“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 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. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” (JOHN 15:1-8NKJV)
Introduction
These verses speak deeply to our hearts. Yet, they leave some uncertainty, a beautiful analogy, yet also disturbing. It gives general guidelines rather than concrete instructions. We desire to abide, but how? We long to bear fruit, but what is meant by fruit? And, we don’t want to be taken away, or even worse, burned up! Come along with me as we look closely at Jesus’ words, look up meanings, and compare other verses, all to gain a deeper insight into the Vine Discourse.
Context
The disciples had gathered for the passover meal with Jesus. He knew this was the eve of his crucifixion and was preparing his disciples for what was to come. Confusion, disappointment, and grief would soon grip their hearts. Turmoil would soon ensue as their expectations of Jesus freeing them from Roman occupation were dashed. Jesus was encouraging them to stick with him, giving them a vision for the future. They left the upper room where they had eaten and now were walking to the Garden of Gethsemane when they passed by a vineyard along the way.
(1a) I am the true vine,
Jesus identifies himself as the true vine. Jesus was a Jew who was born into the Levitical system. The Jews had been waiting generations for the promised Messiah to come. Jesus was saying he was indeed the Messiah whom they had been waiting for. They need not look any further. He indeed was truth personified, and his teaching is what they should follow.
Jesus had made this claim before when he said he was the true shepherd (Jn 10:11-18). He told the disciples ahead of time that he would lay down his life for them, and that the sheep knew his voice and followed him. This vine analogy reminds me of a prophecy which says, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1). The prophecy continues to describe Jesus’ ministry with the Holy Spirit’s attributes and power.
The Jews of Jesus’ day had a false perception that their Messiah would be a military leader who would free them from Roman occupation and create a free and united Israel. When Jesus died, the disciples would become understandably disillusioned and confused. Jesus was reassuring them that he, indeed, was the Messiah and his death was part of the plan. Jesus had a broader view of what freedom meant – an eternal rather than earthly one.
Jesus, saying he was the true vine, implies that there are other “vines,” but they are false. Viewing the vine as a belief or spiritual practice, Jesus is saying he is the only person we should pay homage to, and his teachings are truth.
There are many different spiritual beliefs and practices in the world. There are individuals other than Jesus to whom people pay homage and who have begun major religions. There are also many people who pick and choose what they want God to look like. They believe what they want to believe and throw out what they don’t. Some people believe there are many ways to God other than Jesus. I’ve even heard some say that we are misinterpreting Jesus’ words when he said he was the only way to God.
We have a choice to either take what Jesus said at face value or to reinterpret his words according to our own or others’ ideas. But this second option is to ignore proof of prophecy, miracles, and Jesus’ own prediction of how he would die and then be raised back to life three days later. What other major religious leader claims such fulfilled prophecies, has witnesses who hear a voice from heaven claiming him to be God’s Son, or works miracles such as calming a raging sea or healing a man born blind? Regarding those who say Jesus was a great moral teacher, C. S. Lewis famously said, “You can shut (Jesus) up as a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” (Mere Christianity)
In verses that follow, Jesus addresses those who do not believe or follow him. It doesn’t end well for them. Let this be a warning to all of us to think carefully about who we are listening to and what we are giving our allegiance to. Do these people have the support of prophecy, miracles, and God’s own voice speaking? Did they speak of how they would die and what would happen after? Have they been raised from the dead? Anyone who predicts how he will die, how long he will be dead, that he will come back to life, and then pulls it off is someone I’ll take seriously.
(1b) and My Father is the vinedresser.
Not only does Jesus identify himself as the vine that is true, but his Father as the vinedresser. “Vinedresser is from the Greek word georgos meaning a land-worker, i.e. farmer: – husbandman, gardener, (G1092). It is the Father who tends to the vine, as well as the branches and fruit production. It is the Father who is ultimately responsible for our fruit production. We don’t have to strive to bear fruit, the Father tends to the branches in the way that is best for the branch to bear fruit.
This reminds us of Genesis, that the redemption of man was God’s idea and plan from the beginning. Genesis 3:15 speaks of the future offspring of the woman bruising the serpent’s head and the serpent bruising Jesus’ heel. Beyond Genesis, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. So this ‘vine’ (Jesus) is the truth, or belief system, which the Father has planted and tends in the garden of the church and world history.
Next, we will look at verse 2 showing the Father’s tending to each branch as well as to the whole garden.
