Jesus: The True Vine (John 15:1-8)

We now arrive at the last of the “I Am” statements of Jesus: “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Jesus stresses the importance of abiding in Him so that we would glorify God and bear much fruit (15:8).  

The Parable: True Vine

In order to help His disciples grasp the necessity of abiding in Him, Jesus spoke to them a parable of a grapevine and its branches. This parable would be easy for His disciples to understand since vineyards were very common in Jesus’ day. Interestingly, the practice of vine dressing is similar today as it was back in Jesus’ day. A main vine grows out of the ground and produces branches. These branches extend from the vine and are dependent upon the vine for the vital nutrients for good health. The branches are in one of two categories: fruitful and unfruitful. In a vineyard, the unfruitful branches are not receiving the vital nutrients from the vine and must be cut off by the vinedresser. This action is necessary for the health of the other branches. The healthy branches are not cut off, but pruned. The pruning process is necessary as it removes unhealthy areas from the branch so that it may become even healthier and fruitful. To summarize, the vine produces branches which may or may not produce fruit. The vinedresser cuts off unfruitful branches and prunes fruitful branches in order to maximize fruitfulness.

The Interpretation: False vs. Genuine Converts

In this parable, Jesus is the vine and God the Father is the vinedresser (15:1). Why did Jesus use this parable of a vine? This was not a random illustration. For the Jews who knew their Scriptures, they would have remembered in Psalm 80 that Israel is referred to as a vine taken from Egypt and the Prophet Jeremiah’s condemnation of the nation of Israel for their idolatry. The Lord spoke through Jeremiah saying, “Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me into a degenerate plant of an alien vine?” (Jer 2:21). God’s judgment upon Israel was to uproot them and send them into exile. Israel was a faithless vine, but Jesus did what Israel was unable to do. Jesus is the true, noble vine, a seed of the highest quality that remains faithful.

The Father’s work as the vinedresser is to sever the bad/unhealthy/unfruitful branches from the vine and to prune the good/healthy/fruitful branches. Only the vinedresser has the authority to remove or prune. In the world of vinedressing, the same sharp knife is used for both cutting away and pruning. The work of the Father is to do what is best for the fruitfulness of the vine. It is the Father’s will that the mission of the Son be effective and fruitful. We have discussed the identity and role of the vine and the vinedresser, but what do the branches represent? Genuine Christians are the fruitful branches. False Christians are the unfruitful branches.

False Converts: The Removed Branches

Some branches are removed from the vine. Jesus said, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away…” (15:2a). The vinedresser inspects each branch and makes a determination of what should be done. If the vinedresser discovers that the branch is bad, he takes a sharp knife and removes the branch completely from the vine. Why are these branches removed if they are connected to the vine? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 6, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them into the fire, and they are burned.” Those who do not abide in Christ will be removed. This corresponds to verse 2 because of verse 4. If you do not abide in Christ you cannot bear fruit. If you do not bear fruit you are cast out. The destination of the unfruitful branches/unbelievers is fire. Remember, Jesus said “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21). He also said, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…And these will go away into everlasting punishment” (Matt 25:41,46).

The sad reality of many churches is that they are filled with false converts. These are people who make a profession of faith, but are not truly converted. They are the “stony ground” on which the seed fell. Jesus said, “when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble” (Mark 4:15-17). They are also the “thorny ground” on which the seed fell. Jesus said, “they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the work, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19). They are not cut off because they don’t bear enough fruit; they are cut off because they do not bear any fruit. They must repent before it is too late.

Genuine Converts: The Pruned Branches

Not all branches are removed; some are pruned. Jesus said, “Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (15:2b-3). They are clean because they have had their sins forgiven by Jesus. They have been born again (John 3:3) and have been justified by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9). They are the ones who “are sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred” (Mark 4:20). 

The good branches are only good because they–unlike the bad–abide in Christ. The pruned branches are fruitful and Jesus’ command to them is: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (15:4). How does a disciple abide in Jesus? John Piper says, “…abiding in Jesus is not the same as bearing fruit or keeping his commandments. Fruit bearing and commandment keeping are the result of abiding. If we abide, we bear fruit.” To abide in Jesus means we come to Him in faith and believe in Him as the Christ. To abide in Jesus means that we “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). He is our greatest delight. 

The good branches abide in Christ and are nourished by Him. Those who abide are not perfect, but committed. They trust and obey. They love the Lord. They show the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus also said that they endure God’s pruning process. How does the vinedresser prune the branches? God takes His sharp knife and cuts away that which is unnecessary for fruitfulness. He uses many means with the two primary being: 1) Scripture and 2) Circumstances. Scripture is the two-edged sword that hurts and heals. It pierces “discerning the thought and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12). God also used providence as a means to prune. The situations and circumstances of our life are ordained by God for our fruitfulness and His glory (15:8). When you go through trials, don’t despair. God is pruning you of self-love and worldly affection. Abide in Christ. Love Him and delight in Him.