Who are the natural branches in Romans 11:24?
The natural branches are the nation of Israel. In the Romans 11 olive tree analogy, Israel is the natural branch that was broken off and set aside, while Gentiles were grafted in contrary to nature. God promises that national Israel will be grafted back into their own olive tree.
Les explains that the natural branches are the nation of Israel, God's covenant people. In the olive tree figure, Israel was the natural branch broken off and set aside for over 1900 years, yet God is not through with Israel and will graft them in again. Gentiles are pictured as the wild olive tree, unproductive and pagan, brought into the fatness of the Abrahamic promises only by grace. Verse 24 contrasts this contrary-to-nature grafting with Israel, the natural branches, being grafted back into their own olive tree. Les warns that if Gentiles reject the same blessings, God will also cast them aside, turn again to His covenant people, and graft Israel back in.
For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?
More Questions
What is the wild olive tree in Romans 11 a picture of?
The wild olive tree of Romans 11 is unproductive — it is an olive tree that produces no olives — and this pictures the Gentiles.