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Dispensation of the Mystery. The diagram demonstrates the whole story of the olive tree,
and it will be seen that the first cutting off of "some of the branches" occurred when
Israel in the land rejected the Lord.
Before the quotation of Isa. 6: 9 in Matt. 13: we have a series of events leading up
to this critical point:
(1)
The failure of Israel to repent, even though the mighty works done in Chorazin and
Bethsaida and Capernaum would have brought about the repentance of notorious
cities of the Gentiles like Tyre and Sidon (Matt. 11: 20-24).
(2)
The threefold rejection of the Lord Jesus in His three offices, as Priest, Prophet
and King. "In this place is one greater than the Temple" (Priest). "A greater than
Jonah is here" (Prophet). "A greater than Solomon is here" (King) (Matt. 13: 6,
41, 42).
(3)
Consequent upon this rejection and non-repentance come the "mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven", and the citation of Isa. 6: 9 (Matt. 13: 11, 14).
At the close of the Acts we find a repetition of this crisis, but on a larger scale. This
time Israel are set aside, but no command is given to make a fresh proclamation, as in
Acts 1: The quotation of Isa. 6: 9 is followed by the dispensation of the Mystery, in
which the olive tree and its branches, as such, have no place.
---Illustration---
(BE-XXVIII.114).
Between Matt. 13: and Acts 28: there were several excisions of the branches
because of unbelief, of which two are noted in the diagram--at Antioch and at Corinth.
That neither of these was final or intended to set aside the nation, Paul's own action
towards Israel makes clear. After Antioch he still preached in the synagogues; and after
Corinth, he still gave Israel and Israel's hope first place (Acts 28: 17, 20).
It is a difficulty with some students that the Apostle does not actually speak of the
cutting down of the olive tree in Rom. 11:, but only of "some of the branches" having
been broken off. The answer is that the Epistle to the Romans was written before
Acts 28: and still expressed the hope that, even at the eleventh hour, Israel would be
provoked unto emulation and be saved. No indication is given that the "fullness of the
Gentiles" would not be attained until nearly two thousand years had elapsed. We have
only to turn to Rom. 15: 12, 13 to see that Paul and the Church were still expecting the
fulfillment of Isa. 11: as well as Jer. 31: The "hope of Israel" was still the one hope
before them all. It suffices for the Apostle in Rom. 11: that "some of the branches" had
been broken off, and, to provoke the olive tree to emulation, some wild branches had
been graft in. What would happen to the olive tree if that effort failed is not revealed in
Rom. 11:, and in the nature of things could not be. Now that we have the light of all
Scripture, we know that Israel were to be "plucked up" and scattered", and to enter into a