The Gospel of John Lesson 60 (01-19-14) John 15:1-6

The Gospel of John Lesson 60 (01-19-14)

Lesson 60 – John 15:1-6

Jesus starts out in John 15, Jn. 15:1, asserting His authoritative position in the hierarchy of the nation Israel, the nation that God called from among the nations. In using the symbol of the vine He identifies with the heritage and symbolism of the nation Israel and in doing so states and assumes His rightful position as the True Vine or source of Israel’s strength, power and connection to God the Father. It was a power source, which we might add, that they were not recognizing at the present time.

In making this statement Jesus was reminding His disciples that He and not the religious hierarchy was God’s representative and connection to God and that all other assertions, inferences or claims that others may make had no basis at all, Jn. chapter 10. The religious hierarchy with all of its pomp, prestige, history and assertion was difficult to reckon with. It looked so good. And, because of the way Jewish society was constructed it demanded participation and allegiance. It was no different than some of the so called ivory towers in our society that we struggle with when we are called to make a full commitment to the True Vine.

In making this statement Jesus was saying that He was at the center of all that their nation had been given by God. The religious rulers had assumed their position as gatekeeper to God using their position for their own benefit instead of recognizing and honoring Jesus, who was the reason for their position, when He had arrived. In saying that He was the True Vine He was reminding His disciples not to mix allegiance to Him with unprofitable things of this world no matter how good they look.

At the end of v. 1 Jesus reminds them that His Father is the owner of the vineyard making Him directly related to the vineyard’s owner and not just appointed to a position. Being directly related He assumes the position of His inheritance. In saying this He also reminds them that His Father is the Father of their nation, i.e. the vineyard Israel.

As Jesus continues His conversation with them He will do so from the perspective of His relation with them as Jews and His relationship with His nation Israel. Jesus’ perspective was not that someday He wanted to be president, but was that He was in reality already Israel’s One and only True King. Some of His conversation here, especially in the opening verses of chapter 15, can be confusing doctrinally if not seen through the eyes of the symbolism used here referring to Israel, His vineyard, Isaiah 5:1-7. In other words, He is speaking primarily concerning His relationship with the nation Israel and His relationship with its people.

Read Isaiah 5:1-7. In the first couple of verses of that passage the owner of the vineyard, who is also by the way the husbandman or gardener, did everything possible to make this vineyard the most fruitful and abundant of all vineyards. It tells us that he had chosen the ideal location for this vineyard, choosing the most fertile soil. He goes on to say that he tilled the soil, not only removing the surface rocks, but even digging out the rocks that were below the surface that could hampered the roots from going deep, not allowing the vines to take in the rich nutrients of that land.

He continues by saying that the husbandman used the choicest of plants in planting his vineyard providing protection and all the TLC possible to insure an abundant and flavorful harvest. He was so sure of the crop that would be produced because of all that he had done that he even built a winepress in the midst of it anticipating the abundant and tasteful crop that would be harvested, looking forward to enjoying it himself as well as sharing its prize winning taste with whomever he pleased. However, at the end of Isaiah 5:2 it tell us that even though the owner of the vineyard expected to see the choicest and most flavorful grapes for all his labor…instead he got sour wild grapes.

The remainder of the verses of this section of Isaiah chapter 5, v. 3-7, is quite sad. In reading these verses you can feel the sadness and disappointment that the owner of the vineyard has seeing the outcome of all his effort. He continues in these verses by saying that the owner of the vineyard, because of such a poor end result, stops caring for the vineyard and plants, letting it go its wild way, actually eventually tearing down its protection, letting it deteriorate beyond recognition. It says in Isaiah 5:7 that in all that the Lord did to and for Israel that He looked for and expected the end result to be justice, ending up with oppression, and, had expected His righteousness to be demonstrated and instead He heard cries of violence and distress due to injustice out of her.

The instruction and teaching from our Lord in John 15 concerning God and His vine and vineyard must have been refreshing to the disciples as they traveled toward Gethsemane. It is very likely that they were well acquainted with the Isaiah passage seeing Jesus step in and assume His rightful position as the True Vine giving them hope for the coming of a just and righteous kingdom, a little different picture than found in the Isaiah chapter 5 passage.

In assuming this position as the True Vine, Jesus in v. 2 begins to build a more accurate and trustworthy image and illustration of how things should be. In v. 1 He says that He is indeed the True Vine and now in v. 2 referring to the nation of people Israel He makes the reference that the unprofitable and profane part or branches of Israel will begin to be pruned out and cast aside. Although these branches were technically a part of the nation Israel, in reality they were dead and unprofitable, needing to be pruned away. I am sure that as He made this statement and placed Himself in this position as the vine that the first group of people that came to the mind the disciples was Israel’s religious leaders.

Some have been troubled by this section of Scripture saying that it appears to them that there may be reference here to those who were once in the faith and were unprofitable and because of their being unprofitable were pruned out and cast away, v. 2. It is even more troubling to read in v. 6 that those who are not connected to the vine will eventually wither and die being gathered and are thrown into the fire to be burned, v. 6, having eternal implications.

In v. 7 Jesus comes back to His discussion and promise that occurred in the upper room. In John 14:12-4 Jesus had given them a new privilege and promise. In those verses He had promised that they would do great and mighty works honoring Him and for His glory telling them that anything that they would ask ‘in His name’ that He would honor their request and do it. However, His offer did not come without stipulations or some conditions. Actually, it did not come with condition(s) or stipulation(s) it really came with only one condition, that the request would be made with Christ and His will in mind making the request in Jesus’ name.

Here in v. 7 of chapter 15 He makes it clear what He was referring too when He told them in Jn. 14:14 to ask in His name. He makes it clear here that what He was referring to when making requests in His name was to abide in Him and His ways making requests as He would do with others and not with ourselves in mind. In doing so it says in v. 8 that we will bear much fruit glorifying the Father in the process.

However, the reference here appears to be more specifically to Israel as a nation and as such we know from the O.T. account that not all of Israel lived up to God’s desire…sour grapes, Is. 5:2. Jesus openly pronounced certain members of the nation Israel as dead. He told them that they were actually followers of their father the devil and that they would in no way inherit His Kingdom, eventually being separated out and cast into the fire.

However, at the end of v. 2 Jesus also makes reference to those branches of this vine that are profitable saying that He will also prune them making them even more productive, bearing even more fruit than they already are. It is not that Jesus is all about more, more, more, but by virtue of what He has made us to be, why not be all that you are able. Many things in life suck energy and life out of us, hampering our effectiveness that is intended for bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom. Every profitable work and action for God and His Kingdom has the benefit of not only producing fruit in our life, but also in the lives of those around us. Pruning us and our lives naturally produces more good and better tasting fruit.

In v. 3, reassuring them that they are not unprofitable, He tells them that they have been cleansed by the words that He has spoken to them. You will remember just a short time before this that they were unsure of where they stood with Christ, at that time doubting themselves. During the dinner that they had just completed just a short time ago, Judas being present, He, Jesus had made the statement that not all of them were clean. Even though at that time Jesus was referring to Judas, they had doubted themselves wondering if one of them might be that unprofitable branch. However, now, Judas being pruned or cast out He reassures them that they were not an unprofitable branch and that they stood connected firmly to the Vine.

But, He warns them or maybe admonishes them that they need to remember to stay attached to their source of life…the Vine. He tells them in v. 2 that the Father or the Husbandman will prune them for the purpose of bearing more fruit; however, He reminds them in v. 4 that even a pruned branch will wither and die if not properly attached to the life giving source of the vine.

He tells them that they will need to stay connected to the Vine, but He does so by using the relational word ‘abide’. In essence He does not tell them to stay glued or welded or riveted to this Vine, just being attached to it, but refers to their connection in a relational way, telling them to find their home in Him.

In the remaining moments before the Cross He will continue His conversation with them using even stronger images and words to relay to them just how deep this abiding that He is talking about in reality is. He will use terms such as ‘friends’ and the image of family in doing so. In doing this He reminds them that this is not a surface relationship containing a weak bond or commitment. Abiding may at first give the image of comfortable resting in the relationship, but we must not forget that it also calls for deeper commitment to that Person in that relationship. Jesus was telling them that He was committed to them. In calling them to abide He was calling them and asking them to be strongly committed to Him and their relationship to that same degree.

In a real abiding relationship there is commitment and trust to the relationship that will see you through the difficult times. Soon what they will see in the Cross will test their level of commitment testing their relationship. After Jesus’ resurrection Jesus will question Peter several times about his level of abiding, asking Peter if he really loves Him, asking him to commit to this abiding relationship.

In v. 5 Jesus reminds His disciples that there are benefits to this relationship, so put everything you got into it. Just as in every relationship He tells them that there is benefit to everyone involved. There are great benefits derived from a deep and abiding relationship, but it doesn’t come without work. A relationship is like compound interest, the longer and more enduring a real relationship is the greater the benefits. Superficial relationships or relationships built on the wrong foundation provide fleeing pleasures and only moments of glory. In a real relationship there is deep treasure and plenty to glean for everyone including those near as well as far. Not enough commitment and stock is put into so called committed relationships these days.

Again in v. 5 He uses the word ‘abide’ warning them in v.6 of the grave consequences of passing by this kind of relationship. Judas would eventually all too late find out the depth of this remark that Jesus made in v. 6…how sad!