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What the Bible says about Branch
(From Forerunner Commentary)

"Branch" is capitalized six times in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word used in five of them, semah, is fairly insignificant. It simply means "sprout, growth, or branch." The remaining occurrence has the word hoter, meaning "branch" or "twig." We can see, then, that the literal meaning leads to a more metaphorical one.

The Hebrews and other Semitic peoples used the term in a genealogical sense, meaning that a certain person belongs to or descends from a particular family line. To give the same sense, we might use the term "heir," "descendant," "seed," or "scion." Like Hebrew, English links trees and genealogy in such phrases as "family tree" and "the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree."

Of all the "Branch" passages, Isaiah 11:1 shows this usage the best: "There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch [hoter] shall grow out of his roots." As the context reveals, the Messiah will descend from the line of Jesse, the father of David. This idea of descent is present in all the "Branch" passages.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Related Topics: Branch


 

Here He is highlighted as a Man whose job is to build the Temple, be glorified, rule as King, and function as priest without any controversy between the two offices, thus bringing peace. The Branch is shown as the one Man who fulfills all things perfectly. He is the perfect man.

In this vein, Paul writes, "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time" (I Timothy 2:5-6).

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Related Topics: Branch


 

The Branch is described in four different ways, as a King, Servant, Man, and God. The four views of the Branch are the very same four views that the gospel writers give in the New Testament:

  • Like Jeremiah 23 and 33, Matthew shows Christ, the Branch, as King.
  • Like Zechariah 3, Mark shows Christ, the Branch, as Servant of God and man.
  • Like Zechariah 6, Luke shows Christ, the Branch, as Man, whose job is to build the church and become the perfect Mediator between God and man.
  • Like Isaiah 4, John shows Christ, the Branch, as God in the flesh.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Related Topics: Branch


 

Isaiah 4:2

He is called "the Branch of the Lord"—He is God's descendant! He is the Son of God, not just the son of the man David! Yet this verse also describes Him as "the fruit of the earth," meaning that, though He is God, He is also from mankind. He could claim full descent from both Godkind and humankind!

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Isaiah 4:2

The Branch mentioned here is a frequent symbol of Jesus Christ, who is of the God Family but also of the fruit of the earth, meaning He is both Godkind and humankind. Notice that only those chosen and rescued by God benefit from the enhanced production of fruit.

Isaiah 11:1 explains the Branch more fully: “And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” The Branch descends from the line of Jesse, the father of David. Jeremiah 23:5 and 33:15 both refer to “a Branch of righteousness” of Davidic lineage, and in Revelation 22:16 Jesus himself affirms, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David.”

Bill Onisick
The Branch of God's Planting

Jeremiah 23:5-6

These scriptures focus on the Branch as King, descending from David, making righteous judgments, ruling, and causing peace and security. Thus Revelation 19:16 calls Him, "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Zechariah 3:8-9

Here the Branch is called God's Servant, taking away iniquity in one day. This is exactly what Christ did, and is reminiscent of Paul's description in Philippians 2:7: "But [Christ Jesus] made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant. . . ."

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Related Topics: Branch | Christ as God's Servant


 

Luke 1:78

There are two ways to translate the word "Dayspring" in verse 78. It is anatole in Greek, meaning "rising up," and Greek speakers usually use it of the sun and stars rising. It often has the sense of "from the east," since the sun rises in the east.

Its second meaning, though, is "shoot" or "branch"! It is the same word that the Septuagint, the Old Testament in Greek, uses in Jeremiah 23:5 and Zechariah 3:8; 6:12 for "Branch"! At the very least, this is a double entendre, a play on both meanings of the word, to describe the Messiah. This could be translated "the Branch from on High," which is very similar to Isaiah 4:2, "the Branch of the Lord [YHWH]."

The translators chose to use "Dayspring" because verse 79 contains the imagery of giving light in darkness, just as the dawn chases away the darkness of night. They are undoubtedly correct in their choice, but the idea of "the Branch" is lurking just behind.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Related Topics: Branch | Branch of the Lord | Light | Messiah | YHWH


 

John 15:1-8

Christ came to this earth as THE BRANCH and fulfilled all righteousness, qualifying to replace Satan and rule as King over all the earth. He proved His worthiness by remaining in full accord with His heavenly Father, and bearing the spiritual fruit that makes redemption and salvation possible.

Likewise, we - whether natural or grafted in (Romans 11:17-24) - are also branches attached to the solid trunk of the tree, Christ. It is only by our abiding in Him - our attachment to Him - our close relationship with Him - that we produce any growth or godly works. As Paul writes in Romans 11:16, "If the root is holy, so are the branches." Our righteousness, works, and holiness come to us only because of our connection to Him.

Jesus says that God, in love, prunes us, chastens us, tries us, so that we become more profitable (see also Hebrews 12:3-11). He will do what He must to make us yield. But if we resist and eventually sever our connection with Him, we are fit only to be burned. God has no use for dead wood.

God wants us to use this connection to His Son to "bear much fruit," just as Jesus Christ did. Doing so proves to Him, to ourselves, and to everyone else that we are true Christians, disciples of His Son, the Branch. By this, we will glorify God and secure our place in His Kingdom.

Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The Branch

Romans 11:17

Just as Isaiah prophesied long before (Isaiah 60:21; 61:3), Paul confirms here in Romans: We have been grafted into the God Family contrary to our nature and carnal mind. God the Father does the planting. Only those called by God the Father—whether Israelite or Gentile—have become “the branch of [God's] planting” grafted to “the righteous Branch” and into His Family through the grace of God under the New Covenant.

The rest of Israel was broken off because of unbelief. Paul warns in Romans 11:7 that Israel became blinded and hardened. Drawing back from God, they could not form a grafted union with Jesus Christ. God did not spare these natural (Israelite) branches that fell into unbelief and disobedience. They suffered His wrath for their consistent disobedience. Likewise, He will not spare us if we fall into similar disobedience and become fruitless.

Paul was clearly familiar with the practice of grafting, as was his Roman audience. He uses this beautiful illustration to draw attention to the fact that God has grafted us into His Family by a method contrary to nature. In the natural process of grafting, a branch capable of producing fruit is grafted to a rootstock that can improve fruitfulness and vigor. But Paul says that we were the unfruitful, wild branch grafted contrary to our nature into the holy root stock.

We are the branch of God's planting. He has stripped away our carnal, sinful bark through our Savior's sacrifice and His granting of repentance (Romans 2:4; Acts 11:18; II Timothy 2:25). God the Father Himself has grafted us in—tightly bound us—to His Son, the Righteous Branch and Holy Root. Through our grafted union, we receive the nourishment of His Holy Spirit.

Bill Onisick
The Branch of God's Planting


Find more Bible verses about Branch:
Branch {Nave's}
 




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