Regrafting of the Jews
A Sermon on Romans 11:23-24
Originally preached Feb. 26, 1965
Scripture
23And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive …
Sermon Description
In Romans 11:23–24, Paul continues his arguments to prove that the Lord is not done with the nation of Israel. In this sermon on Romans 11:23–24 titled “Regrafting of the Jews,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out the three previous arguments in the beginning of the chapter for review and explains two more arguments in these verses. The first is based on the power of God; He is able to do anything. This means that the Lord is able to regraft the Jews back into His fold. Paul is continuing his illustration of the branches and roots of a tree. The Lord may have chosen to cut off the nation of Israel, but that does not mean that He cannot once again restore them. The second argument is in light of what God has done to the Gentiles. Because the Lord chose to bring salvation to the Gentiles, this is proof that He can also restore the Jews once again. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that it was even harder to graft in the Gentiles, so how much more would the Lord be willing and able to once again regraft His chosen people. As a final reminder, the Christian should always be aware that they are part of the branches that are growing and fruitful, lest they also are cut off.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing the possibility and reasonableness of the restoration of the Jews as a nation in verses 23-24.
- In verse 23, Paul states that the restoration of the Jews is possible if they do not remain in unbelief. Their salvation is conditioned on faith alone, not works or nationality.
- Paul emphasizes God's power and ability to graft the Jews in again in verse 23. Though it seems impossible, God is able to do it. This is a reference to Mark 10:27 - "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."
- In verse 23, "they" and "them" refer to the Jews as a race, not the specific Jews alive during Paul's time. Paul is not teaching that the same Jews who rejected Christ can come back again. He is referring to Jews in the future.
- Verse 23 does not teach falling away from grace or being in and out of salvation. God is the one who grafts people in, and when He does so, they remain grafted in. Salvation is certain and permanent.
- In verse 24, Paul argues from the greater to the lesser. If God could graft in the Gentiles, who were "contrary to nature" and outside the covenant, how much more easily can He graft in the Jews, who were the "natural branches"?
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About God's Plan for Israel in Romans 11?
What is the main argument in Romans 11 about Israel according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main argument in Romans 11 is that "God has not finished with the Jews as a people, as a race, as a nation." He explains that the chapter aims to refute the idea that God had completely rejected Israel. Lloyd-Jones divides the chapter into two main sections: verses 1-10 demonstrate that the rejection of Israel wasn't total, while verses 11-32 show that it's not a final rejection, but only a temporary one.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about the possibility of Israel's restoration?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Israel's restoration is not only possible but certain. He bases this on several arguments from the text:
- Paul himself is proof that God hasn't rejected the Jews
- The existence of a "remnant according to the election of grace"
- The argument about the first fruits and root being holy
- God's power - "God is able to graft them in again"
- The fact that God has already brought in the Gentiles, which was "contrary to nature"
As Lloyd-Jones states: "The restoration of the Jews seems utterly impossible, and it's only possible in one way. And that is God is able to graft them in again."
What condition must be met for Israel's restoration according to Romans 11:23?
Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul identifies only one condition for Israel's restoration: "They also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graft in." He emphasizes that salvation is always by faith alone, saying: "There is only one principle which God ever uses in his dealings with men, and he's never used another. It has always been faith from the very beginning. There never will be any other way whatsoever. Salvation is always by faith and by faith only."
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about God's power in relation to Israel's restoration?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Israel's restoration is entirely dependent on God's power: "Nothing less or short of the power of God could possibly bring this to pass." He references Jesus' words that "with men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God all things are possible." Lloyd-Jones stresses that the restoration of Israel will be "the miraculous action of God," not something accomplished by human means.
Does Romans 11:23 teach that believers can lose their salvation?
Lloyd-Jones emphatically rejects the idea that Romans 11:23 teaches one can lose salvation and regain it. He clarifies that when Paul speaks of "they" and "them" being grafted in again, he isn't referring to the same individuals who were cut off, but rather to Jews as a race in a future time.
He states: "That kind of teaching is not only wrong, but impossible. For this reason, it is God who does the grafting. It is God who produces regeneration. And when God puts this life of his in the soul, it is put there and it remains there." Lloyd-Jones affirms that this verse actually supports the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints.
What argument does Paul make in Romans 11:24 about the likelihood of Israel's restoration?
Lloyd-Jones explains that in Romans 11:24, Paul argues from the greater to the lesser. If God has already done the more difficult thing (bringing in Gentiles who were completely outside the covenant), how much more can He do the less difficult thing (restoring the Jews who were the natural branches).
As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "If God can save a gentile, how much more so can he save a Jew?" The Jews had all the preparation through the Old Testament, the promises, the temple ceremonies, and everything pointing to the Messiah, making it in some sense more "natural" for them to be grafted back in than it was for Gentiles to be grafted in initially.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.