Grafted

Grafted into the domestic Jewish olive tree. Graft is a horticultural term for:

1. a bud, shoot, or scion of a plant inserted in a groove, slit, or the like in a stem or stock of another plant in which it continues to grow. 2. the plant resulting from such an operation; the united stock and scion. 3. the place where the scion is inserted.

The fruit produced on the grafted branch is the same variety as the tree from which it was cut. For this analogy by Paul, the fruit produced on this grafted branch will still be Christian, but with a very significant difference, which is the same reason fruit is grafted into another root stock; the fruit of this branch will now have the characteristics of its new root! With oranges, the graftings are to give more freeze resistance, drought resistance, or some other quality to the fruit that branch produces. In Paul’s analogy, the new fruit will have the advantage of the Jewish Roots, including relationships with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, plus a direct connection with Torah and all the Hebrew Scriptures.

Romans 11:17. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, since you are a wild olive, were yourself grafted into them, then you would be a participant for yourself of the richness of the root of the olive tree. 18. Stop boasting of the branches: but, if you do boast, you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19. Therefore you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20. Just so: they were broken off by unbelief, but you have stood by faith. Do not be proud, but you must continually fear for yourself: 21. for if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He in any way spare you. 22. You must now see the goodness and severity of God: on the one hand severity upon those who fell, but on the other hand goodness of God upon you, if you would remain in the goodness, otherwise you would be cut off. 23. And even these, if they would not remain in unbelief, they will be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24. For if you were cut off from the naturally wild olive tree and contrary to nature you were grafted into the cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted into their own cultivated olive tree.

Every “you” in this paragraph is singular, so each one of us is individually grafted into the cultivated Jewish olive tree. The Richness literally means to grow fat, rich in your individual, personal relationship with the Lord. The fruit from this tree, containing both new and old fruit, relates to One New Man.

Ephesians 2:14. For He is our peace, the One Who has made both things into one and Who has loosed the dividing wall of the fence, cause of the enmity to His flesh, 15. by His nullifying the tradition of the commandments by decrees, so that He could create the two, Jewish and non-Jewish, into One New Man, establishing peace 16. so He could reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, as God killed their enmity by means of Him, Y’shua. 17. And when He came He proclaimed the Good News of peace to you, to those far away, and peace to those near: 18. because through Him we both have the introduction to the Father by means of one Spirit. 19. Therefore then, you are no longer aliens and strangers, but you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, 20. building upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Y’shua being His cornerstone, 21. in Whom the whole building being constructed is being fit together into a holy sanctuary in the Lord, 22. and in Whom you are built together into a habitation of God by the Spirit.

Isaiah 44:5. One will say, I am the LORD’s*, and another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and another will subscribe with his hand to the LORD*, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

Ezekiel 34:23. And I will set up one Shepherd over them and He will feed them, My Servant David. He will feed them, and He will be their Shepherd. 24. And I AM, the LORD* will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them. I AM, the LORD*, has spoken.

John 10:14. I AM the Good Shepherd and I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, 15. just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father, and I lay down My life on behalf of the sheep. 16. But I also have sheep that are not from this sheepfold: and it is necessary for Me to lead those and they will hear My voice, and they will become one flock, one Shepherd.

The grafting is permanent, with no doubt this is God’s choice for all of us. It is a requirement for us to embrace our Jewish Roots. The LORD desires One People, unity between Christians and Jews, but Christians have been the fiercest persecutors of Jews, persecuting them more than any other group. That calls for deep repentance by those who profess to be Christian.