The Branches of the Olive Tree That Were Broken Off

From: Salvation Assured By: Algernon James Pollock

• 3 min. read • grade level: 8

A careful reading of Rom. 11, the Chapter that takes up the condition of the Jewish nation as symbolized by the olive tree, will show the contrast between the privileges of the Jews and those of the Gentiles. This Scripture does not take up the case of an individual, so much as nationally with the Jew, and worldwide with the Gentile. The blessings were at first lodged with Abraham, and through him descended to the Jewish nation. But what did the Jewish nation do with all its privileges, and they were many, chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God (Rom. 3:2²Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Romans 3:2))?

When our Lord came with all the grace and love of God in His heart, going about doing good, and undoing the works of the devil (1 John 3:8⁸He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)) how did the nation respond to all this wealth of kindness and goodness? They put our Lord on a gibbet, mocked His dying agonies, and crucified Him.

This is delineated in the parable of the householder, who planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen. When the time came for the husbandmen to receive of the fruits of his vineyard, his servants were beaten, stoned and some killed. What did the husbandman do after such vile treatment? Spite of it all we read the astonishing news that he sent his son, saying, They will reverence my son (Matt. 21:37³⁷But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. (Matthew 21:37)).

But what did they do? They seized the opportunity to slay his son, and thus obtain the inheritance. In this is vividly portrayed the way prophet after prophet of the coming Christ was treated, as narrated in Old Testament history; and how God in loving kindness beyond measure sent His only begotten Son, whom they crucified, and cast Him out of the world His own hands had made. Nay more, God took occasion of man's blackest crime to turn it into an expression of His wonderful love, inasmuch as our Lord died to meet the whole question of sin, to enable God righteously to proclaim His mercy and longsuffering to guilty man. For near two thousand years the day of wondrous grace has been prolonged.

But it will not always be so. In the parable the question is asked as how the husbandman would act when he should return to his vineyard. We read, "They say unto Him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons." (Matt. 21:41⁴¹They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. (Matthew 21:41)).

All this was prophetic, and much of it has already happened to the Jewish nation. The Jews are scattered among the nations. Jerusalem was destroyed. Its Temple overthrown, not one stone standing upon another, fulfilling the prophecy of our Lord (Luke 21:6⁶As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Luke 21:6)). The natural branches of the olive tree have been broken off. God's grace has gone out the Gentiles, as the Acts of the Apostles so fully testify. Gentile branches have been grafted into the olive tree.

So blindness has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom. 11:25²⁵For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Romans 11:25)). The day will come when a repentant Jewish nation will be again grafted on to the olive tree. (Zech. 12:10-14; 13:1¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. ¹¹In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. ¹²And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; ¹³The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; ¹⁴All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart. (Zechariah 12:10‑14)
¹In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. (Zechariah 13:1)).

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