Articles
“Gentile Conceit”
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
(Romans 11:17-24)
It is very easy to read a story about ancient Israel being judged for some rebellion or another, shake our head with a little smile on our face and think, “Well, that’s Israel for you, seldom faithful and always in need of judgment. I’m just glad I’m a Christian.” But caution, dear reader, pride comes before the fall. How easy it is to cross the line from biblical faith to gentile conceit!
We must remember who we are and where we came from. We must “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:12-13)
And how did that reconciling “blood of Christ” come to us gentiles except through Israel, God’s old covenant people? We are but hanging branches, grafted onto God’s Jewish olive tree (Rom. 11). Yes, some of the natural Jewish branches were broken off because of unbelief, “but you stand fast through faith” (v.20). What does that mean for us? No smugness when we read of ancient Israel’s complaining in the wilderness. No smirks when we hear of their rebellions, their idolatry, and their coming under judgment.
Sackcloth and ashes and awe should accompany our Bible reading, “for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you” (v.21). Do we honestly think we are immune to the same temptations that ensnared Israel? We must soberly note God’s severity toward Israel and kindness toward us, “provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off” (v.22).
Beware of thinking that just because we are Christians living under the new and better covenant that the record of Israel’s sins and the warnings under the old covenant have no bearing on our lives. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Paul tells us how Christians ought to handle the Old Testament Scriptures in Romans 15:4 — “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” We are meant to learn from these stories so that we might have the courage to live with hope.
When we read the Old Testament, we are to see it as the earlier part of the story we ourselves are living in. Ancient Israel’s past explains the roots from which we’ve grown and provides a firm foundation upon which to build our understanding of “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1). Let us, then, read Israel’s past with sympathetic and humble hearts, learning from their failures and their triumphs, all the while rejoicing in the grace of God.
