Juan 15

1 Yo soy la vid verdadera, y mi Padre es el viñador.

2 Todo sarmiento que en mí no da fruto, lo quita; y todo el que da fruto, lo poda para que dé más fruto.

3 Vosotros ya estáis limpios por la palabra que os he hablado.

4 Permaneced en mí, y yo en vosotros. Como el sarmiento no puede dar fruto por sí mismo si no permanece en la vid, así tampoco vosotros si no permanecéis en mí.

5 Yo soy la vid, vosotros los sarmientos; el que permanece en mí y yo en él, ése da mucho fruto, porque separados de mí nada podéis hacer.

6 Si alguno no permanece en mí, es echado fuera como un sarmiento y se seca; y los recogen, los echan al fuego y se queman.

7 Si permanecéis en mí, y mis palabras permanecen en vosotros, pedid lo que queráis y os será hecho.

8 En esto es glorificado mi Padre, en que deis mucho fruto, y así probéis que sois mis discípulos.

9 Como el Padre me ha amado, así también yo os he amado; permaneced en mi amor.

10 Si guardáis mis mandamientos, permaneceréis en mi amor, así como yo he guardado los mandamientos de mi Padre y permanezco en su amor.

11 Estas cosas os he hablado, para que mi gozo esté en vosotros, y vuestro gozo sea perfecto.

12 Este es mi mandamiento: que os améis los unos a los otros, así como yo os he amado.

13 Nadie tiene un amor mayor que éste: que uno dé su vida por sus amigos.

14 Vosotros sois mis amigos si hacéis lo que yo os mando.

15 Ya no os llamo siervos, porque el siervo no sabe lo que hace su señor; pero os he llamado amigos, porque os he dado a conocer todo lo que he oído de mi Padre.

16 Vosotros no me escogisteis a mí, sino que yo os escogí a vosotros, y os designé para que vayáis y deis fruto, y que vuestro fruto permanezca; para que todo lo que pidáis al Padre en mi nombre os lo conceda.

17 Esto os mando: que os améis los unos a los otros.

18 Si el mundo os odia, sabéis que me ha odiado a mí antes que a vosotros.

19 Si fuerais del mundo, el mundo amaría lo suyo; pero como no sois del mundo, sino que yo os escogí de entre el mundo, por eso el mundo os odia.

20 Acordaos de la palabra que yo os dije: "Un siervo no es mayor que su señor." Si me persiguieron a mí, también os perseguirán a vosotros; si guardaron mi palabra, también guardarán la vuestra.

21 Pero todo esto os harán por causa de mi nombre, porque no conocen al que me envió.

22 Si yo no hubiera venido y no les hubiera hablado, no tendrían pecado, pero ahora no tienen excusa por su pecado.

23 El que me odia a mí, odia también a mi Padre.

24 Si yo no hubiera hecho entre ellos las obras que ningún otro ha hecho, no tendrían pecado; pero ahora las han visto, y me han odiado a mí y también a mi Padre.

25 Pero han hecho esto para que se cumpla la palabra que está escrita en su ley: "ME ODIARON SIN CAUSA."

26 Cuando venga el Consolador, a quien yo enviaré del Padre, es decir, el Espíritu de verdad que procede del Padre, El dará testimonio de mí,

27 y vosotros daréis testimonio también, porque habéis estado conmigo desde el principio.

Juan 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Christ the true Vine. (1-8) His love to his disciples. (9-17) foretold. (18-25) The Comforter promised. (26,27)

Verses 1-8 Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine natures, and the fulness of the Spirit that is in him, resemble the root of the vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers are branches of this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the root bears the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ are all supports and supplies. The branches of the vine are many, yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all true Christians, though in place and opinion distant from each other, meet in Christ. Believers, like the branches of the vine, are weak, and unable to stand but as they are borne up. The Father is the Husbandman. Never was any husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about his church, which therefore must prosper. We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper, disposition, and life. We must honour God, and do good; this is bearing fruit. The unfruitful are taken away. And even fruitful branches need pruning; for the best have notions, passions, and humours, that require to be taken away, which Christ has promised to forward the sanctification of believers, they will be thankful, for them. The word of Christ is spoken to all believers; and there is a cleansing virtue in that word, as it works grace, and works out corruption. And the more fruit we bring forth, the more we abound in what is good, the more our Lord is glorified. In order to fruitfulness, we must abide in Christ, must have union with him by faith. It is the great concern of all Christ's disciples, constantly to keep up dependence upon Christ, and communion with him. True Christians find by experience, that any interruption in the exercise of their faith, causes holy affections to decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop. Those who abide not in Christ, though they may flourish for awhile in outward profession, yet come to nothing. The fire is the fittest place for withered branches; they are good for nothing else. Let us seek to live more simply on the fulness of Christ, and to grow more fruitful in every good word and work, so may our joy in Him and in his salvation be full.

Verses 9-17 Those whom God loves as a Father, may despise the hatred of all the world. As the Father loved Christ, who was most worthy, so he loved his disciples, who were unworthy. All that love the Saviour should continue in their love to him, and take all occasions to show it. The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, but the joy of those who abide in Christ's love is a continual feast. They are to show their love to him by keeping his commandments. If the same power that first shed abroad the love of Christ's in our hearts, did not keep us in that love, we should not long abide in it. Christ's love to us should direct us to love each other. He speaks as about to give many things in charge, yet names this only; it includes many duties.

Verses 18-25 How little do many persons think, that in opposing the doctrine of Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, they prove themselves ignorant of the one living and true God, whom they profess to worship! The name into which Christ's disciples were baptized, is that which they will live and die by. It is a comfort to the greatest sufferers, if they suffer for Christ's name's sake. The world's ignorance is the true cause of its hatred to the disciples of Jesus. The clearer and fuller the discoveries of the grace and truth of Christ, the greater is our sin if we do not love him and believe in him.

26,27. The blessed Spirit will maintain the cause of Christ in the world, notwithstanding the opposition it meets with. Believers taught and encouraged by his influences, would bear testimony to Christ and his salvation.