Introduction
John 15 is among the farewell conversations that include the last teachings that Jesus extended to his disciples before his death. In this chapter, Christ uses a metaphor to signify the correlation between God, Jesus, and the disciples.
The major reason why Jesus opted to use metaphors in his teachings was to ensure that the disciples understood his teachings. In the text, Jesus emphasizes on the need to understand and obey God’s commandments by outlining the consequences of going against the teachings.1
Some of the metaphors used in this chapter are overt while some are hard to fathom. The metaphors include Vine, which represents Jesus, Vine grower signifying God the father, and Branches, which represent the crowd that Jesus was teaching among others.
In a bid to understand this chapter, it is imperative to analyze every verse at a time. The chapter contains numerous metaphors and it is hard for an individual to understand it without having a clear picture of the metaphors. This paper gives an exegesis of John 15:1-11.
Context
Historical-Cultural Context
John 15:1-11 documents the final days that Christ spent with his disciples before meeting his cruel death. At this time, Christ taught his disciples using metaphors and symbols to ensure that they understood the teachings. Jesus knew about the task that was ahead of his disciples.
In addition, he knew that for them to overcome it, they had to have strong faith, which could only come after they learn to understand and trust in God.2 Therefore, to ensure that they understood the teachings, Christ used items that were common among the disciples and other people that came to his gatherings.
Some of the items that he used in his teachings included vines, vine grower, and branches. The vine represented Jesus himself, the vine grower was the Father who sent Christ to the earth, and the branches were the disciples. At this time, the Johannine community involved itself with farming.
The common plants that they grew at the time included vines among others.3 Therefore, by using vine in his teaching, Jesus related the normal life with God’s teachings thus making it possible for the disciples to figure out his teachings.
As the farmers attend to vines, they prune branches that are completely damaged or unproductive to ensure that the vines remain healthy to bear more fruits. In his teachings, Jesus tries to relate this aspect with the kingdom of God.4
He talks of how God will separate sinners from the righteous and send the former to hell. By using these metaphors, Jesus did not intend to instill fear in his disciples, but wanted to show the seriousness of regarding and disregarding the teachings.
Literary Context
Throughout this chapter, Jesus uses numerous symbols. In John 15: 1-2, Jesus says that he is the true vine and his father is the vinedresser.
Additionally, he says that every branch attached to the vine and does not bear any fruit, the vinedresser removes it, and everyone that bears fruits he tenders it to make sure that it bears more fruits. The main reason why Jesus uses these words is to put weight on the importance of being united with Christ for by remaining united with Christ the disciples would do what God had called them to do.5
Moreover, he signified the great love that exists amongst God, Jesus, and the disciples. The vine “comprises not only the branches, but also roots and stem; hence, when the disciples are united with Jesus, they become one”6.
In this section, Christ repeatedly talks of bearing more fruits as a way of assuring the disciples that God will reward them if they keep to his teachings. Jesus asks followers to abide with him since a branch cannot bear fruits unless it remains attached to the vine.
In this context, Christ emphasizes that for the disciples remain in line with God’s teachings, they have to remain and abide with what Jesus tells them.
Analysis of text
John 15: 1-5
In John 15:1, Christ begins by declaring himself as the “true vine”. The use of vine in this verse is symbolic. Jesus uses the imagery of the vine to bring out the significance of bearing fruits or being productive in Christian life.
In his teachings, Jesus is not assuring his disciples that they will have a smooth life; on the contrary, he is preparing them for the inevitable hardships they have to encounter in their journey of faith.7 The metaphor brings out the crucial and important relationship that exists between Jesus and the disciples.
Jesus refers to his Father to imply that he is never autonomous, but in consultation with the father. In both John 15:1 and 15:5, Christ refers to “=Egwv eijmi” (the Greek words for “I am the vine”).
In the two verses, Christ precedes his statements with a predicate to make sure that his disciples understand him correctly coupled with understanding his duty on earth.
In addition, his inclusion of a predicate in his statements seeks to help the disciples to understand why the father sent Jesus to the world.8 In all the statements, it is clear that Christ is the giver of eternal life (vine, life, resurrection).
In John 15:2, Christ uses a Greek verb, ai[rw, which signifies “propping up” or “take away”. In this content, Jesus gives an example of a farmer lifting up a weak branch to make it productive again.
Comparing verse 2 with verse 6, one may argue that the verb ai[rw is used in the two verses to signify believers who give up their deliverance because of not bearing fruits. Nevertheless, on revisiting Johannine teachings, one may come up with other meanings to represent the removal of branches.
According to the Johannine teachings, believers are guaranteed of their security in John10:28-29.9 Hence, one may view verses 2 and 6 in two dimensions. In the first dimension, one may argue that the removal of branches signifies the unfaithful Christians, who will face judgment by fire at the end of the world.
On the other hand, it may signify the people that have never been believers like the Jews. In this case, verse 6 may show their perpetual judgment.
In the both dimensions, it is evident that John 15:6 relates to the inevitable suffering at the end of the world for the rebellious. Nevertheless, the first dimension wants the reader to view the judgment in terms of the believers that Christ will judge at the end of the world.
The Gospel of John fails to include the theme of fires of judgment since it believes that those that keep to the teachings will not face the judgment day.10
In Mathew 3:10, John the Baptist uses a similar metaphor. He posits, “The axe is already set aside for cutting every tree that does not bring forth fruits and that the tree will burn in fire”11. John the Baptist uses these sentiments when addressing the Sadducees and Pharisees that came to him for baptism.12
He uses the imagery to signify that they must repent and go back to God. The metaphor of being thrown into the fire symbolizes the perpetual judgment and is similar to the one used in John 15:6.
In verse 6, John the evangelist uses the word mevnw. When this word is used in comparison between Jesus and his disciples or between the Father and Jesus, it underscores the solidity of the relationship under consideration.
The branches that are removed include people like Judas who leaves the discipleship after sinning.13 From this perspective, one can conclude that the branches that do not bring forth fruits and are cast into the fire represent non-believers, viz. people that confess some degree of faithfulness to Jesus, but reality they do not belong to Christ.
According to John, Judas falls in this group. In addition, the “antichrist” belongs to this group, and thus one can perceive them as branches that bear no fruits.14 By opposing Christ, they confirm that they actually do not belong to the group of believers.
John15:3, it is clear now that the term kaqaivrei (prune) as used in verse 2 signifies the cleansing of disciples from their sins. The same phrase is used when Christ is washing the feet of his disciples to show that their sins are forgiven.15 In John15:4, Jesus asks his disciples to remain in him as he will remain in them.
In this context, one may argue that the relationship between Jesus and his disciples is give-and-take; however, this relationship is viable on condition that the disciples remain in Christ that he will remain in them. Christ posits that it is hard for branches to bear any fruits if they do not remain attached to the vine.
By this assertion, Christ implies that the disciples are nothing without him.16 Jesus is the sole source of eternal life, which is vital for believers to be productive.
In John15:5, the bible touches on fruits. One may wonder which fruits are mentioned in John15:2, 4, and 8. Relative to other passages in the bible that mention the word fruit, one may argue that the imagery of fruit represents moral qualities or good deeds. This argument is correct.17
However, in relation to John, he believes that life is all about bearing fruits, and according to him, a person that does not bear fruits is technically dead. Hence, John uses the imagery to signify how a Christian life would be productive if one believes in Jesus and follows his teachings.
John 15:6-8
As afore discussed in verse 1, verse 6 also touches on the propping and removal of branches. Nevertheless, the bible does not tell clearly the person responsible for this work. Some theologians argue that the Gospel of John is very clear on matters regarding the final judgment such that there is no need of John having to restate who will be responsible for gathering and burning the unproductive branches.
John 15:7, Christ engages his disciples again immediately after the departure of the betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Hence, the group comprises the genuine believers who are cleansed of their sins.18 In this context, Christ uses a more positive note in addressing the disciples. He shifts “from ejaVn…ti” (“if anyone”) tone that he uses in verse 6 to ejaVn meivnhte (“if you”) in verse 7 to signify the purity of the disciples”19.
Once more Christ reassures his disciples that they will never lack if they believe and remain in him. In John 14:13-14, Jesus reminds his disciples to request for all that they want in his name and God the father would grant them. These two instances signify the importance of being obedient to God’s teachings.
In John 15:8, it is clear that God is magnified whenever the disciples bear fruits.20 Jesus calls his disciples to follow his footsteps and do the work that God has called them to do. From this verse, one may claim that being a disciple of Christ and bearing fruits is one thing.
In other words, being a disciple of Christ signifies the physical acceptance to following and abiding with his teachings. When the disciples bring forth the fruits, they confirm that indeed they are Disciples of Christ.
John 15:9-11
In John 15:9, Jesus begins the verse by confirming his compassion for the believers. In a bid to show how this love is immense, he compares it with the love his father has towards him. He instructs the disciples to “meivnate (remain or dwell) in his love”21.
Here, Christ wants to imply that by remaining in his love the believers will be capable of bearing fruits and pursue the call that God is calling them to serve.22 Therefore, to make sure that the disciples understand what he means by remaining in him, Jesus goes further to explain in verse 10.
He gives obedience as one of the ways of remaining in his love. By following his commandments, the disciples will be sure that they dwell in Christ’s love. He shows that love and obedience are intertwined. The same notion comes out in John 4:20 where Christ posits that whoever claims to love God and fail to love his brother is a prevaricator.23
This aspect implies that by loving our brothers, we obey one of the commands given to us by God. He further shows how love and obedience are interrelated by relating the two with his relationship with the father. Christ loves his father and he always obeys his commands.
In verse 11, Jesus confirms that the reason he told his disciples all these was to make sure that his happiness remains in them and that they may have happiness to the fullest.
Application
John 15:1-11 has numerous applications in a Christian life. For Christians, it becomes hard at times to tell if they are really doing according to God’s commandments. However, by reading these verses, one can be in a position to evaluate his or her life and see if it is line with Christ’s teachings.
From the readings, it is clear that for a Christian to claim that he or she lives in Christ, one ought to be obedient to his commands. It is hard for a parent to extend favors to a child that does not obey his or her commands,24 which applies to God too.
One may apply these verses in changing his or her behavior and be in line with life that Jesus wants people to live. In most cases, people fail to realize that they miss out in God’s favor for they do not obey His commandments.
However, John 15:1-11 gives a clear guideline of the measures that one ought to take in order to accomplish God’s love. Applying all the teachings in this section will help an individual to live a Christian life, be a true believer, and remain a disciple of Christ.
In a bid to experience the Christ’s joy, one has to abide by his teachings. One not only has to be a good child, but also has to be obedient in order to have complete joy. John 15:1-11 clarifies that to be a disciple of Christ is a challenging decision. One is called to abandon everything else and follow his teachings.25
Occasionally, it is hard for people to abandon things that make them happy and comfortable. Unfortunately, these things are the ones that draw people farther from Christ.
In John 15:3, the teachings give believers hope that still there is room for correction where Christ talks of pruning some branches to make sure that they bear fruits. In this case, it implies that a sinner has an opportunity to change his or her ways if s/he is ready to pay atonement for his or her sins.26
Conclusion
John 15 documents the last teachings that Christ gave to his disciples before facing his cruel death. In a bid to ensure that the disciples understood and retained his teachings, Christ used metaphors. Furthermore, all the metaphors that he used related to the daily life of his disciples.
He compared himself with the vine, his father with the vine grower, and the disciples with the branches. By using this imagery, Christ intended to show his disciples that there is a strong relationship amongst God the father, Jesus, and the disciples.
Just as Jesus depends and works in consultation with the Father, the disciples are nothing without the Father and Jesus. Jesus uses the imagery of the vine to show Christians how they should live if they wish to inherit the kingdom of God.
He gives the example of how a vine grower prunes the branches that are unproductive and burn them as a way of enlightening the disciples on how it will look like at the day of reckoning. Jesus emphasizes that one has to be obedient to ensure that s/he lives as per God’s teachings.
Loving God and obeying His commandments underscores the only way through which Christians can overcome the fires of judgment. According to Christ, love and obedience go hand in hand. One cannot love if he or she is not obedient. Hence, love and obedience ought to be the pillars of a Christian life.
Bibliography
Barrett, Charles. The Gospel according to St. John. Westminster: John Knox Press, 1978.
Blomberg, Craig. A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis. Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2010.
MacArthur, John. The John MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Chicago: Moody Publishing, 2008.
Matthew, Henry. Matthew Henry’s Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1961.
Sailhamer, John. NIV Compact Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.
Swindoll, Charles. Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010.
Walvoord, John, and Roy Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament.
Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1983.
Footnotes
1 Charles Barrett, The Gospel according to St. John (Westminster: John Knox Press, 1978), 45.
2 Ibid, p.52.
3 Barrett, p.57.
4 Craig Blomberg, A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis (Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2010), 68.
5 Ibid, p.93.
6 Barrett, p.76.
7 MacArthur, p.117.
8 Ibid, p.117.
9 MacArthur, p.117.
10 Ibid, p.123.
11 Ibid, p.111.
12 Henry Matthew, Matthew Henry’s Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1961), 168.
13 John Sailhamer, NIV Compact Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 65.
14 Sailhamer, p.69.
15 Matthew, p.173.
16 MacArthur, p.131.
17 Sailhamer, p.75.
18 Charles Swindoll, Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010), 132
19 Ibid, p.116.
20 Ibid, p.137.
21 Ibid, p.118
22 Matthew, p.173.
23 Swindoll, p.141.
24 MacArthur, p.153.
25 John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary New Testament (Colorado Springs: David Cook, 1983), 89-93.
26 Ibid, p.97.