 11:33, 36

John Michalak, 365 Devotions to Embrace What Matters Most (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015).

19. What did you learn today? What do you want to remember and apply?

20. How can we pray for each other this week?