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The vine was a common symbol for the people of God.

The vine was a common symbol for the people of God. The vine was on Israelite coins during the time of the Maccabees. Above the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the reconstructed temple was a large vine made of gold. Clusters of grapes the size of men hung down from the ceiling.

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The vine was a common symbol for the people of God.

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  1. The vine was a common symbol for the people of God. • The vine was on Israelite coins during the time of the Maccabees. • Above the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the reconstructed temple was a large vine made of gold. Clusters of grapes the size of men hung down from the ceiling. • Jesus Himself often spoke of Israel as a vine (Matt 20:1-16; 21:23-41; Mk 12:1-9; Lk 20:9-16).

  2. The Old Testament often referred to Israel as a vine. • “You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it” (Ps 80:8). • “I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?” (Jer 2:21). • “He has laid waste My vine, And ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white” (Joel 1:7). • There are a host of other texts that we won’t take time to read.

  3. In John 15, Jesus is the vine. • Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. • Matt 5:17-19. • In what way(s) is Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Testament?

  4. We must remember that Jesus speaks these words to His disciples at the Last Supper. • That makes the interpretation of this text difficult. • Some of what Jesus says could very well apply to all Christians—vine, branches, bearing fruit, and abiding in Jesus. • Some things do not seem to apply to all Christians—a blanket promise to receive whatever we ask. • My interpretation flips back and forth between what was temporary and what was permanent.

  5. Jesus is the “true vine” (v 1). • This is the final “I am” statement in John. • As the “true vine,” Jesus stands in stark contrast to Israel. • As we mentioned, Israel is often called a vine in the Old Testament. • However, every time Israel is mentioned as a vine, it’s in a pejorative manner—the plant did not bear fruit. • Jesus, as the “true vine,” is going to bear fruit. • Jesus, in a real way, is seen as the One who brings forth the fruit, not the disciples. • That’s quite biblical. • 1 Cor 3:6. • Gal 5:22-23.

  6. This passage isn’t a parable in any traditional sense—there isn’t really a story at all. • It’s much more of an extended metaphor. • Therefore, Jesus is like a vine, and His Father is the vinedresser. • How is Jesus like a vine? • How is the Father like a vinedresser?

  7. Many have said that Jesus is here speaking about various denominations. • He is the vine; the different branches are different church “branches.” • What would you say?

  8. Every branch in Jesus that does not bear fruit, the Father takes away (v 2). • The phrase “in Me” is used 16 times in John’s Gospel. • The phrase denotes close fellowship with the Christ. • This isn’t just a person who professes faith in Jesus, but this is a genuine believer. • What is fruit? • How does the Christian bear fruit? • What are the implications for us? • Obviously, a branch shares life with the vine. • How do we share life with Jesus?

  9. Most English translation translates the Greek as “He takes away.” • That is an accurate English translation; the Greek word often means “to take away.” • How might the Father “take away” branches that do not bear fruit? • The Greek word can also mean “to lift up.” • That is just an accurate translation. • The Greek word means “to lift up” amount as much as it does “to take away.” • The lexicon I was using actually gave this as the most common meaning. • Both meanings are prevalent in John’s Gospel. • Farmers would lift up unfruitful branches so that they would bear fruit in the future. • I don’t know how this should be translated.

  10. Not only does the Father take away or lift up unfruitful branches, but He also prunes fruitful branches. • How does the Father prune branches? • Do you believe that the Father has ever pruned you? • What have you learned by being pruned? • The disciples were already clean because of the word He had spoken to them. • How were the disciples clean through Jesus’ word? • How do we get clean through Jesus’ word?

  11. If the disciples would abide in Jesus, He would abide in them (v 4). • What does it mean to abide in Jesus? • How do we abide in Jesus? • How does Jesus abide with His people? • Why can a vine not bear fruit by itself? • Why can the Christian not bear fruit by himself? • How can Jesus use the Christian to bear fruit?

  12. He who abides in Jesus, and Jesus in him, bears much fruit (v 5). • Is it possible to bear only a little fruit in Jesus? • Why or why not?

  13. Anyone who does not abide in Jesus is cast out as a branch and is withered (v 6). • If the meaning of verse 2 is “lift up,” this verse does not contradict it. • The processes described in verse 2 take place in the spring; the processes described here take place in the fall. • The meaning could be that God gives unfruitful Christians time to mature before He cuts them off permanently. • Why is it imperative that Christians constantly be growing? • What happens if we stop growing? • How do Christians grow? • These branches are gathered up and burned. • Why the imagery of burning? • A similar image occurs at Matthew 3:8-12.

  14. If the disciples would abide in Jesus and His words abode in them, they would ask anything they desired and it would be done for them (v 7). • Why would this be an important promise for the disciples? • What are some times that miraculous things were done for the disciples? • Do you think we can expect the same type of reaction from God?

  15. If the disciples would bear much fruit, the Father would be glorified (v 8). • How would the Father be glorified with the bearing of “much fruit”? • Is God still glorified when we bear “much fruit” today? • At the end of verse 8, Jesus says, “so you will be My disciples.” • Does this imply that only those who are bearing fruit are really Jesus’ disciples? • Why is a non-fruit bearing disciple an oxymoron?

  16. Jesus has loved His disciples as the Father had loved Him (v 9). • How had the Father loved Jesus? • In what way, therefore, does Jesus love the disciples? • If the disciples would keep Jesus’ commandments, they would abide in His love (v 10). • Why is commandment keeping so closely tied to loving Jesus?

  17. Jesus said these things so that His joy would remain in the disciples and that their joy may be full (v 11). • How could Jesus’ joy remain in the disciples? • What is Jesus’ joy? • In other words, what sets Jesus’ joy apart from the joy of others? • How could the disciples’ joy then be full? What does it mean to have full joy?

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