September 27 – John 15:1-17

Main Focus: Learning to abide in Jesus

This is the last of Jesus’ seven I am sayings in this Gospel. The vinedresser refers back to Isaiah’s first vineyard song, where God is depicted as tending his vineyard, only to be rewarded with wild grapes. The fruitfulness of those in Christ contrasts with the fruitlessness of Israel.

The divine vinedresser does two things to ensure maximum fruit production: (1) he removes unfruitful branches, and (2) he prunes all the others (cf. Hebrews 6:7-8). To not bear fruit seems to indicate that the person symbolized by such a branch is not a true believer. This would be one of several verses in John showing that not all who follow Jesus for a time and hear his teaching are genuine believers. Others understand these branches to represent true believers who are “unfruitful” for various reasons. In favor of this view is the fact that Jesus says such branches are “in me,” and that seems parallel to being “in Christ,” as only believers are.

These unfruitful branches appear to be the same branches that are “thrown away” and “burned” in 15:6, which seems clearly to be a picture of final judgment. Fruit is an image for good results coming from the life of a believer, probably in terms of bringing benefit to the lives of others and advancing the work of God in the world. “He prunes” gives a picture of painful but necessary removal of some interests and activities in order that the remaining branches may bear even more fruit. The word translated “prunes” often means “to clean.”

Abide in me means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus, characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. The repeated references to fruit bearing underscore that this is God’s primary purpose in creation and in redemption. Apart from me you can do nothing does not mean “nothing at all,” for unbelievers of course carry on their ordinary activities of life apart from Christ. Rather, it means “nothing of eternal value,” or an inability to produce spiritual fruit. The person who does not abide in Him is an unbeliever who does not have a personal faith in Christ. Fire is a common Jewish and biblical symbol for divine judgment. Some take this “fire” to imply loss of reward for true believers, not eternal judgment for unbelievers, but this does not fit as well with the image of branches being entirely burned up by a fire.

Two conditions are given for answered prayer: abiding in Jesus, and his words abiding in believers. Elsewhere Jesus says that believers must ask in his name. If God’s people truly abide in Jesus, they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.God is glorified not by praise and worship alone but by his followers also bearing much fruit for the advancement of his kingdom on earth. Here again, fruit bearing is evidence of being true believers, or being Jesus’ disciples. Mutual love between believers and Christ is another element of this “abiding” relationship.

Obedience is not to be equated with drudgery; it is all about joy. Just as Jesus had great joy in obeying his Father even in the midst of opposition, so Christians will have joy in obedience. Followers of Jesus obey when they love one another. Jesus says, you are my friends. That implies a stunning level of comfortable personal interaction with one who is also the eternal, omnipotent Creator of the universe. In the OT, only Abraham and by implication Moses are called “friends of God.” Here Jesus extends this privilege to all obedient believers.

You did not choose me does not negate the disciples’ willing decision to follow Jesus when he called them. Jesus is emphasizing that the ultimate factor in determining who would follow him was Jesus’ own choice. That you should go and bear fruit implies that the purpose of Christ’s choosing people is not merely that their sins be forgiven and they have eternal life but also that their lives be fruitful and productive in fulfilling God’s purposes.