John 15 - Deeper week 1
“Two-leaved doors, with gold plating, and covered by a rich Babylonian curtain of the four colours of the temple (‘fine linen, blue, scarlet, and purple’), formed the entrance into the Holy Place [of the Temple]. Above it hung that symbol of Israel, a gigantic vine of pure gold, and made of votive offerings—each cluster the height of a man
1. The Metaphor Introduced
Israel’s failure to produce fruit, and its consequent impending divine judgment, are in view whenever the vine represents Israel in the Old Testament. Because of this identification and emphasis, it is clearly with unfruitful and guilty Israel that Jesus contrasted Himself as the “true” vine. He would produce good fruit as God intended Israel should (cf. Ps. 80:7–9, 14–17).
The Father cares for the true vine like a vinedresser (Gr. georgos) cultivates his vineyard. The idea of functional subordination within the Godhead appears again here. No vine will produce good fruit unless someone who is competent cares for it. God the Father cared for His Son.
We should not regard this as a proof that true believers may fall away. It is part of the viticultural picture, and the point could not be made without it. The emphasis is on the bearing of fruit. That is the only reason for growing a vine; as Ezekiel pointed out long before, a vine does not yield timber
In a vineyard fruitfulness is not simply desirable; it is imperative; that is the whole point of the vineyard; it is what the vineyard is for. Pruning is resorted to ensure that this takes place. Left to itself a vine will produce a good deal of unproductive growth. For maximum fruitfulness extensive pruning is essential.
The Greek word for trimming (kathairo) is closely related to the adjective in 15:3, “You are already clean [Gk. katharos] because of the word I have spoken to you.” Those who remain in the vine (such as Jesus’ disciples) are being readied for more fruit-bearing by the word Jesus is giving them.
disciples should live such lives that he will continue to abide in them
2. The Metaphor Extended
The fire symbolizes judgment, and attests the uselessness of what it consumes. Although the fire is part of the symbolism here associated with the vine, there can be little doubt that John and his readers perceived a similar fate for the faithless themselves (cf. 5:29; 1 Jn. 2:18–19; Mt. 13:37–42).
a truly obedient believer proves effective in prayer, since all he or she asks for conforms to the will of God
All fruit-bearing is the product of Christ and the Spirit indwelling us, and the goal is always, as the Westminster Confession says, to “glorify God and enjoy him forever
3. The Means for Abiding
the Father loves the Son (cf. 3:35; 17:23), and the Son obediently loves the Father (cf. 10:17; 14:31); the Son loves his followers, and they are to love and obey him (cf. 13:34; 14:15, 23); loving and obeying the Son means being loved by the Father (cf. 14:21, 23; 17:23); being loved by the Son also implies loving one another (cf. 13:34; 15:12, 17); God not only loves the disciples but loves the world and gave his Son for its people (cf. 3:16); but many in the world love darkness and do not do the will of God (cf. 3:19; 14:24).
If we are the recipients of Jesus’ love in a way analogous to his own reception of the Father’s love, we must remain in Jesus’ love by exactly the same means by which he has always remained in his Father’s love: obedience, that total obedience which finds Jesus testifying, ‘The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him’ (8:29).
This is not some mystical experience. It is simple obedience. It is when we keep Christ’s commandments that we abide in his love.
Jesus insists that his own obedience to the Father is the ground of his joy; and he promises that those who obey him will share the same joy