JOHN CHAPTER 15.

JOHN CHAPTER 15.

15:1-11.  The Relation of the Lord to His Disciples.  Is one of organic union and life.  The central exhortation is contained in the words "remain in me."

           

The Lord said, "I am the true vine" and this suggests a contrast to a vine which did not prove itself a true vine.  The vine was used in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel, but generally with reference to God's judgment upon a nation.  We think of Jeremiah 2:21, "Yet I planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed."  The LXX. reads, "I planted thee a fruit - bearing vine, all true."  However, Israel proved herself a false vine, not bearing fruit.  Israel was planted and cultivated to bear fruit, but she proved herself a false and degenerate vine.

           

Jesus said, "My Father is the gardener." N.I.V.  The A.V. has `husbandman'.  The gardener owns the vine.  And a vine requires much care and pruning if it is to bear excellent grapes.  The gardener cuts off every branch that does not bear fruit, and they are gathered and burnt.  The unfruitful branch has an assumed relationship to Christ, but the reality of this relationship must be proved by bearing much fruit. (See 15:8. R.S.V.).  Every branch that does not bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful.  On the other hand, the unfruitful branch represents one who is not a Christian.  For the unfruitfulness of the professor is proof that he has not partaken of the fatness of the vine.  Judas Iscariot was such an unfruitful branch.  The fruitless branch is not a genuine believer.

           

Every branch that bears fruit the Father trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful. N.I.V.  This involves pruning and cleaning.  For the Christian life this means discipline, and discipline may be painful.  The word of Christ has cleansed us and is the means of discipline as it confronts us in every situation of living, and some of these may be painful.  His word saves us and cleanses us.  And it is in the more painful situations of life we feel the challenge of His word most.  However, we remember that the work of pruning is under the care of the Father.  Discipline is indispensable and it may be painful, but we are in God's hands.

           

Men learned at an early time that the vine would only bear much fruit, and good fruit, as the result of cultivation, pruning and cleansing.  They would observe that a vine eaten down by an animal bore more and larger fruit.  There is a Greek poem that comes from the first century that gives the words of a vine to the goat that chewed it to the ground.

           

Ay, gnaw me to my root,           And yet I shall bear fruit.

For a libation, goat, When priests shall cut thy throat.  (Oxf.Bk.of Gk Verse).

           

If there is no pruning the fruit of the vine will be small.  The gardener aims to obtain much fruit.  So likewise God intervenes in our lives that they may be fruitful and bring glory to Him. How are we to understand fruit?  It is total product of the Christian life and includes effective testimony, love to our brothers, fullness of joy and of revelation and practical obedience to His commands.

           

15:12-17.  The Relationship of the Disciples to their Lord is expressed in obedience to His commandments, and love to one another.  The central exhortation is found in the word `Love'.

           

The term `vine' designates the entire plant for the branches constitute a part of the vine.  For all the branches find their union and life in the vine.  A branch that does not bear fruit is dead.  There is union in the vine and it is:

           

1/  Organic and living.  This differs from the union of the various parts of a machine.  For an organic union  is one in which the various members participate in the same life,  just as the branches are so joined to the vine as to share in the same life.

           

2/  Personal and Corporate.  We have a personal union with Christ, and we do not lose our individuality.  But prison walls and isolation cannot deprive Christians of the fellowship of their Lord.  For the fellowship of Christ penetrates the greatest human loneliness.  However, our fellowship becomes a larger and more satisfying experience by our sharing in the fellowship of the church.  A vine suggests many members sharing together in the life of the vine.  The word `church' is not found in John's Gospel, but the essential truth of the church is present.  No member can share in Christ's life and fellowship and neglect the fellowship of the Church.  A vine suggests unity.  Then again our mutual abiding in Christ is expressed in two further forms:

           

a.  His words abiding in us. 15:7. We must abide in Him and His words abide in us.  This means we must keep His words, to cherish them and do them.  This also will explain how we are to carry out the injunction of 15:4, "admit me to abide in you."  (See also 1.Jn.3:24).

           

b.  If we abide in Him we must abide in His love. (15:9).  The Lord declares the measure of His love: "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you."  And verse 10 combines the two sides of the Christian life, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love."  (See 1.Jn.2:5).  To abide in Christ involves practical obedience to His commands, and His command is this:  "Love each other as I have loved you." 

           

Jesus does not speak of legal obedience.  Neither is our obedience the servile obedience of a slave who has no love for the master.  But Christ calls us friends, since he loves us and has made all things known to us.  He grants to us to ask what we will in His Name, and gives the assurance that God will give it to us.  Christian obedience springs from fellowship.  We are His friends and friendship suggests obedience on a new level.  The friendship is founded on his love for us, and it is expressed by our obedience to His commands.  There is a gladness in this obedience, for between Christ and His obedient disciples there is a mutual experience of joy.  We are friends of Christ and this friendship begins with Him.  The obedience of a friend greatly surpasses that of a slave.  We didn't choose Him, but He chose us.  The initiative was His not ours.  He has brought about our new relationship with Christ.

         

15:18-27.  The Relationship of the disciples to their Lord provokes the world's hatred for them.   This theme is carried into chapter 16.  It is on account of Christ that the world will hate His disciples.  Their continued hatred of Christ will now be directed against the Church, but it continues to be a hatred for Christ.  And their hatred of Christ would also be a hatred of the Father.  Jesus brings Scripture to prove they had no grounds for their hatred.  In this verse (25) Jesus quotes from the Psalms as Law.  All Scripture is regarded as an exposition of Law, and may be described as Law.  However, the disciples must testify concerning the Lord Jesus.  A special responsibility lay upon the disciples who had been with Jesus from the commencement of His ministry.  And when the Counselor comes He will be involved in this testimony concerning the Son.  For His presence in the world would be the beginning of the apostolic testimony to Jesus.  The exhortation in this final section is contained in the words, "you also must testify."