Verses 1, 2. The parable of the True Vine is a beautiful and important lesson on fruit bearing. Israel had been planted as a vine to bear fruit for Jehovah (Psa. 80:88Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. (Psalm 80:8)), but Israel in the flesh failed, and became a degenerate plant (Jer. 2:2121Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? (Jeremiah 2:21)), and was judged (Ezek. 15:66Therefore thus saith the Lord God; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 15:6)). The Lord, while here on earth, says of Himself, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman.” He too came out of Egypt (Matt. 2:1515And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:15)). Many branches were attached to Him—some real, who felt their need of Him and couldn’t go away; others could go away when anything offended them. (Compare John 2:23-2523Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:23‑25) with Chapt. 6:66-70.) Those who brought forth fruit were born again, and are purged to bring forth more fruit.
Verses 3-5. Those He was speaking to, He recognizes as truly His own, and were clean through His word which He had spoken unto them. It was needful for them to abide in Him, and He in them. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more could they except by abiding in Him. He again in Verse 5 avers, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” Without Him they could do nothing, but abiding in Him and He in them, they would bring forth much fruit.
Verse 6. “If a man abide not in Me”—here He speaks of those who externally associated themselves with Him, yet were not really His. Judgment was their portion at the last.
Verses 7, 8. “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” The will of the disciple is completely resigned to the Lord’s will. He wants nothing but what is for the Lord’s glory, and herein is the Father glorified, that they thus bear much fruit, and show the reality of being followers of their Lord. But the Lord is not on earth now, He is glorified at the Father’s right hand. Every believer now is united to Him by the Holy Spirit, as a member of His body. This is Paul’s line of teaching the Spirit (Rom. 12:4, 54For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4‑5); 1 Cor. 12:12-2712For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑27); Eph. 4:44There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)). John’s Gospel and Epistles give us oneness of life with Him, but not union. Instead of speaking of ourselves as branches of the vine, we speak of being members of His body. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)), and we say now, “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8; Gal. 4), taking our place in full assurance as children of God, the Father, and having eternal life (1 John 3:11Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)). It is, therefore, in the light of our new relationships with Christ in glory, that we apply to ourselves the truth of this parable—relationships that were not possible till Christ was glorified (John 7:3939(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (John 7:39)), giving us, as possessing them, the sense of God’s eternal love and faithfulness, and also the sense of our eternal security, but it is true that constant dependence is needed to bear fruit. It is true now, as then, “Without Me ye can do nothing.” It was a hard lesson for Paul to learn, but when learned, what a joy it was to his heart (2 Cor. 12:99And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)) to do everything by the power of Christ. And again, “I have strength for all things in Him who gives me power” (Phil. 4:1313I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13), new translation). There are also professors now, who don’t possess life in Christ, and who are passing on to eternal judgment. They cannot bear fruit, they have no life. Their so-called “good works” are only “dead works,” filthy rags of religion without a Saviour, yet if they own they are lost, He will welcome them and give them life and peace through His finished work, but they must come to Him now.
Then we all, who are children of God, need what answers to purging us, to bring forth more fruit (Heb. 12:6-116For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:6‑11); 2 Cor. 4:7-117But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:7‑11)). It is good to be humbled, if we will not humble ourselves, for the flesh is in us each one, and needs to be kept under the sentence of the death of Christ (Rom. 6:6,116Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11)), so that we may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22, 2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23).) How necessary it is for us to abide in Him, and let His words abide in us, for us to see and do what is for His and the Father’s glory, and walk in His steps (1 Peter 2:2121For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1 Peter 2:21)).
The danger of not doing so is also marked out in the epistles. One may be a true child of God, and yet sink into the state of Ephesians 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)—sleeping among the dead, that is: a Christian becoming like the world, his heart has parted company with Christ as His object; his feet are not being kept clean, and he has no part with Christ. (John 13:88Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. (John 13:8).) Peter describes him as “blind and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” What a sad condition for a redeemed man to be in! (2 Peter 1:99But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (2 Peter 1:9).) An unhappy life is his, and worse than useless. He is no testimony for Christ; his light is hid under the bushel or the bed (business or pleasure) and thus sowing to the flesh, he of the flesh reaps corruption; whereas he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Gal. 6:88For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)).
Verses 9-11. To those who abide in Him, and His words in them, all the Father’s resources are available. They bear much fruit, the Father is glorified in them, they bear the marks of true followers of Christ, and they learn to know and dwell in the sense of His love—love measured by the Father’s love to Him. Thus they are enabled to keep His commandments, and abide in His love, as He had kept His Father’s commandments, and abode in His love. The joy of the Son doing the Father’s will, becomes their joy in walking in His steps. Divinely perfect He ever was in it, but what grace and intimacy they are brought into, to share in such a path of dependence, obedience and love. All this belongs to the life we have in Him. It is for us the law of liberty (James 1:25; 2:1225But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:25)
12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. (James 2:12)).
Verses 12-15. “This is My commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” His love to them rose above all their weakness and failures, and they were to carry out this also. If they were living in the power of the Spirit, they would do so, for love is the nature of the new life which they have received. He laid down His life for His enemies.
“Thou for Thine enemies wast slain,
What love with Thine can vie.”
We also are to walk in this path of love (1 John 3:1616Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16); Eph. 5:11Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1)), if we are to enjoy the intimacy of the place He gives us as His friends, and He calls us friends. A servant is told what to do, but He unfolds to us all things He has heard of the Father, making us to know His purposes before they are carried out. It is as friends we serve Him.
Verses 16-21. They had not chosen Him; it was He who had chosen them, and appointed them that they should go and bring forth fruit, and fruit that should remain, so that they in their weakness could certainly count on the Father supporting them in their path, and giving them whatsoever they would ask Him in Christ’s name. Strength and grace are thus assured to them for the path they were distinctly called to walk in. Here again His commandment is given them, that they love one another. They would meet the hatred of the world, for it hated Him. Had they been of the world, it would have loved them, but He had separated them, calling them out of the world, then the world’s hatred turned upon them also. When they endured persecution, they were to think of this, that they, as servants, were not greater than their Master, but those who persecuted Him, would persecute them, and those who kept His word, would keep theirs also. And all these things would they do to them for His name’s sake, because they knew not the One who had sent Him.
Verses 22-25. It was the coming of the Lord into this world that fully manifested its character. Not only were they transgressors of the law, but their hearts were enmity against God. Their state was bad before; now it is shown out in all its reality to be what it is—hatred to Christ, the Lord, and to the Father also. His word that He had spoken, and the works He had done, were all from the Father, manifestly from the Father, so now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father. They were dead to all right thoughts of God, and active in hatred to the Father and the Son. It Proved and fulfilled the word written in their own law: “They hated Me without a cause.”
Verses 26, 27. But the Comforter would come. The Lord would send Him unto them from the Father, the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall bear witness of Christ, the Son, and they also, in the power of that Spirit, would be His suitable witnesses, because they had been with Him from the beginning.
This is the testimony to His heavenly glory. Jesus, the Son of God, now exalted to the Father’s right hand, into the glory now as a man, the glory He had with the Father before the world was, it was from Him the Spirit was sent. “I will send,” and He could tell of the glory He had with the Father, and they were witnesses to His life and ways on earth. It was a new testimony, different entirely from the vine and its branches, for this is heavenly in its character.
What marvelous ways of God, that makes man’s sin and rejection of His Son, the occasion to unfold His heavenly treasures in putting His people now in association with a glorified Lord, a man in heaven. It is to this heavenly One that all believers belong. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness!