John 15

1 ego sum vitis vera et Pater meus agricola est

2 omnem palmitem in me non ferentem fructum tollet eum et omnem qui fert fructum purgabit eum ut fructum plus adferat

3 iam vos mundi estis propter sermonem quem locutus sum vobis

4 manete in me et ego in vobis sicut palmes non potest ferre fructum a semet ipso nisi manserit in vite sic nec vos nisi in me manseritis

5 ego sum vitis vos palmites qui manet in me et ego in eo hic fert fructum multum quia sine me nihil potestis facere

6 si quis in me non manserit mittetur foras sicut palmes et aruit et colligent eos et in ignem mittunt et ardent

7 si manseritis in me et verba mea in vobis manserint quodcumque volueritis petetis et fiet vobis

8 in hoc clarificatus est Pater meus ut fructum plurimum adferatis et efficiamini mei discipuli

9 sicut dilexit me Pater et ego dilexi vos manete in dilectione mea

10 si praecepta mea servaveritis manebitis in dilectione mea sicut et ego Patris mei praecepta servavi et maneo in eius dilectione

11 haec locutus sum vobis ut gaudium meum in vobis sit et gaudium vestrum impleatur

12 hoc est praeceptum meum ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos

13 maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet ut animam suam quis ponat pro amicis suis

14 vos amici mei estis si feceritis quae ego praecipio vobis

15 iam non dico vos servos quia servus nescit quid facit dominus eius vos autem dixi amicos quia omnia quaecumque audivi a Patre meo nota feci vobis

16 non vos me elegistis sed ego elegi vos et posui vos ut eatis et fructum adferatis et fructus vester maneat ut quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine meo det vobis

17 haec mando vobis ut diligatis invicem

18 si mundus vos odit scitote quia me priorem vobis odio habuit

19 si de mundo fuissetis mundus quod suum erat diligeret quia vero de mundo non estis sed ego elegi vos de mundo propterea odit vos mundus

20 mementote sermonis mei quem ego dixi vobis non est servus maior domino suo si me persecuti sunt et vos persequentur si sermonem meum servaverunt et vestrum servabunt

21 sed haec omnia facient vobis propter nomen meum quia nesciunt eum qui misit me

22 si non venissem et locutus fuissem eis peccatum non haberent nunc autem excusationem non habent de peccato suo

23 qui me odit et Patrem meum odit

24 si opera non fecissem in eis quae nemo alius fecit peccatum non haberent nunc autem et viderunt et oderunt et me et Patrem meum

25 sed ut impleatur sermo qui in lege eorum scriptus est quia odio me habuerunt gratis

26 cum autem venerit paracletus quem ego mittam vobis a Patre Spiritum veritatis qui a Patre procedit ille testimonium perhibebit de me

27 et vos testimonium perhibetis quia ab initio mecum estis

John 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.