John 15
DODDJohn 15:1-11
Christ represents himself under the emblem of a vine, and exhorts his disciples to faith and persevering obedience. John XV. 1—11.
JOHN XV. 1. I AM the true vine, and my SOME accident occasioning a little delay before they left the guest chamber, in which they had eaten the passover, our Lord improved the precious moments in addressing his disciples to the following purpose: a I am, said he, the true and most excellent vine,b by its
a Some accident occasioning a little delay, &c.] This may be gathered from the conclusion of the foregoing chapter, where our Lord had said, Arise, let us go hence: for it seems very unreasonable to imagine that our Lord would address so important a discourse as this to eleven persons, as they were walking, especially in the streets of Jerusalem, at this public time; much less would he pour out so solemn a prayer as that in chap. xvii. in such a circumstance; yet John xviii. 1 (sect. clxxxi.) strongly implies that all that follows between this and that happened before he went forth from Jerusalem. I conclude, therefore, that all this passed before they quitted the house where the passover was eaten, though they probably rose from the table as soon as those words, Arise, let us go hence, were spoken. A short delay
might leave room for this; for any one who will make the trial will find that these three chapters may be deliberately read over in a quarter of an hour, and therefore might be spoken in that small interval of time.
b The true and most excellent vine.] So the true light (John i. 9), and the true bread (chap. vi. 32), evidently signifies. (See Raphel. Annot. ex Xen. p. 141.) His having lately drank with his disciples of the fruit of the vine, and having afterwards declared that he would drink no more of it till he drank it new in the kingdom of God (Mark xiv. 25, page 430), might possibly occasion Christ’s alluding to it. (See Grotius, in loc.) Or perhaps they might now be standing near a window, or in some court by the side of the house, where the sight of a vine might suggest this beautiful
No branch can bear fruit but by abiding in him.
union with whom my church is nourished; and my Father is the husbandman, who has planted this vine, and by whom it is cultivated, that it may produce delightful clusters for his service. And every branch that is in me by an external profession, which yet is found to be a barren branch, and bears no fruit, he taketh quite away; that is, he cuts it off in his righteous judgment, and entirely separates it from me: but every [branch] which brings forth fruit, he purgeth, that is, he prunes and dresses it, and, on the whole, exercises such wise and kind discipline towards it (thought that discipline may sometimes seem severe), as may best answer the great end of its production, that it may bring forth yet more fruit, than which there can be nothing more desirable.c
And thus it is with you; for now the traitor is gone out I may affirm, without the exception that I made before, (compare John xiii. 10, 11, sect. clxxi.) that you are all thus purged, in such a manner as to be clean, by means of the word which I have spoken to you, whose sanctifying influence has operated on your hearts. Continue therefore in me, by the renewed exercise of humble faith and love; and I will be in you, to nourish and supply you, as from a living root, with every necessary grace: for as, in the natural world, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, but must presently wither, unless it continue in a state of union with the vine, and be nourished by sap from thence; so neither can you be able to produce the fruits of genuine and acceptable obedience, unless you continue in me, and have the life of grace maintained within you by a vital union with me.
I repeat it again, as a matter of the utmost moment, That I am the vine, and ye [are] the branches, in the sense I have already explained.
(Compare Psal. cxxviii. 3.) That instance was, no doubt, common in , which abounded with the finest s. See Gen. xlix. 11, 12; Numb. 3; and Deut. viii. 8. that it may bring forth more fruit.] strongly suggests a very sublime and
important thought, the blest rewards God can acts of obedience, is more holy, and fit for eminent service, than such painful affliction pruning of a vine.
ruitless branch shall be burned in the fire.
He therefore that abides in me by such an intimate and vital union, and in whom also I abide by the operations of my Holy Spirit in him, he, and he only, bringeth forth much fruit, to the honour of his profession, and the comfort of his own soul: but the glory of it is still to be referred to me; for separate from me you can do nothing, though you stand in the foremost rank of my followers, and have already made some considerable attainments. And if any one that calls himself my disciple does not maintain such a regard to me, as that he may be said to abide in me,⁴ he is rejected and cast out with disdain and abhorrence, as a fruitless branch lopped off from the vine, and by consequence is presently withered; and as [men] gather up such dry sticks, and throw them into the fire, and there they are burnt, as a worthless kind of wood fit for nothing but fuel (see Ezek. xv. 2—4), so in like manner such will be the end of those unhappy creatures; they shall be gathered as fit fuel for Divine wrath, and their external relation to me will not preserve them from everlasting burnings.
But as for you, my faithful servants, I assure you, for your encouragement, that, if you stedfastly abide in me, and take care that in consequence of it my words abide in you, so that you maintain a suitable regard to all my instructions, promises, and commands, this blessed union will entitle you to such signal degrees of the Divine favour, that you shall ask in prayer whatsoever ye will, and, if it be upon the whole subservient to your own happiness, and to the public good, it shall be done for you. And let it therefore be your care to make the suitable returns of gratitude and obedience; for in this is my Father most eminently glorified, that you, my apostles, bring forth much fruit, by exerting yourselves to the utmost for the propagation of my gospel in the world, and endeavouring to enforce your instructions by the holiness of your lives: and in this likewise you shall ap-
⁴ If any one does not abide in me.] It is strange that any should think this text a conclusive argument against the doctrine of perseverance; when to be in Christ (ver. 2) so plainly signifies making an external profession of Christianity, whether vain or sincere.
VO . .
Reflections on abiding in Christ the true Vine
pear to all to be my true disciples, and to act worthy of your character and relation to me.
And it is surely with the highest reason I would engage you to make this your aim; because as the Father has loved me, so have I also loved you, with the most constant and invariable affection: continue therefore in my love, and always be solicitous so to behave, as may, on your part, maintain the friendship inviolate. And if you diligently and constantly keep my commandments, then you will assuredly continue in my love; even as I have always kept my Father’s commandments, and so continue in his love; for this is the most solid evidence of it, which I give to my Father, and require from you.
These things I have spoken to you, not to grieve you by any intimation that I suspect the sincerity of your regards to me; but that you may be so fortified and animated against the temptations of life, that my joy and complacency in you, as my faithful friends, might still continue; and [that] your joy in me may be maintained in its full height, and may greatly increase; as it certainly will, in proportion to the advancement of your resolution and zeal in my service.
IMPROVEMENT.
ver. 1 How desirable it is that we may learn from this discourse to regard Christ, at all times, as the spiritual Head, from whom life and vigour are to be derived to all his people! Let us by the exercise of an unfeigned faith abide in him as the true Vine; as 4, 5 being always sensible that without him we can do nothing; and that, if we are in him only by an external profession, we are no 6 only in danger of being cut off, and taken away, but shall in the 2 end be cast into the fire. May we rather be purged and pruned, though it should be with the most painful dispensations of Provi 8 dence; if by this means our fruitfulness may be promoted to th glory of God and to the benefit of the world! May his word ope 3 rate daily upon us, to cleanse us from remaining pollutions! an if we thus desire to be clean, let us take heed to our way, accord ing to the tenor of that word. (Psal. cxix. 9.) 7 We see our encouragement to pray; let us take it from Christ and not be dismayed, nor yield to unbelieving suspicions. As 9 the Father has loved Christ, so does he also love his people. Let us preserve and cultivate this sacred friendship; and, whatever
Christ again commands his disciples to love one another.
it may cost us, let us endeavour to continue his love, and to avoid whatever would forfeit it; making it above all things our care to keep his commandments. Christ always observing those of his heavenly Father, cannot but always and invariably continue the object of his love and delight: may our conduct be such as that he may see reason to rejoice in us; and then we shall also have the surest foundation for a sublime and solid joy.
John 15:12
Christ renews his exhortation to mutual love, and declares the Jews inexcusable in their unbelief. John XV. 12, to the end.
JOHN XV. 12. THIS is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
JOHN XV. 12.
OUR Lord, in order to impress the principles of mutual friendship and benevolence on the minds of his disciples in the most powerful manner, recommended it to them at large on this tender occasion, and proceeded in his discourse to the following purpose: This is in a peculiar manner my commandment to you, which, by all the obligations you are under to me, I charge and conjure you to observe, That ye all do most cordially and constantly love one another; even, if it be possible, with as great an ardour as that with which I have loved you; so as to be ready to sacrifice your lives for each other, as I expose and resign mine for you. (Compare John xiii. 34; and 1 John iii. 16.)
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
And surely I can give no more solid and important evidence of my affection to you; for no man has ever manifested, or can indeed imagine, greater and more disinterested love than this, that a man should be willing not only on some sudden alarm to hazard, but on the coolest deliberation to submit to lay down his life for the preservation and happiness of his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Now as I am about to give you this grand demonstration of my love, so I assure you, that you are, and shall be acknowledged as my friends, and shall certainly share in the blessings of my death and life, if you practically acknowledge my authority, and are so influenced by my love as to do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the ser-
I do not any longer call you servants, though I have sometimes used the phrase, and formerly have seen it necessary in some points
John xv. 12
He did not deal with them as servants, but as
to treat you with reserve; *for the servant is not let into the secrets of his master, and knoweth not particularly what his lord doth:*ᵃ but I have not only in words called you my friends, (Luke xii. 4, sect. cxi.) but on the whole have treated you as such; for all things that I have heard, and received in charge from my Father, I have, so far as was convenient, declared to youᵇ in the most condescending and endearing manner, as you very well know.
Remember that *you have not first chosen me, but I by my sovereign and effectual grace have chosen you to the honourable office of my apostles and ambassadors; and have appointed and ordained you, that you should go and publish what you have heard from me to all the world, and be so qualified and assisted, that you may bear abundant fruit in the most distant countries, and [that] the blessed effect of your fruit should continue even to the remotest generations:*ᶜ yea, I have also raised you to such a happy circumstance, and made you so eminently the favourites of heaven, that, as I lately told you (ver. 7), whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he may perform it for you; and you may certainly depend upon it he will give it you.
But then again I would remind you, that if you would continue thus the objects of these his gracious regards, you must carefully practise your duty to each other as well as to him; for these things I command you, that ye love one
ᵃ I do not any longer call you servants; for the servant knoweth not, &c.] Mr. Locke (in his Reasonableness of Christianity, p. 105) refers this to the caution with which our Lord had spoken of his being the Messiah; some instances of which have been already pointed out. See note ʳ on John iv. 26, Vol. I. page 173.
ᵇ All things that I have heard from my Father I have declared to you.] Our Lord had, no doubt, the fullest view of the scheme of redemption undertaken by him; but the apostles not being yet able to bear many things, (compare chap. xvi. 12, sect. clxxvii.) especially relating to the calling of the Gentiles, and the abolition of the Mosaic law, he wisely deferred the discovery of them: that these words must be taken with the limitation mentioned in the ara hrase,
and signify that he had done it so far as was convenient.
ᶜ That you should go and bear fruit, &c.] This was a security to them that they should be preserved from immediate dangers, and that their life should be guarded by Providence till some considerable services had been accomplished by their means. When our Lord adds, that your fruit should continue, he may allude to the custom of keeping rich and generous wines a great many years, so that in some cases (which was especially applicable to the sweet eastern wines) they might prove a cordial to those who were unborn when the grapes were produced. In this view there is a beautiful propriety in the representation, which I hope will be particularly felt when these revivin chapters are read.
orld would hate them, as it hated him.
another; and this you should the rather do, as you will be the mark of common hatred and persecution. Yet if you find the world hate and injure you, you have no reason to be offended or surprised at this; for you know, that mild and benevolent as my conduct has always been, yet it has hated me your Chief and Lord, before it discharged its venom and malignity on you. Indeed if you were like the rest of the world, and your doctrines and practice were conformable to its customs and maxims, the world is so generally under the power of selfish prejudices, that it undoubtedly would love its own, and you might expect much better treatment from it: but because this is not your character, and you are not thus of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, not only to separate from, but to oppose its vices and enormities, and even to be leaders in that holy and necessary opposition, it is no wonder that upon this account the world hateth you, though the cause in which you are engaged be indeed so honourable, and your lives so useful and beneficent.
Remember, and recollect upon this occasion, the word which I spake to you some time ago (Mat. x. 24; and Luke vi. 40), and which I have but lately repeated (John xiii. 16), The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the messenger greater than him that sent him: if therefore they have persecuted me, and Providence
d It has hated me your Chief.] The words in the original, (ἡς ἀγαθοῦν ὑμῶν μοιρασθένν) which we render, It hated me before it hated you, may (as Dr. Lardner well observes) be more literally rendered, It hated me your Chief; which makes the expression more lively and exactly parallel to Mat. x. 24, 25, sect. lxxv. (See Lard. Credib. part i. Vol. II. p. 693.) Thus ὡς ἀγαθοῦν ὑμῖν γῆ (1 Tim. i. 15) is well translated, of whom I am chief.
e If you were of the world, the world would love its own.] This seems to me a strong intimation, that even in nations which profess Christianity, if true religion fall, as it very possibly may, to a very low ebb, they that exert themselves remarkably for the revival of it, must, on the very principle here laid down, expect hatred and o po-
sition; and that the passages in scripture relating to persecution are not so peculiar to the first ages, or to Christians living in idolatrous countries, as some have supposed. Would to God, the malignity to be found in some of us against our brethren, did not too plainly illustrate this remark! Men will probably experience the truth of it, in proportion to the degeneracy of those around them, and to the vigor and resolution with which they bear their testimony against prevailing errors and vices. Yet it is certain, that the imprudence and bigotry of some very good men has sometimes made matters worse than they would otherwise have been, and perhaps has irritated the vices of their enemies, so as in part to have been accessory to their own damage, and the much greater mischief of those that have injured them.
The Jews were inexcusable in their hatred
as permitted them to do it, you may reasonably conclude they will also persecute you, and cannot justly complain if you have your share of sufferings; and if you have seen that they have generally kept my sayings, I will give you leave to suppose they will also keep yours. But when you see, as you very quickly will, not only my doctrine rejected, but my person assaulted, abused, and murdered, it must be a sensible warning to you to prepare for the like usage; and all these things they will in fact do to you or my name’s sake, because they do not know him that sent me; for their ignorance of that God to whom they boast so near a relation does indeed lie at the bottom of all their opposition to me. And a dreadful account they will have to give for it; for if I had not come and spoken thus plainly to them, they would comparatively have had no sin; but now they have no excuse or pretence for their sin, but, being committed against so clear and strong a light, it stands exposed in its most odious colours: Yea, it appears rebellion against God, as well as ingratitude to me; for he that hateth and opposeth me, hateth and opposeth my Father also, whose commission I bear; and this is what they have done, after all reasonable methods have been taken for their conviction. If I had wrought no miracle at all, nay, if I had not done among them such extraordinary works as no other man ever did, not even their prophets, or Moses himself,
If they have kept my sayings, &c.] I am surprised that such a multitude of learned commentators, and among the rest Gataker and Knatchbull, should contend that יהוה יהוה should here be understood of observing a person’s discourse with a malignant design to carp at it. (See Wolfus, in loc.) Παραζητοῦ has indeed that sense, Mark iii. 2; Luke vi. 7; xiv. 1; xx. 20. But no certain argument can be drawn from hence, especially considering how constantly the phrase before us is taken in a good sense, for an obedient regard, in this very discourse, in which it often occurs. See John xiv. 15, 21, 23; xv. 10; xvii. 6.
They would have had no sin.] It is so evident from the word of God (see Rom. i. 20, 21; and ii. 12-15), as well as from
the reason of things, that sin may be imputed to those who have no revelation, that it is most evident this is only a hebraism; as when, according to the pathetic manner of speaking, especially in use among the eastern nations, that is said to be nothing at all which, when compared with something else, is inconsiderably small. See Psal. xxxix. 5; Isa. xl. 17; 1 Cor. i. 28; iii. 7; and compare John ix. 41.
h Hateth my Father also.] How much is to be wished that those who make light of Christ, while they pretend a great veneration for the Father, would seriously attend to this weighty admonition, lest hapl they be found even to fight against God. (Acts v. 39.)
The Spirit, when he comes, will testify of him.
they had not had any degree of sin, comparable to that which they are now under; but now, as they have rejected my superior miracles, which they have seen with their own eyes, at the same time that they own the evidence of those which Moses wrought, of which they have heard only by distant report, they manifest such an obstinate perverseness of temper, that I may truly say, they have both seen, and hated both me and my Father; and God himself will justly resent and punish it, as an indignity that shews their enmity to him. But [this is all permitted], that the word which is written in their law, or in their sacred volume, concerning David (Psal. xxxv. 19), might eminently be fulfilled in me, as many ancient prophecies foretold that it should, “Surely they have hated me without a cause.”
But when the Comforter is come, whom, as I told you (chap. xiv. 26), I will shortly send to you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, and is to reside in my church, he shall bear a convincing testimony to me, to vindicate my character from all the infamy they are maliciously attempting to throw upon it. And you also, weak as you now appear, shall by his powerful assistance bear a courageous and convincing testimony to me, because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry, and therefore are the best qualified to give an account of my whole conduct; which the better it is known, the more it will justify my cause, and expose the wickedness of those that rise up against me.
IMPROVEMENT.
THE Son of God condescends to speak under the character ver. 1 of a Friend; and with what humble gratitude should we attend
They have hated me without a cause. It appears to me very evident that Psal. xxxv cannot be, strictly speaking, a prophecy concerning the Messiah, especially from ver. 13, 14, which represent a person incapable of helping others in their sickness, otherwise than by fasting and prayer; whereas Christ (and, so far as we can find, he alone) had a power of working miracles whenever he pleased. Nevertheless,
less, that the enemies of the Messiah should hate him without a cause was expressly foretold (Isa. liii. 3—9; Dan. ix 26; and Zech. xii. 10); not to mention the argument arising from comparing all the places in which his innocence and holiness are described, with those which refer to his sufferings. So that I apprehend the turn given in the paraphrase sufficiently justified.
Reflections on the world’s hatred of Christ, &c.
to his words! He lays aside the majesty of a sovereign to asclxxvi. sume this more tender relation; and surely our overflowing hearts must inquire, blessed Jesus, what shall we do to express ver. 14 the friendship on our side? Let us observe what he has here declared, Te are my friends indeed, if ye do whatever I command you. Lord, we will run the way of these thy commandments, when on this noblest principle thou shalt enlarge our hearts! (Psal. cxix. 32.)
12,13 He has loved us with an unexampled affection, which has approved itself stronger than death; and, in return, he requires us to love one another. How gracious a command! How merciful to our fellowcreatures and to ourselves, who should infallibly feel the benefit of the practice of it, both in the delight inseparable from benevolent affections, and in the circulation of kind and friendly offices, which, degenerate as human nature is, few are so abandoned as not to endeavour to repay! Who would not imagine that the whole world should feel and obey the
18,25 charm? And yet, instead of this, behold, they hate Christ, and his servants for his sake, though without a cause, and against the strongest engagements. Miserable creatures! who by a neces-
23,24 sary consequence, whatever they may fondly imagine, hate the Father also, and stand daily and hourly exposed to all the dreadful terrors of an almighty enemy.
19,20 Let us not wonder if the world hate us; nor greatly regard if it injure us. We are not of the world, nor is the servant greater than his Lord: but surely the opposition which the gospel brings along with it is nothing when compared with those blessings which it entails on all who faithfully embrace it. Were the sufferings and difficulties a thousand times greater than they are, we ought to esteem the Pearl of price, the most happy purchase at any rate; and to be daily returning our most thankful acknowledgments, that Christ sent forth his apostles, qualified with such a knowledge of himself, and assisted by such power from
his Spirit, appointing them to go and bring forth fruit, even fruit which should remain to the remotest ages. Through his guardian care it still remains in the world: Oh may it flourish more abundantly among us! and may its efficacy on our hearts and lives be more apparent! And may Divine Grace convince those who now reject and oppose it, that in the midst of such various
evidence of his having come and spoken to them, they have no cloak for their sin! but, with whatever fond excuses they may amuse themselves and others, it will quickly appear, that the bed is too short to stretch themselves on it, and the covering too narrow to wrap themselves in. (Isa. xxviii. 20.)
‘st warns his disciples to expect persecution.