Gospel of John, Ch.15.

Gospel according to John, Chapter 15:  Read &/or listen from the Bible.

1/ Jesus the True Vine  – Jn 15:1-14
2/ The World Hatred    – Jn 15:18-27

With Jesus statement in John 15:1-5 we complete the seven “I AM ” statements of Jesus:

Jesus the True Vine  – Jn 15:1-14

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that bears no fruit, He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean through the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who remains (G3306) in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. For without Me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not remain in Me, he is thrown out as a branch and withers. 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, you will ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also loved you. Remain in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have spoken these things to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment: that you love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that the Father may give you whatever you ask Him in My name. 17 This I command you: that you love one another.

Strong’s # G3306; to remain, to stay, to abide, continue to be present, to remain as one.

This are very important teachings that our Lord gave to His disciples a few hour before departing from earth. Here Jesus used the vine as an example to explain His disciples the relationship between believers (branches) and Him (The Vine), so it is important to understand this:

There is a vital & continual relationship between a branch and the vine, & it is clear that the branches have no life & give no fruit on their own, separated from the nourishment provided by the the vine.

Many get away from Christ trying to produce fruit on their own or are troubled by those who claim that, unless a Christian is constantly serving in the church, or winning others to Christ, etc. he/she is a fruitless Christian. But any good work should flow from Christ (the Vine), without Him we can do nothing, if we do something it has no value, is not a good fruit because the branch is withering.  Works do not produce a Christ-centered life, nor help us get closer to God, & many times could result on the contrary. But when we remain in Jesus, keeping His Words & His LOVE, He empowers us to give good fruit.

Using the basic principle of letting Scripture interpret Scripture, makes it more clear as to what this fruit really is. Reading Isaiah 5:7 is evident from this passage, that the fruit which the Lord expected of that particular vine was good moral character, a change in us because our obedience to Him, or as we have it explained in the New Testament, the fruit of the Spirit —  which is produced when we walk in the Spirit. Gal. 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. And the main one is LOVE. 1 Cor. 13. To LOVE our brethren as Jesus loved us.

Our Lord emphasized in remaining in His LOVE, how? by keeping His words. The fruit, in other words, is Christ-likeness- Rom.8:29. But to be conformed to the image of Christ is not attained with works, nor by spiritual disciplines or spiritual exercises like some mystics teach. It has to do with the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts & minds as we surrender to His lead in our daily life.

To remain in Christ, means to continue under His influence, it’s not giving up to our fleshy desires, to walk after the flesh, but to walk after the Spirit. Is to receive constant influence from Jesus’ words, as the branches receive nourishment from the vine every day in order to live & give fruit. As soon as that stops, the branch starts dying, withering. This close relationship with Christ, and subjection to His guide, are taught throughout the Scriptures. We need to remain in Him, persevere in His words, His commandments in faith.

Verse 14 “You are my friends, if you do what I command you.” Obedience is essential to be able to remain in fellowship with Him. If we keep His commandments, He said that we will remain in His love. That way fruit will come forth, easily, without effort. The fruit is a consequence of the vine’s sap infilling the branch.  Remember it isn’t us, it’s all His work in us, we got nothing to boast about, we just need to surrender to His will.

The World Hatred    – Jn 15:18-27

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, the world therefore hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My words, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not performed among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin. But now have they seen and hated both My Father and Me. 25 But that the word which is written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

26 “But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Now, this LOVE has to do with TRUTH with Jesus words/teachings, for this reason the world will hate us. This love is not about getting along with the world, because we are not of the world. Remember: friendship with the world is enmity with God. James 4:4.

The Spirit of truth was send to us believers in Jesus which obey God (Acts 5:32, Gal.3:5) & He testifies & point us to Jesus. He will teach us all things, and bring to our remembrance all things that Jesus said to us. Jn.14:26.