“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just 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. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
John 15:1-17 has
the theme of love and believers. Verses 1-6 is a mashal, with the allegorical
elements emphasized.[1] We shall see that John provides an
explanation of the parable in terms of the Last Discourse in verses 7-17 in
which the reality keeps breaking through the image. Thus, although knowledge of actual
cultivation of the grapes for wine is helpful, we will distract ourselves from
the point of the parable if we focus upon it too much. This text comes from the
middle of Jesus' so called "Farewell Discourse," a lengthy section
running from chapters 14 to chapter 17. These chapters contain considerable
repetition and parallelism.[2]
The final context of this “I am the true vine” saying of Jesus is the upper
room, before Christ’s betrayal and subsequent trial and crucifixion. Some
consensus exists that this unit does make two distinct points.[3]
In verses 1-6, Jesus articulates the parable of the vine, using typical parable
imagery. In verses 7-17, Jesus elaborates on what the precise application of
that parable means for disciples.
The source of the vine
imagery is the Old Testament and Judaism, in which God is the vinedresser and
Israel is the vine. We find many metaphorical
speeches concerned with vines and vineyards in many places in the Hebrew
Scriptures (Psalm 80; Isaiah 5, 27; Jeremiah 2; Ezekiel 15, 17, 19). In Isaiah
5:1-7, for example, God plants and tends a vineyard but it yields “wild grapes”
or inferior fruit — a metaphor for the apostasy of Israel and Judah. Jeremiah
2:21 uses the same vineyard imagery, as does Ezekiel 19:10-14, and Hosea 10:1.
In each of these cases, however, Israel
John has blended
these images together with his own Christology.
Is the image Eucharistic? The
basic meaning is quite clear. Just as
Jesus is the source of living water and is the bread from heaven that gives
life, so is Jesus the life giving vine.
However, the previous images have to do with believing. This image is more intimate. Indeed, the explanation in v. 7-17 makes it
clear that focus of remaining connected to the vine is on love. There may well be a secondary reference to
the Eucharist here, especially in the context of the Last Supper.
Verses 1-6 are the
parable. “I am the true in the sense
of real, not just opposed to the false,
vine, and my Father is the vine grower. The emphasis is on Jesus as the
real vine and not on the Father as the gardener. The latter image qualifies the kind of vine
that Jesus is--a vine belonging to the heavenly order. If we connect to another
vine, we will not produce genuine fruit. Note that here the role of the Father
is to tend the vine. Normal parallelism
in John might lead us to think that he would make his point that just as the
disciple gets life from Jesus, so Jesus gets his life from the Father. 2 He
removes (airei) every branch in me
that bears no fruit. Fruit may refer to general growth as a follower of
Jesus, maturing in virtues and good works, but especially a life devoted to
love. We can see this by the context that focuses on love after verse 9. An important reminder is in order
here. Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. One does not
need a college degree to serve. One does not need to make subject and verb agree
to serve. One only needs a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love. Greatness
comes through graceful and loving service.[4]
Every branch that bears fruit he prunes (kaqairei)
to make it bear more fruit. Such “removing”
and “pruning” represent related actions by the gardener. This community faces
adversity. Adversity is often the window of opportunity for change. Individuals
and organizations do not usually change when their view of the world is that
they are prosperous and at peace. The feeling of necessity often precipitates
major changes.[5] In
this case, removing and pruning are the changes needed. 3 The Father has already
cleansed you by the word (logos), referring to the whole of the teaching of
Jesus, that I have spoken to you. John
often associates this “word” with creating the environment for belief and
discipleship (see 5:24, 38; 8:31). We should not limit this “word” to what
Jesus says, however. Instead, John 1:1 serves as the interpretive key for any
understanding of “word” (logos) in the Fourth Gospel. Therefore, as the Word is
made flesh (1:14), the word that has pruned the disciples in 15:3 is not only
what Jesus has said but also his very presence. This suggests the reality of
crisis and tribulation for those who believe. However, the “pruning” is not for
punishment, but so that the community of Jesus can be even more fruitful. Such language
again directs the attention of the careful reader to a particular group of
Christians who may be wondering about their collective status in the community.
It seems as if authorities have already pruned a group within the community as
they deal with a first wave of fruitless branches. This may mean authorities
have removed a certain group from the community. The author now urges that they
stay together or abide. This advice has the tone of waiting rather than doing,
indicates a collective fear of the outside. 4
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by
itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. There
is only one personal relationship between Jesus and the disciples. It refers to the total dependence of the
Christian upon Jesus. The translation is difficult; the point is that the
branches are to remain on the vine, just as the disciples are to remain in
Jesus. The imagery does break down
here. After all, the branches have no
choice about remaining on the vine. Christians summoned to abiding have a
possibility in what the Father has given them in Jesus Christ and through life
with Christ and the church. Of all that Jesus demands of them is to make use of
this possibility. As this possibility becomes actuality, it excludes the
anxiety and fear forbidden to them.[6] 5 I
am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear
much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing, a thought that has
had an influence on the theology of grace.
No individual can bear fruit alone. Disconnection from the community means
death. In some ways, these words about fruit bearing are reminiscent of Paul’s
teaching about spiritual gifts shared in the community (1 Corinthians 12).
However, in John’s gospel, Jesus’ words sound a warning rather than a
celebration of gift. 6 Whoever
does not abide in me the Father throws
away like a branch and withers; such branches the Father gathers, throws into the fire, and burns.
This notion could be an anti-synagogue image, their vine being
unproductive. The branches that do not
bear fruit and even fruit-bearing branches need pruning. The fruit could be good works and an ethical
way of life. In the context of the Last
Discourse, Judas is one who did not abide in Jesus.
Bearing fruit
would seem to be love. The parable ends
on a theme of judgment, which could be eschatological or could be
excommunication. The image is somewhat awkward because reality subsumes the
picture. It refers directly to the
person rather than to the branches. One
might expect the "cast off" would be better suited for the vineyard
than the vine, where we would have expected "fallen off." Note "the fire" may refer to
eschatological fires. Thus, the parable has an ominous tone to the metaphor:
There are branches that do not produce fruit and therefore the Father removes these,
throws into the fire and burns them (vv. 2, 6). The hint of punishment by
burning and being thrown into the fire is found in passages of the synoptic
gospels concerned with last judgment (see Mark 9:43). However here, the
fruitless branches that the Father burns are not those who do not come to
faith, but apparently those individuals who were at one time fruitful (hence,
believers) and yet have fallen away and are no longer “true” to the faith —
apostate. It is impossible to identify anyone or ones as these fruitless
branches. 15:2 and 15:5b-6 discusses the importance of bearing fruit, which derives
from the association of the branch with the vine. The gardener removes branches
that do not bear fruit, and branches that do receive pruning in order to bear
more fruit (15:2). Verse 5b elaborates, where we find that branches are able to
bear fruit because they remain in the vine and the vine remains in them.
Without the vine, no fruit is possible; in fact, nothing is possible (15:5b).
The corollary of the Father as gardener removing branches (15:2) finds
explanation in verse 6: if a branch does not remain in the vine, it will not
bear fruit. So 15:6 clarifies that if branches do not remain in the vine, then the
Father throws them out, dried out and withering, for burning. While this may
seem harsh to modern ears, the gospel of John sees the world from a dualistic
perspective; those who are not for Jesus are against him. According to the
Fourth Gospel, a disciple who does not abide in or with Jesus will find that
his or her faith has withered. In this gospel, relationship is everything. From
the beginning (1:1), we learn about Jesus’ relationship with the Father. John emphasizes
this relationship throughout the gospel, as well as the relationship of Jesus
with the disciples and the relationship of the disciples with each other. The
fruit that John expects these relationships to bear could be many different
things, but one probable interpretation is the works of love expected by every
believer (see 14:12, 15, 21, 23 and 15:12-17). Therefore, these verses want to
ensure that the reader understands the metaphor precisely; a branch is useless
unless it remains connected to the vine, just as a disciple is fruitless if he
or she is not abiding in Jesus. By the time John writes his gospel, things had
changed dramatically. In John’s gospel, Jesus has assumed identity as the true
vine. Israel’s identity has disappeared. Surely behind this transition stands
an historical context in which Judaism and Christianity have made their
inevitable split. The focus of judgment is no longer the leaders of Israel. Rather,
now judgment comes toward other Christian believers and their relationship to
Jesus.
It occurs to me
that if you do not connect yourself to the right vine, you will not bear good
fruit. Further, the branch quite naturally remains connected to the vine. However,
we cannot do so naturally. We need to cultivate the abiding and mutual
indwelling of which John writes. The question arises as to how we do that. Jesus
says that we can do nothing apart from him. How do we keep connected to him? Here
we could discuss spiritual disciplines that deepen a relationship with Christ. Such
practices will “prune” us. Staying close to our text, we could say that
studying, reading, meditating, and praying through scripture is one way we abide
in Christ and Christ abides in us. The words of Jesus about the kingdom and the
story of his life, death and resurrection focus us on what is truly important
for bearing the fruit of the grace and love of God to the world. When we focus on
the “word,” we are able to cut out all those other offshoots and tangents of
temptation and sin that can choke out great growth. When the writer of Hebrews
says that Scripture is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), he
might have as easily said that Scripture was the ultimate set of pruning shears,
trimming us for the life of discipleship we were meant to live. Such pruning
can be painful as God uses it to lop off old habits and cut away the growth of
sin that we somehow think is attractive, but it is necessary if we are going to
embrace our purpose as conduits of God’s grace.
In 15: 7-8, a segment that continues to verse 17,
we find an explanation of the parable. There is an unfolding of the
implications of indwelling. In verses
4-5, Jesus himself remained in the disciple.
Now, they remain in the word.
However, these are virtually interchangeable because Jesus is the word
incarnate. Verse 7 sets a positive tone.
Jesus' words after that deal with what disciples may expect if they do
remain/abide in Jesus. 7 If
you abide in me, and my words (rhmata) abide
you, ask for whatever you wish, and the Father will do it for you. Note the divine passive; God is the one who
will get the asking accomplished. Jesus returns to the theme of abiding and
promises that if the believer abides in his words and teachings, then two
things will happen. In this verse, the believer will get whatever he or she
asks for. The issue of being faithful and getting what one wants is something
easily misunderstood in every culture. Human beings long for immediate gratification
of their desires and more material wealth. Our modern capitalist culture did not create
such desires. Yet, presumably, the original meaning has other intentions than
offering satisfaction for a wish list! Thus, if a text ever begged for an
interpretation in light of the rest of Scripture, this one would be it. If the
Father truly grafts a believer onto the vine of Christ, then that believer asks
for that which Jesus himself would ask for. Later, in chapter 17, Jesus offers
the true prayer for protection and unity (17:21-24) so that the world will know
the truth. In the unity of Father, Son and believer, the believer will bear godly
fruit that will bear righteous testimony to all. In this intimate abiding, the
cleansed remain pure in doctrine and belief and in so being, God receives glory
and the community will bear good fruit. The verse reminds Jesus’ audience of
the method of this cleansing and extends the purpose of this beyond just
bearing more fruit. The branches, the disciples, have more of a role to play in
this. John tells them that if they remain in the vine and Jesus’ words remain
in them, then the Father will grant them the desires for which they ask. As the
members of the community, Jesus’ disciples remain in the vine and their
requests will enact God’s will on earth. These requests are related to the
fruit that the branches will bear (see 15:8).8 My Father receives
glory by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. We have
come to the second thing that will happen if the believer abides in Christ and
therefore in the words and teachings of Christ. The ultimate fulfillment of
what one asks in verse 7 finds its description in verse 8, that is, the
glorification of the Father. The Father, the vineyard keeper, will receive
glory. The aorist may have the once and for all effect here. That is, the disciples continue the work of
the Son and remain united to him, there is only one mission shared by the Son
and his disciples. In this one mission,
the Father has received glory. The
Father receives glory in that the disciples become like Jesus and carry on his
work. The point is that in bearing fruit
they show they are disciples. Becoming
or being a disciple is the same as being or remaining in Jesus. We should also
remember that we are disciples together rather than separate units. We read
scripture like this in groups, not only as individuals. We are disciples as we
hear this word. We are apprentices of Jesus. We may be doing the best we can;
we may know very well that we can do better. We never stop being an apprentice
of Jesus, learning how to be the person he wants us to be.
[1]
Many scholars suggest that verses 1-6 did not originally belong to the Last
Discourse because it uses present tenses rather than future tenses, which
predominate in the discourse.
[2]
This fact suggests that the author has preserved and presented multiple
traditions. It suggests the conservative nature of the Gospel. The most telling
evidence for this lies in the conclusion to Jesus' remarks in 14:30 31, an
"ending" that appears scrambled in the middle of these chapters,
hence Moffatt's "re orderings" of this Discourse into 13:1 30a; 15:1
27; 16:1 33; 13:30b 38; 14:1 31; 17:1 26.
Most recent scholarship, however, inclines toward the view that John had
access to two different accounts of Jesus' final discourse to his disciples.
Unwilling to omit one or judge one version superior to the other, the gospel
writer simply included both as one long discourse and left in the now awkward
sounding first ending in 14:30 31, which makes the two traditions more
obvious. The careful reader is
bound to notice that chapter 15 is a redactional mystery. Jesus, at the end of
chapter 14, has just “concluded” his farewell discourse, which is unlike anything
recorded in the synoptic gospels, with the words: “Rise, let us be on our way”
(v. 31). However, instead of rising and proceeding on their way, chapter 15
begins by recording another of Jesus’ “I Am” monologues that are peculiar to
the Fourth Gospel. It is formally not until 18:1 that Jesus and his disciples
go across the Kidron Valley to the garden. One might imagine that Jesus speaks
chapters 15-17 on the road, but that seems fanciful. It is no wonder that many
exegetes have concluded that chapter 15 was originally placed prior to chapter
14 in earlier manuscripts, or that chapters 15-17 were added later by the same
author/editor or by another editor of the same community. Since no earlier
manuscript showing that this is the case exists, the modern reader simply
ponders the possibilities.
[3]
Students of this passage differ as to how to divide it up, with some seeing a
natural break after verse 10, others after verse 8, and still others after
verse 6.
[4]
Martin Luther King Jr.
[5]
William Easum, Dancing with Dinosaurs,
1993.
[6]
Barth, Church Dogmatics II.2 [37.3]
600.
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