John 15
CHAPTER 15
The true vine
I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that carries no fruit, he prunes away; and every branch that carries fruit, he cleanses it, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, so neither can you, except you abide in me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him, the same carries much fruit. For severed from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is thrown out as a branch and withers, and these are gathered and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will and it shall be done to you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so shall you be my disciples. 9 Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. 12 This is my commandment: That you love one another, even as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: That a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends, if you do the things which I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants. For the servant does not know what his lord does; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain. So that whatever you shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you may love one another.
The believer and the world
18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they do not truly know Him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they would not have sin; but now have they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 All this happens so that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law: They hated me without a cause.
26 And when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. 27 And you also shall testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Commentary
15:1,2 Jesus doesn’t say “I am the trunk and you are branches”. He is us and we are Him. This is how intimately connected He is with us, and why no branch can claim to not be in association with the other branches.
15:4,5 True spiritual fruit cannot be produced by those outside of Christ.
15:6 If we go out of association with the vine, we will wither. Christianity can’t be lived in isolation from other believers.
15:7 John also writes that if we ask anything according to God’s will, then we will be heard (1 Jn. 5:14). But if God’s word abides in us, then we will ask according to our will and be heard- because our will becomes God’s will if His word abides in us. We will not ask what we want but what God wills- His will shall become our will.
15:15 Islam and many other religious systems speak much of ‘submission’. But we are the friends of Jesus, not His slaves. Our work for Him is from a motive of love, and is performed in active co-operation with Him as we work together to the same end- the glorification of God.
15:16 The initiative was with God and Jesus- because we are saved by pure grace. We should take the initiative in showing love and grace to others, as God did to us.
15:18-20 We should therefore expect opposition from the world, as predicted in the opening promise of the Bible in Gen. 3:15.
15:22 Knowledge of God’s word brings responsibility.
