Romanos 11:16-24

16-24. The image of the olive tree It is from its beauty and richness that the apostle selects the olive tree as an emblem of the Church of God. Some of the branches (the apostate Jews) are broken off, and from a wild tree new branches (the believing Gentiles) are grafted into the parent trunk.

But, amid their bloom and flourish, let the new grafts beware of forgetting their parasite position and proudly exulting over the severed branches. The latter were cut off for unbelief, the former may be for their pride and thus is furnished a striking picture of God’s impartial dealing. How probable that the native branches will yet resume their place!