The Terms Defined
A Sermon on Romans 11:16-17
Originally preached Jan. 8, 1965
Scripture
16For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of …
Sermon Description
In Romans 11:16–17, Paul provides more evidence of why the rejection of Israel was not final. Israel's stumbling was only temporary and because of their fall, the gentiles have received salvation. Paul explains that Israel's belief will be like coming to life from death. In this passage, he uses two illustrations to explain the Jews’ and the Gentiles’ relationship to the truth. In this sermon on Romans 11:16–17 titled “The Terms Defined,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones breaks down both illustrations and defines the words and context of the words. In essence, if one is part of the whole, and the whole is holy, then they, too, are also holy. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the term “holy” does not always mean sinless, but it means set apart by God. Some parts of the "dough" or "branches" (as used in the illustrations) have been cut off, but can once again be grafted in and take the blessings of the whole. God has the power to remove something once and for all, but He can also graft a part back into the whole. This is what will be done with the Jews. It will be a glorious day when all of Christ’s followers and those who believe the true gospel will be raised up and reunited with the whole.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul wants to explain the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the church.
- Verses 16 and 17 state the fundamental relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the church.
- The first illustration in verse 16 is that if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy. This refers to Numbers 15:19-21 where the first portion of dough offered to God makes the whole lump holy.
- The second illustration is that if the root is holy, so are the branches. The root determines the nature of the tree and branches.
- The two illustrations convey the same essential teaching. The question is who do the first fruit and root refer to?
- The first interpretation is that the first fruit refers to the first Jewish converts like Paul. But this is unlikely because the unconverted Jews don't correspond to branches coming from these first converts.
- The second interpretation is that the first fruit refers to the patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The root refers to Abraham himself. This fits with the overall argument that the Jews as a nation have a future.
- Verse 17 refers to an olive tree. Some natural branches were cut off, and wild branches were grafted in. But the natural branches will be grafted in again.
- The illustration of grafting in wild branches is contrary to nature. God did something miraculous to save the Gentiles.
- The key question is what the olive tree represents. The interpretation of the olive tree determines your view of the Jews' place in God's plan and eschatology.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 11:16-17: Questions and Answers
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the main subject of Romans 11:16-17?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the main subject as the fundamental relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the church. He states that this passage is "perhaps the most important statement anywhere in the Bible of the respective positions of Jews and Gentiles in the Christian church, and their relationship to one another and their relationship together to the whole of the church." This subsection (verses 16-22) deals specifically with helping Gentiles understand their proper position in relation to the Jews and the church as a whole.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the "first fruit" and "root" in Romans 11:16?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones rejects the interpretation that the "first fruit" refers to the first Jewish converts to Christianity. Instead, he argues that the "first fruit" consists of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—who were the beginning of the Jewish nation. Regarding the "root," he identifies this specifically as Abraham himself, who is "the root of the Jewish nation." He supports this with references to Romans 4:1, Isaiah 51:1-2, and Galatians 3, which all describe Abraham as the father or foundation of Israel.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the olive tree metaphor in Romans 11:17?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the olive tree metaphor presents a picture where branches from a good olive tree (representing unbelieving Jews) are broken off, and branches from a wild olive tree (representing Gentiles) are grafted in "among them" or "in their place." He emphasizes that Paul himself indicates this process is "contrary to nature" (verse 24), showing that God is doing something supernatural and miraculous in salvation. The metaphor illustrates how Gentiles have been brought into a relationship with the "root" (Abraham) and partake of the "fatness" or blessings that come through that connection.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones consider Romans 11:16-17 difficult to interpret?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones mentions that "some commentators don't hesitate to describe [these verses] as the two most difficult verses in the whole of the Bible." The difficulty arises primarily regarding the interpretation of the olive tree metaphor and determining what exactly the olive tree represents. He notes that one's understanding of this passage will "decide exactly the view you take of the precise place of the Jews in the economy of God and in salvation" and will influence views on "certain events in connection with the second coming and the whole of the future."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the proper approach to biblical interpretation in this passage?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes several principles of interpretation: 1. Context is crucial: "It's very important, obviously, that when we come to any particular subsection of a division, that we should be clear in our minds as to what the division is about." 2. Be careful not to "go off at a tangent" by fixating on single words or terms out of context. 3. Avoid relying on modern knowledge to interpret ancient texts: "The moment you say that, you've already gone wrong. Because obviously the apostle uses illustrations which could be understood 2000 years ago." 4. Look for the apostle's own explanations within the text itself, as when Paul clarifies in verse 24 that the grafting is "contrary to nature."
What is Dr. Lloyd-Jones' overall view of Israel's place in God's plan according to this passage?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones affirms that "far from the Jews being finished with or cast out, finally they are still in the purpose of God in a national sense." His interpretation maintains that though some branches (unbelieving Jews) have been broken off and wild olive branches (Gentiles) have been grafted in, there will be a time when natural branches (the Jews as a nation) will be grafted back in. He states that Paul's main argument in the entire chapter is that "a day is coming when as a bulk, they [the Jews] will come in" and that their coming in "will be like life from the dead for the whole church."
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.