John 15 · KJV
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John 15

The vine and the branches

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer": fruitful branches are pruned to bear more, and fruitless ones are cut off and burned. The disciples are to remain in him as branches remain in the vine, because apart from him they can do nothing. Remaining in his love means keeping his commandments.

What does this mean?

"Husbandman" (KJV) means farmer or vine-grower. "Purgeth" (KJV) or "prunes" (WEB) translates a Greek word that also means "cleanses", which links to "clean" in verse 3. "Abide" (KJV) or "remain" (WEB) is the key word of the passage.

Historical context

Vineyards were everywhere in the land of Israel, and pruning was essential to a good harvest. In the Old Testament Israel is often pictured as God's vine or vineyard, sometimes one that bears bad fruit, as in Isaiah 5 and Psalm 80. Calling himself the "true" vine may contrast Jesus with that image.

Why does it matter?

This is the last of the seven "I am" sayings with an image. "Fruit" is not defined here, but the surrounding verses connect it with love, obedience and joy. The language of mutual indwelling (he in them, they in him) is characteristic of John.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Love one another, friends of Jesus

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Jesus repeats his commandment that the disciples love one another as he has loved them. No one has greater love than to lay down one's life for friends. He calls them no longer servants but friends, because he has told them everything from the Father, and reminds them that he chose them to bear lasting fruit.

What does this mean?

"Servants" (KJV, WEB) translates the word for slaves. A slave carries out orders without being told the master's reasons; a friend is let into his confidence.

Historical context

In the Greek and Roman world, friendship was a much-discussed ideal, and dying for a friend was praised as its highest expression. In the Old Testament Abraham and Moses are described as God's friends (Isaiah 41:8, Exodus 33:11).

Why does it matter?

Verse 13 points ahead to Jesus' death. The command to love frames this short passage at both ends (verses 12 and 17).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

The world will hate you

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Jesus warns that the world will hate the disciples as it hated him first, because they do not belong to it. A servant is not greater than his master: if they persecuted him, they will persecute his followers. He promises the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, who will testify about him, and says the disciples too will testify.

  • Scripture connection · Quotation · presented as fulfilled

    John 15:25 quotes Psalm 69:4

    They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
    Psalm 69:4 · KJV

    The same words appear in Psalm 35:19. John calls the Psalms part of 'their law', meaning scripture generally.

What does this mean?

"The world" in John often means human society organised without or against God, rather than the physical world or all people. "Cloke" (KJV, verse 22) is an old spelling of cloak, meaning an excuse or cover. "Proceedeth from the Father" means comes from the Father.

Historical context

The phrase "proceeds from the Father" (verse 26) became central to a long dispute between Eastern and Western churches over whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or "from the Father and the Son"; it contributed to the split of 1054.

Why does it matter?

The warnings reflect the experience of Jesus' early followers, who faced rejection and sometimes violence. The pairing of the Spirit's witness and the disciples' witness carries the Gospel's theme of testimony forward beyond Jesus' lifetime.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

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  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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