John 15

The Vine and the Branches

1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he removes it, and every [branch] that bears fruit, he prunes it in order that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither [can] you, unless you remain in me.

5 "I am the vine; you [are] the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him--this one bears much fruit, for apart from me you are not able to do anything.

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and dries up, and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.

8 My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and prove to be my disciples.

9 "Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.

10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.

11 I have spoken these [things] to you in order that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made complete.

12 This is my commandment: that you love one another just as I have loved you.

13 No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15 No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything that I have heard from my Father I have revealed to you.

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and your fruit should remain, in order that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

17 These [things] I command you: that you love one another.

The World’s Hatred for the Disciples

18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before [it hated] you.

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this [reason] the world hates you.

20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

21 But they will do all these [things] to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin. But now they do not have a valid excuse for their sin.

23 The one who hates me hates my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But [this happened] so that the word that is written in their law would be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a reason.'

26 "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father--the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father--that one will testify about me.

27 And you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [b]. *Here the verb "[hated]" is an understood repetition of the verb earlier in this verse
• [c]. *The phrase "[this happened]" is not in the Greek text but is implied