May 1st John
15
7 “I am the true vine”
1:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2: Every branch
in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3:
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing. 6: If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch,
and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire,
and they are burned. 7: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8: Herein
is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples. 9: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:
continue ye in my love. 10: If ye keep my commandments, ye 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 unto you, that my
joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12: This is
my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13:
Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for
his friends. 14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command
you. 15: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth
not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all
things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16:
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that
ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may
give it you. 17: These things I command you, that ye love one
another.
The
type of the vine was commonly used in Israel to describe the relation
of God to his covenant people. In this part of Christ’s teaching to
his disciples he declares himself to be the true vine. He says l am
the True Vine and my Father is the husbandman. Christ continues the
analogy saying that every branch in him that does not bear fruit.
i.e. godly living under the mosaic law the Father will cut off from
Israel so that ‘it’ - Israel may produce more fruit. Now that the
disciples are clean through the word which Christ had spoken they are
to remain ‘in’ the vine. Abide in me, and l in you, Christ says,
because the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in
the vine. You will not be able to bear fruit of righteousness unless
you abide in me says Christ. Then he says, I am the vine and you are
the branches. Christ is saying, I am the Messiah and you are my
followers and you will not be able to produce righteous deeds unless
you abide in me, because without me you can do nothing. If a man does
not abide in me then he is cut off and he withers and like dead
branches he is gathered to be burnt in the fire. Now this cannot be
said of any of Gods children who are saved. This is describing Jews
who are living according to the law. If they do not live righteously
they will be cut off from the ministry of Christ and they will face
the fire of judgment. However Christ says to his own people, if you
abide in me then you will be able to ask anything and it will be done
unto you. The glory of the father is seen in the righteousness of the
disciples. This is pure law. He says, If you keep my commandments,
you will abide in my love; in the same way that I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love. How very different to
the situation that the christian finds himself in. He is accepted in
Christ once and for all. His sins are forever forgiven. The disciples
are to keep themselves in the fathers love by keeping the
commandments of Christ. Christ says that these things are being said
to you so that you might have the joy of God in your souls. Then
Christ reiterates his commandment. This is my commandment, that you
love one another, as I have loved you. He says, Greater love has no
man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. And you
are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you. Christ is saying
you are my friends if you obey my commandments. This is not said to
Christians under Grace. Christians under grace do keep the
commandments of Christ, but not in order to be Christ’s friend but
because they are in a saved relationship with Christ. Christ explains
that he is not going to call them servants anymore because servants
do not know what their Lord is doing. He says l am going to call you
friends; because everything that I have heard from my Father I have
made it known to you. Christ says to the Apostles, You did not choose
me but I chose you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring
forth fruit, and that your fruit should be permanent and that
whatsoever you will ask of the Father in my name, he will give it
you. Its pretty certain that the Apostles didn’t understand what
Christ was saying. He was saying that they are to go forth and
produce righteous deeds that will bring glory to God. And that they
are free to ask for anything and God will do it for them. Lastly he
says, I command you - that you love one another. And so we have this
amazing balance between All authority to command blessing and the
injunction to love toward each other.
- What does the husbandman do to those branches that do not bear fruit?
- What does it mean to Abide in Christ?
- In what way did the disciples come into a new relationship?
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