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‘O the Depth of God’s Wisdom!’The Watchtower—2011 | May 15
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17. How was what Jehovah did “contrary to nature”?
17 Jehovah did something that many would view as totally unexpected. Paul describes what happened as “contrary to nature.” (Rom. 11:24) How was this so? Well, it would seem unusual, even unnatural, to graft a wild branch onto a cultivated tree; yet, that is what some farmers did in the first century.b In a similar way, Jehovah did something extraordinary. From a Jewish viewpoint, Gentiles were incapable of producing acceptable fruitage. However, Jehovah made these very ones part of “a nation” that produced Kingdom fruitage. (Matt. 21:43)
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‘O the Depth of God’s Wisdom!’The Watchtower—2011 | May 15
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a Evidently, there is no typical or antitypical olive tree. Although natural Israel did produce kings and priests, the nation did not become a kingdom of priests. Kings in Israel were prevented by law from becoming priests. Therefore, natural Israel did not serve as a typical olive tree. Paul is illustrating how God’s purpose to produce “a kingdom of priests” is fulfilled in connection with spiritual Israel. This updates what was published in the August 15, 1983, Watchtower, pages 14-19.
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‘O the Depth of God’s Wisdom!’The Watchtower—2011 | May 15
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[Box/Picture on page 24]
Grafting Wild Olive Branches—Why?
▪ Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella was a Roman soldier and farmer who lived in the first century C.E. He is best known for the 12 books that he wrote on country life and farming.
In his fifth book, he quotes this ancient proverb: “He who ploughs the olive-grove, asks it for fruit; he who manures it, begs for fruit; he who lops it, forces it to yield fruit.”
After describing trees that are thriving and yet fail to bear fruit, he recommends the following procedure: “It is a good plan to bore them with a Gallic auger and to put tightly into the hole a green slip taken from a wild olive-tree; the result is that the tree, being as it were impregnated with fruitful offspring, becomes more productive.”
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