John 15:1-2

John 15:1–2 (NKJV)

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

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.

I am the true vine,

John–Acts 15:1–8. Abiding in Christ

The OT regularly uses plant, tree, or vine imagery in symbolic descriptions of God’s people. For instance, the Lord speaks of “planting” his people in the land (2 Sam. 7:10). In Psalm 80:8 David describes the Lord’s bringing a vine out of Egypt and planting it in the land. In Isaiah 5:1–7 Isaiah likens Israel to a vineyard the Lord planted and tended.

This OT background informs what Jesus says in John 15. When Jesus declares himself to be the “true vine” in verse 1, he identifies himself as the true Israel. By adopting this imagery and applying it to himself, Jesus declares that one’s standing in the people of God depends no longer on genealogical descent from Abraham but on one’s vital connection to himself. To be part of the vine, one must be connected to Jesus. Whereas the Father formerly tended ethnic Israel as his vine, he now tends those who are united to Christ by faith.

My Father is the vinedresser

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 15

my Father is the husbandman—the great Proprietor of the vineyard, the Lord of the spiritual kingdom. (It is surely unnecessary to point out the claim to supreme divinity involved in this).

To this claim our Lord tells us that the “vinedresser” is the ultimate decider on which vines remain planted and which branches are cut away and cast off. As we see in the Bible God often dealt swiftly and forcely with His people. This is a righteous judgement in that God’s people should be more inclined to obey His commands than those who remain on the outside. We see that even with Christ there is obedience to the Father. The Lord is showing us how to live with humility and submission to the Vinedresser!

John 15:2 NKJV

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.

Every branch that doesn’t bear fruit He “takes away”. Much scrutiny has been applied to this verse in that it would appear that we are not safe even if we abide in Him. The two possibilities here that can make sense is one that this represents those that have a saving belief yet try to return to their former lusts. This is seen clearly in I Corinthians 5 verses 1 thru 5. We see that there is severe sexual immorality in the Corinthian church and Paul condemns the body in that they have decided to ignore the sin that is occuring doubtlessly in the open. He then tells what both he and the Lord Jesus would have them to do with this man. To turn him over to satan in order that the flesh may be devoured but his spirit saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Or perhaps the reference here is to a rendering of the word “airo” it means to “take away and lift up” it doesn’t refer to something being removed completely just placed in another position. Although this cannot mean that one will be exalted in non fruit bearing but given the reference Jesus is giving of a literal grapevine then we could easily see the “vinedresser” moving a branch that maybe has fallen beneath the canopy of the branches as a whole and close to the ground where disease and pest can intrude, to place to a higher and more nourishing place. As one who ministers to His vineyard. We do not see a parallel in verse 6 but rather a contrast. Here we have someone that is not in Christ and is “ballo exo” cast out as a branch that withers which is indicative of having no life.

Secondly we see someone that is both in Christ and bears fruit. Often times we can grow complacent after the first budding of spiritual fruit. We see ourselves as some sustaining forest for mankind. We will beat our chests and declare to the world to look at me and all that I have done. The Lord being not impressed with us declares that the Father will only prune the small meaningless twigs from our life in order to bear much fruit. A true follower of the Lord Jesus never finds himself satisfied in his own work but desires only to allow his life to be a living testimony to the power of God living in him. We are in a very peculiar place in the Lord Jesus while we cannot produce works that leads to salvation there apparently there is fruit that leads from salvation.