ROMANS 11:17

“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,”

As part of my two stem cell transplants, I had to go through a time of engraftment of my stem cells. This process is defined as “the critical process where transplanted hematopoietic stem cells travel to the bone marrow, attach, and begin producing new, healthy blood cells ( white cells, red cells, platelets). It marks the success of a bone marrow transplant, typically occurring 2–4 weeks post-transplant, when blood counts begin to recover.” (National Marrow Donor Program) Let me tell you, there is joy when you are told you have a successful engraftment.

Paul uses the idea of engraftment in today’s verse, but he is not talking about stem cells. He, on the other hand, used an illustration of husbandry where a farmer would engraft the branch from one olive tree into an older, more mature tree. It is truly amazing to see this process when the new branch successfully engrafts and then produces fruit, not from whence it came but fruit like they older, more mature tree.

APPLICATION

The Greek word translated as “grafted” is egkentrízō which comes from “en, (in) and kentrizō, (to prick, puncture) – properly, to engraft (insert) by making a puncture to graft a living shoot into another living plant (tree). It always refers to God combining His two redeemed ethnic groups (OT, NT believers) into one people. Egkentrízō occurs six times, all in Romans 11:17-24.” (HELPS Word-studies) We’ll see these occurrences over the next several days in our study of Romans.

So, according to this passage, every Gentile who comes to the saving knowledge of Christ should have gratitude towards the Jewish nation, the “rich root of the olive tree.” We are inseparably linked in God’s creative order. It was His plan from the beginning to use the Jewish nation to reach the world with His message of redemption. This was accomplished through His Son. We are now the engrafted branch that is bearing fruit.

Isaiah 11:10 points us towards this engrafting. “Then on that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal flag for the peoples; and His resting place will be glorious.” Hosea 2:23 gives the promise to those were outside the nation of Israel when the Lord says, “‘I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, And I will say to those who were not My people, “You are My people!” And they will say, “You are my God!”’” Are you engrafted yet? It’s not too late.

Father, thank You for engrafting me into the root of Jesse and producing through me fruit for Your kingdom.

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