{"id":774,"date":"2022-02-26T09:00:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-26T09:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elshaddaichristian.com\/?p=774"},"modified":"2022-02-26T09:00:18","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T09:00:18","slug":"the-olive-tree-metaphor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reviewjob.store\/pastorglenn\/the-olive-tree-metaphor\/","title":{"rendered":"The Olive Tree Metaphor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s The Scripture;<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18.\u00a0 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, {remember that} it is not you who supports the root, but the root {supports} you. 19.\u00a0 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20.\u00a0 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21.\u00a0 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22.\u00a0 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23.\u00a0 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24.\u00a0 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural {branches} be grafted into their own olive tree? 25.\u00a0 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery–so that you will not be wise in your own estimation–that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Meaning Of The Olive Tree Metaphor<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Olive trees were rather common in the Holy Land, Mature, cultivated olive trees grow to 20 or more feet in height and produce fruit. At first, it is green but turns to a deep, blue-black, or dark green color when the olives are fully ripened. They are harvested in the early fall. As a result, olives were one of the major products of the area they were shipped out.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To clarify the olive tree metaphor we need to understand that there are two basic types of olive trees, the wild tree, and the cultivated tree.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the Middle East at the time of Paul as well as today, two main types of olive trees are commonly grafted – the wild and the cultivated varieties.\u202f The cultivated trees grow olives used for food and to produce olive oil.\u202f Wild olive fruit isn\u2019t as flavorful and is not usually eaten.\u202f Grafting won\u2019t make a wild branch produce olives of cultivated quality or change the solid root structure of the original tree.\u202f It would, however, allow the wild branch to benefit from the established roots and healthy base of the cultivated tree and help it to produce healthy fruit of its own unique variety.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201c<\/span>Wild Olive Shoots<\/span><\/b>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>represent\u202fGentiles<\/span><\/b>\u202f- i.e., people from other nations. -The \u201c<\/span>root\u201d<\/span><\/b>\u00a0of the tree\u00a0<\/span>represents God\u2019s covenant promises<\/span><\/b>\u00a0to the patriarchs -Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Interestingly, the \u201colive tree\u201d metaphor for Israel is used in other places as well.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n