Romans 11:16-18

The Israelites were the roots of the Old Covenant  and from their root the Gospel of Jesus Christ was birthed. The Catholic Church, founded by Peter, became the New Covenant root of the Jewish believers in Christ. From this root and their successes and failures the birth of the Gentiles spread throughout the world.

The olive tree refers to Israel, those who inherited the promises of the Abrahamic covenant.

Gentiles, who have been grafted into the Abrahamic covenant and therefore become recipients of God’s blessing, should not boast. Gentile believers should not despise the Jews, the branches of God’s vine.

Paul intentionally stretches the analogy of grafting in order to communicate his point that Gentiles have been supernaturally connected to the family of God.

Romans 11:16-18

¹⁶ For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 

Ephesians 2:12

¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. 

James 1:18

² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

John 15:2

³⁹ For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 

Acts 2:39