Peter Barnes | Romans 11:17-20
SERMON NOTES
HUMBLE BRANCHES
(Romans 11:17-20)
Paul draws on the Old Testament image of the professing people of God in Jer.11:16-17; Hos.14:6-7
1. The root, the natural branches, and the wild branches.
– 11:17-18; the root is not the Jews so much as the patriarchs, the olive tree is the people of God, the Jews are the natural branches and the Gentiles are the wild branches
– there is continuity between Israel and the Church (Gal.6:16)
– Gentiles are indebted to the Jews (John 4:22; Rom.15:26-27)
2. There is no place for anti-Semitism in the Church.
– 11:19 is spoken in a proud complacent way
– the Jews could be equally as guilty (Rom.2:17-24)
– Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany: ‘No one has the right to sing the Gregorian chants unless by the same voice he shouts for the Jews.’
3. We are to be humble, have faith, and fear
– 11:18, 20; note 1 Cor.10:12; Heb.4:1
– Gentile churches can fall away e.g. Rev.2-3