Liberty University From the SelectedWorks of Wes Green Summer May 8, 2010 Jesus: The True Vine Wes Green, Liberty University Available at: https://works.bepress.com/wes_green/11/
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINE Jesus: The True Vine SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR HOWARD OWENS BIBL 323 BY WESLEY GREEN DATE SUBMITTED MAY 8, 2010
2 In the lead-up to chapter 15 of the Book of John, we learn that the The Last Supper had taken place (13:1), Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (13:2-20), Satan entered Judas (13:21-32), and the Farewell Discourses had taken place on the way to Gethsemane (13:33-14:31). Jesus comforts His disciples, explains that He is the way to the Father (14:1-14), and promises to send the Holy Spirit (14:15-30). In verse 31 of chapter 14, Jesus says, I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let s be going. When Jesus said, Come, let s be going in verse 31, it is unclear exactly what He meant. Matthew Henry suggests in his commentary, He does not say I must go; but, Let us go. He calls them out to no hardships but what he himself goes before them as their leader. They had promised they would not desert him gives them an example, teaching them in all times, especially in suffering times, to sit loose to all things here below. 1 Dr. Towns tells us that some commentators believe the disciples left and went toward Gethsemane, and that some believe that Jesus "used the word 'agomen' to motivate others to missionary service." He suggests a third view of "Jesus leaving the upper room, but His disciples stayed so the discourse continued. 2 Some say it was on the way to Gethsemane and some say the conversation continued after the meal in another room. No matter which interpretation we subscribe to, it is clear that Jesus has much more that He needs to say. Chapter 15 opens with the following verses. I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless 1. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry s Commentary: Volume V, Matthew to John, (United States of America: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991), 1122-1123. 2. Elmer L. Towns, The Gospel of John: Believe and Live, (Tennessee: AMG Publishers, 2002), 146-147.
3 branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But, if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one s life for one s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master does not confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You did not choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other (15:1-17). Jesus says, I am the vine. The Greek word for I am is ego eimi, 3 which can be a simple introduction about oneself or one s characteristics, or a depiction of the divine name YHWH or Yahweh. We see this in the Old Testament when Moses encountered a bush ablaze at Mount Horeb in the middle of the wilderness and heard the voice of God telling him to free the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt (Exodus 39). Moses wanted a sign to give the people if they disputed him But Moses protested, if I go to the people of Israel and tell them, The God of your ancestors has sent me to you, they will ask me, What is his name? Then what should I tell them (Exodus 3:13)? Here God revealed his true name for the first time YHWH or Yahweh (I am who I am). Just as God revealed Himself in the Old Testament, Jesus uses these I am expressions, in the New Testament, to teach us about His person. In His final I am statement, I am the Vine, Jesus relates Himself to the Father (verse 1) and links Himself with the believers (verse 21). While cross referencing this I am statement to the Old Testament, it is found that in Psalm 80, the psalmist presents his case for the Israel of God, and pressing it home at the throne of 3. Towns, Believe and Live, xiv.
4 grace, pleading with God for mercy and grace for them. 4 The church mentioned in Psalm 80:8, 14 represent the vine and a vineyard. Christ is the root of this vine (Romans 11:18) and the branches are the believers (John 15:5). A vine can be weak and needs support, but with the proper support when it grows and spreads, it can become very fruitful. Without proper support, it will die easy. In this parallel, when Jesus says, I am the true vine, He tells us that He is our support and with Him as your strength you can do all things (Phil 4:13) and your life will bear much fruit. Henry continues to say that, the church is a choice and noble vine; we have reason to acknowledge the goodness of God that he has planted such a vine in the wilderness of this world, and preserved it to this day. 5 The Jews, God s people of the Old Testament, were brought out of Egypt and God planted them in the Promised Land so no forces could prevail and destroy them. The Church, God s people of the New Testament, will always be intact because Jesus is its head (Matthew 16:18). Jesus was demonstrating His divinity, and John documented these statements in his Gospel. Webster s Dictionary defines a vine as any plant with a long stem that grows along the ground or that climbs a support by winding or by clinging with tendrils or claspers. 6 When we think of a vine, we usually think of grape vines, but spiritually Jesus is the one true vine (15:1) and we are the branches (15:5). As the branches produce fruit from the vine, Christians are to produce fruit as well (1 John 1:7 and Romans 6:4), because He pruned the branches and made us clean. The fruit of the Christian life is spreading the good news of Christ and living a life 4. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry s Commentary: Volume III, Job to Song of Solomon, (United States of America: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991), 546. 5. Ibid. 6. Webster s Universal College Dictionary, (New York: Random House, 1997), 875.
5 pleasing to God. Jesus knew the disciples were familiar with the grape vine because throughout the Old Testament, God had used the image of a vine or vineyard to describe the nation of Israel. 7 In the Old Testament, Israel was the vine; in the New Testament, Jesus is the vine. Jesus knew that His disciples would be able to understand this parallel between, He as Christ, the New Testament vine, and Israel, the Old Testament vine. What does this mean for the believer? Because God orders us throughout scripture to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47), we need to listen and follow God s instructions. Dr. Mark Becton explained this in simple terms, in one of his sermons; he writes. Among believers, the thought is, As long as I am saved I am safe. Spiritually, I can take it easy now. Among churches, the thought is, As long as we have enough of our stuff that is good enough for us. Spiritually, we can take it easy now. Yet as believers, we and our churches were not called by God to take it easy. We were called by God to press on until the game is over. We were called to play the same game Paul played, to live the same adventure Paul lived. When was the last time you realized that in Christ you have experienced what, most in the world, have never experienced before; have a story that many in the world have never heard before; have the opportunity to take your story where it has never been before; or you have the chance to be the one where there are none. With the game on the line, shame on us when we sit on the lead with God still saying, Go! 8 The I am statement in this scripture passage (15:1-17) clearly displays Christ s deity. He is the true vine not a vine. He shows He is the way instead of a way. This affirms His deity and His unity with God the Father in the Trinity. Just like the vine gives life to the branches in order to give those fruit, Jesus gives believers life and through this life, we are able to produce fruit. The branch s only chance of survival is through the vine; the branches would die without it. 7. Towns, Believe and Live, 150. 2010. 8. Mark Becton, A None to One Story, sermon preached at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 25 April
6 Bibliography Becton, Mark. A None to One Story. Sermon preached at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 25 April 2010. Halley, Henry H. Halley s Bible Handbook. Michigan: Zondervan, 1959. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry s Commentary: Volume III, Job to Song of Solomon. United States of America: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991. Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry s Commentary: Volume V, Matthew to John. United States of America: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1991. Towns, Elmer L. A Journey Through the New Testament. Ohio: Thomson Custom Publishing, 2004. Towns, Elmer L. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Tennessee: AMG Publishers, 2002. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188, United States of America. All rights reserved.