alleged that his virtue had not been subjected to trial. It was so subjected. "He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. iv. 15. He passed through the severest forms of temptation, that it might be seen and known that his holiness was proof to all trial, and that human nature might be so pure as to resist all forms of temptation. This will be the case with all the saints in heaven, and it was the case with Jesus on earth. So I do. In all things he obeyed. And he showed that, in the face of calamities, persecutions, and temptations, he was still disposed to obey his Father. This he did, that the world might know that he loved the Father. So should we bear trials, and resist temptation. And so, through persecution and calamity, should we show that we are actuated by the love of God. ¶ Arise, let us go hence. It has been commonly supposed that Jesus and the apostles now rose from the paschal supper and went to the mount of Olives, and that the remainder of the discourse in ch. xv. xvi., together with the prayer in ch. xvii., was delivered while on the way to the garden of Gethsemane. But some have supposed that they merely rose from the table, and that the discourse was finished before they left the room. The former is the more probable opinion. It was now probably towards midnight, and the moon was at the full, and the scene was one, therefore, of great interest and tenderness. Jesus, with a little band, was going forth to die. In the stillness of the night he counselled that little company in regard to their duties and dangers, invoking the protection and blessings of God his Father to attend, to sanctify, and guide them in the arduous labours, the toils, and persecutions, they were yet to endure. Ch. xvii. CHAPTER XV. 1. I am the true vine. Some have supposed that this discourse was delivered in the room where the Lord's supper was his disciples, 9-16. The world hates them, 17-25. The Comforter to come, 26, 27. I AM the true 2 my Father is the 3 husbandman. 2 Isa. iv. 2. 3 Cant. viii. 12. instituted, and that as they had made use of wine, Jesus took occasion from that to say that he was the true vine, and to intimate that his blood was the real wine that was to give strength to the soul. Others have supposed that it was delivered in the temple, the entrance to which is adorned with a golden vine, (Josephus,) and that Jesus took occasion thence to say that he was the true vine. But it is most probable that it was spoken while they were going from the paschal supper to the mount of Olives. Whether it was suggested by the sight of vines by the way, or by the wine of which they had just partaken, cannot now be determined. This comparison was frequent among the Jews, for Palestine abounded in vineyards, and the illustration was very striking. Thus the jewish people are compared to a vine which God had planted. xxx. 8-16. Ezek. xix. 10. Psa. Isa. v. 1-7. Jer. ii. 21. Joel i. 7. When Jesus says he was the true vine, perhaps allusion is had to Jer. ii. 21. The word true here is used in the sense of real, genuine. He really and truly gives what is emblematically represented by a vine. The point of the comparison, or the meaning of the figure is this: A vine yields proper juice and nourishment to all the branches, whether these be large or small. All the nourishment of each branch and tendril passes through the main stalk, or the stem, that springs from the earth. So Jesus is the source of all real strength and grace to all his disciples. He is their leader and teacher, and imparts to them, as they need, grace and strength to bear the fruits of holiness. And my Father is the husbandman. The word vine-dresser more properly expresses the sense of the original word than husbandman. It means one who has the care of a vineyard; whose office it is to nurture, trim, and defend the vine, and who, of course, feels a deep interest in its growth and welfare. Note, Matt. xxi. 33. The figure means that God gave, or appointed his Son to be, 1 2 Every branch in me that bear- | every branch that eth not fruit he taketh away: and 1 Matt. xv. 13. Luke viii. 13. Heb. vi. 7, 8. the source of blessings to man; that all grace descends through him, and that God takes care of all the branches of this vine-that is, of all who are by faith united to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus and in all his church God feels the deepest interest, and it is an object of great solicitude that his church should receive these blessings and bear much fruit. 2. Every branch in me. Every one that is a true follower of me, that is united to me by faith, and that truly derives grace and strength from me, as the branch does from the vine. The word branch includes all the boughs, and the smallest tendrils that shoot out from the parent stalk. Jesus here says that he sustains the same relation to his disciples that a parent stem does to the branches. But this does not denote any physical or incomprehensible union. It is a union formed by believing on him; resulting from our feeling our dependence on him and our need of him; and from embracing him as our Saviour, Redeemer, and Friend. We become united to him in all our interests, and have common feelings, common desires, and a common destiny with him. We seek the same objects; are willing to encounter the same trials, contempt, persecution, and want; and are desirous that his God shall be ours, and his eternal abode ours. It is a union of friendship, of love, and of dependence; a union of weakness with strength, of imperfection with perfection, of a dying nature with a living Saviour, of a lost sinner with an unchanging Friend and Redeemer. It is the most tender and interesting of all relations; but not more mysterious or more physical than the union of parent and child, of husband and wife, Eph. v. 23, or friend and friend. That beareth not fruit. As the vinedresser will remove all branches that are dead, or that bear no fruit, so will God take from his church all professed Christians who give no evidence by their lives that they are truly united to the Lord Jesus. He here refers to such cases as that of Judas, the unbelieving Jews, the apostatizing disciples, and all false and beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 2 Job xvii. 9. Psa. li. 7-13. Heb. xii. 15. Rev. iii. 19. Prov. iv. 18. 4. merely nominal Christians. (Dr. Adam Clarke.) He taketh away. The vinedresser cuts it off. God removes such in various ways. 1. By the discipline of the church. 2. By suffering them to fall into temptation. 3. By persecution and tribulation; by the deceitfulness of riches, and by the cares of the world. Matt. xii. 21, 22. By suffering the man to be placed in such circumstances as Judas, Achan, and Ananias were: such as to show what they were; to bring their characters fairly out, and to let it be seen that they had no true love to God. By death; for God has power thus, at any moment, to remove unprofitable branches from the church. ¶ Every branch that beareth fruit. That is, all true Christians; for all such bear fruit. To bear fruit is to show by our lives that we are under the influence of the religion of Christ; and that that religion produces in us its appropriate effects. Gal. v. 22, 23. Note, Matt. vii. 16, 17. It is also to live so as to be useful to others. As a vineyard is worthless unless it bears fruit that may promote the happiness or subsistence of man, so the christian principle would be worthless unless Christians should live so that others may be made holy and happy by their example and labours, and so that the world may be brought to the cross of the Saviour. He purgeth it. Or rather he prunes it, or cleanses it by pruning. There is a use of words here, a paronomasia in the original, which cannot be retained in the translation. It may be imperfectly seen by retaining the Greek words, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away, airei; every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, kathairei; now ye are clean, katharoi," &c. The same Greek word, in different forms, is still retained. God purifies ai! true Christians so that they may be more useful. He takes away that which hindered their usefulness; teaches them, excites them, makes them more pure in motive and in life. This he does by the regular influences of his Spirit in sanctifying them, purifying their motives, teaching them the beauty of holiness, and inducing them to devote themselves more to him. He does it by taking away what opposes their usefulness, however much they may be attached to it, or however painful it is to part with it, as a vine-dresser will often feel himself compelled to lop off a branch that is large, apparently thrifty, and handsome, but which bears no fruit, and which shades or injures those which do. So God often takes away the property of his people, their children, or other idols. He removes the objects which bind their affections, and which render them inactive. He takes away the things around man, as he did the valued gourds of Jonah, Jon. iv. 5-11, so that he may feel his dependence, and live more to the honour of God, and bring forth more proof of humble and active piety. 3. Now ye are clean. Still keeping up the figure. (Katharoi.) It does not mean that they were perfect, but that they had been under a process of purify. ing by his instructions all the time he had been with them. He had removed their erroneous notions of the Messiah; he had gradually reclaimed them from their fond and foolish views respecting earthly honours; he had taught them to be willing to forsake all things, and he had so trained and disciplined them that immediately after his death they would be ready to go and bear fruit among all nations to the honour of his name. In addition to this, Judas had been removed from their number, and they were now all true followers of the Saviour. See Note, ch. xiii. 10. Through the word. By means of the teachings of Jesus while he had been with them. 4. Abide in me. me by a living faith. pendence on me, and imitate my example, exercise faith in me. Remain united to Live a life of deobey my doctrines, and constantly And I in you. 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. 4 Or, severed from me. That is, if you remain attached to me, I will remain with you, and will teach, guide, and comfort you. This he proceeds to illustrate by a reference to the vine. If the branch should be cut off an instant, it would die and be fruitless. As long as it is in the vine, from the nature of the case, the parent stock imparts its juices, and furnishes a constant circulation of sap adapted to the growth and fruitfulness of the branch. So our piety, if we should be separate from Christ, or if we cease to feel our union to him, and dependence on him, withers and droops. While we are united to him by a living faith, from the nature of the case, strength flows from him to us, and we receive help as we need. Piety then, manifested in good works, in love, and self-denial, is as natural, as easy, as unconstrained, and as lovely as the vine covered with fruitful branches, is at once useful and enticing. 5. I am the vine. Ver. 1. ¶ Without me ye can do nothing. The expression without me denotes the same as separate from me. As the branches, if separated from the parent stock, could produce no fruit, but would immediately wither and die, so the apostles and all other Christians, if separate from Christ, could do nothing. The expression is one, therefore, strongly implying dependence. The Son of God was the original source of life. Ch. i. 4. He also, by his work as Mediator, gives life to the world, ch. vi. 33; and it is by the same grace and agency that it is continued in the Christian. We see hence, 1. That to Christ is due all the praise for all the good works the Christian performs. 2. That they will perform good works just in proportion as they feel their dependence on him, and look to him. And, 3. That the reason why others fail of being holy is because they are unwilling to look 6 If a man abide not in me, | words abide in you, ye shall ask he is cast forth as a branch, and is what ye will, and it shall be done withered; and men gather them, unto you. and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my 1 Matt. iii. 10; vii. 19. to him and seek grace and strength from him who alone is able to give it. 6. If a man abide not in me. See ver. 4. If a man is not truly united to him by faith, and does not live with a continual sense of his dependence on him. This doubtless refers to those who are professors of religion, but who have never known anything of true and real connexion with him. Is cast forth. See Note on ver. 2. Also Matt. viii. 12; xxii. 13. Is withered. Is dried up. A branch cut off withers. So of a soul unconnected with Christ, however fair it may have appeared, and however flourishing when a profession of religion was first made, yet when it is tried, and it is seen that there was no true grace, everything withers and dies. The zeal languishes, the professed love is gone, prayer is neglected, the sanctuary is forsaken, and the soul becomes like a withered branch reserved for the fire of the last great day. See a beautiful illustration of this in Ezek. xv. Men gather them. The word men is not in the original, and should not have been in the translation. The Greek is, they gather them, a form of expression denoting simply they are gathered, without specifying by whom it is done. From Matt. xiii. 40-42, it seems that it shall be done by the angels. The expression means, as the withered and useless branches of trees are gathered for fuel, so shall it be with all hypocrites and false professors of religion. Are burned. See Matt. xiii. 42. 7. My words. My doctrine; my commandments. Abide in you. Not only are remembered, but are suffered to remain in you as a living principle, to regulate your affections and life. Ye shall ask, &c. See ch. xiv. 13. This promise had particular reference to the apostles. It is applicable to other Christians only so far as they are in circumstances similar to the apostles, and only so far as they possess their spirit. We learn from it, 8 Herein is my Father glorified," that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 2 Ch. xvi. 23. Job xxii. 26. Psa. xxxvii. 4. Prov. x. 24. 3 Isa. lx. 21. 1 Cor. vi. 20. that it is only when we keep the commandments of Christ, only when we live by faith in him, and his words are suffered to control our conduct and affections, that our prayers will be heard. Were we perfect in all things, he would always hear us, and we should be kept from making an improper petition. But just so far as men regard iniquity in their heart, the Lord will not hear them. Psa. Ixvi. 18. 8. Herein. In this, to wit, in your bearing much fruit. Glorified. Ho noured. Bear much fruit. Abound in good works, are faithful, zealous, humble, devoted, always abounding in the works of the Lord. This honours God, 1. Because it shows the excellence of his law which requires it. 2. Because it shows the power of his gospel, and his grace that can overcome the evil propensities of the heart, and produce it. 3. Because the Christian is restored to the divine image, and it shows how excellent is the character after which they are formed. They imitate God, and the world sees that the whole tendency of the divine administration and character is to make man holy, to produce that which is lovely, and true, and honest, and of good report. Compare Matt. vii. 20. Phil. iv. 8. That is, in doing this. Shall ye be my disciples. This is a true test of character. It is not by profession, but it is by a holy life, that the character is tried. This is a test which it is easy to apply, and one which decides the case. It is worthy of remark, that the Saviour says these whe bear much fruit are they who are his disciples. The design and tendency of his religion is to excite men to do much good, and to call forth all their strength and time, and talents, in the work for which the Saviour laid down his life. Nor should any one take comfort in the belief that he is a Christian who does not aim to do much good, and who does n devote to God all that he has, in an honest effort to glorify his name, and to benefit Sa. a dying world. The apostles obeyed this command of the Saviour, and went forth preaching the gospel everywhere, and aiming to bring all men to the knowledge of the truth. And the time has come for Christians to imitate their example, and strive to send the news of salvation to the ends of the earth. 9. As the Father hath loved me. The love of the Father towards his only begotten Son is the highest affection of which we can conceive. Compare Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5. It is the love of God towards his co-equal Son, who is like him in all things; who always pleased him, and who was willing to endure the greatest sacrifices and toils to accomplish his purpose of mercy. Yet this love is adduced to illustrate the tender affection which the Lord Jesus has for all his friends. So have I loved you. Not to the same degree, for this was impossible, but with the same kind of love; deep, tender, unchanging; love prompting to self-denials, toils, and sacrifices to secure their welfare. Continue ye. The reason which he gives for their doing this is the strength of the love which he had shown for them. His love was so great for them that he was about to lay down his life. This constitutes a strong reason why we should continue in his love. 1. Because the love which he shows for us is unchanging. 2. It is the love of our best friend; love whose strength was expressed by toils, and groans, and blood. 3. As he is unchanging in the character and strength of his affection, so should we be. Thus only can we properly express our gratitude, thus only show that we are his true friends. 4. Our happiness here, and for ever, depends altogether on our continuing in the love of Christ. We have no source of permanent joy but in that love. In my love. In love to me. Thus it is expressed in the Greek in the next verse. The connexion also demands that we 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 3 your joy might be full. 3 Ch. xvi. 24; xvii. 13. 10. See ch. xiv. 23, 24. 11. These things. The discourse in this and the previous chapter. This discourse was designed to comfort them by the promise of the Holy Spirit, and of eternal life, and to direct them in the discharge of their duty. My joy. This expression probably denotes the happiness which Jesus had, and would continue to have, by their obedience, love, and fidelity. Their obedience was to him a source of joy. It was that which he sought, and for which he had laboured. He now clearly taught them the path of duty, and encouraged them to persevere, notwithstanding he was about to leave them. If they obeyed him, it would continue to be a source of joy to him. Christ rejoices in the obedience of all his friends, and though his happiness is not dependent on them, yet their fidelity is an object which he desires, and in which he finds delight. The same sentiment is expressed in ch. xvii. 13. Your joy might be full. That you might be freed from your despondency and grief at my departure. That you might see the reason why leave you, be comforted by the Holy Spirit, and be sustained in the arduous trials of your ministry. See 1 John. i. 4. 2 John 12. This promise of the Saviour was abundantly fulfilled. The apostles, with great frequency, speak of the fulness of their joy; joy produced in just the manner promised by the Saviour, by the presence of the Holy Spirit; and it showed his great love that he promised such joy; his infinite knowledge, that in the midst of their many trials and persecutions, he knew that they would possess it; and the glorious power and loveliness of his gospel, that it could impart such |
