Romans: The Olive Tree

Abstract

Dr. Steinmetz is dealing here with Paul's discussion in Romans 9–11 of the election of the Jews. Paul uses the image of an olive tree, the trunk/base of which is Israel, who were and are God's chosen. A new branch has been grafted onto the tree (the graft point is labeled "Faith") bringing in Gentile believers. The Jews who have accepted Christ are pictured as another branch on the tree, while the Jews who have rejected Christ are a branch that seems to have fallen to the ground, to be re-grafted onto the tree at some future date. Perhaps uncomfortable with this image, Dr. Steinmetz has drawn on the following page of his notes a different configuration: this one shows diverging and re-converging streams. (See image "Romans 9–11" in this gallery.)