Believe and Live

I Am the True Vine

15 “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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

This three-part metaphor focuses upon Jesus as the vine, the Father as the husbandman, and the disciples as the branches of the vine. It is interesting to systematize what is said about each of them.

Jesus, the vine.

First, He, rather than Israel, is the true vine (v. 1).

Second, He is the source of spiritual life for His disciples; they share His life with Him (v. 2).

Third, He is absolutely essential to any spiritual accomplishment by the disciples (vv. 3–5).

The Father, the husbandman.

First, He cuts off and casts away those branches that do not bring forth any fruit (vv. 2, 6).

Second, He prunes producing branches so that they will produce even more (v. 2).

Third, He answers the disciples’ prayers (v. 7).

Fourth, He dearly loves the vine (v. 9).

Fifth, He takes pleasure in and is glorified by the fruitfulness of the branches (v. 8).

The disciples, the branches.

Disciples are part of the vine and only live through the vine(v. 4).

Self-righteousness is an effective bar to God's favor because it throws the sinner back upon his own merits and shuts him out from the imputed righteousness of Christ. ------A.W. Tozer

Disciples are only able to produce fruit through the vine (v. 5).

Fruit is always the miraculous, the created; it is never the result of willing, but always a growth. The fruit of the Spirit is a gift of God, and only He can produce it. They who bear it know as little about it as the tree knows of its fruit. They know only the power of Him on whom their life depends --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Disciples have true happiness because they are in the vine (v. 11).

Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”