(1) (Overview)
(NET) The imagery of the vine underscores the importance of fruitfulness in the Christian life and the truth that this results not from human achievement, but from one’s position in Christ. Jesus is not just giving some comforting advice, but portraying to the disciples the difficult path of faithful service. To some degree the figure is similar to the head-body metaphor used by Paul, with Christ as head and believers as members of the body. Both metaphors bring out the vital and necessary connection which exists between Christ and believers.
(2) Difficult phrases:
(2) Difficult phrases:
v. 2 He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me.
v. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.
(NET) It seems most likely, therefore, that the branches who do not bear fruit and are taken away and burned are false believers, those who profess to belong to Jesus but who in reality do not belong to him. In the Gospel of John, the primary example of this category is Judas. In 1 John 2:18–19 the “antichrists” fall into the same category; they too may be thought of as branches that did not bear fruit. They departed from the ranks of the Christians because they never did really belong, and their departure shows that they did not belong.
(3) Main theme
(3) Main theme
Believers needed to be alert because the Father will take away/prune the branches depending on if the branches bear fruit or not v.2. However, those who heard Jesus' words should not be nervous because Jesus has already cleansed them. We just need to remain in Him v.3-4 and we will bear fruit.
v.3 You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you.
v.4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
(NET) The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin.
(NET) The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine, from which its life and sustenance flows. As far as the disciples were concerned, they would produce no fruit from themselves if they did not remain in their relationship to Jesus, because the eternal life which a disciple must possess in order to bear fruit originates with Jesus; he is the source of all life and productivity for the disciple.
Reflection: We know the importance to bear fruit. However, the command from Jesus was not to bear fruit, but to remain in Him. He even gave us the assurance that we are clean already by His word. On the other hand, we are not able to bear fruit by ourself.
(NET) The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine, from which its life and sustenance flows. As far as the disciples were concerned, they would produce no fruit from themselves if they did not remain in their relationship to Jesus, because the eternal life which a disciple must possess in order to bear fruit originates with Jesus; he is the source of all life and productivity for the disciple.
Reflection: We know the importance to bear fruit. However, the command from Jesus was not to bear fruit, but to remain in Him. He even gave us the assurance that we are clean already by His word. On the other hand, we are not able to bear fruit by ourself.
I am easy to get nervous and easy to lose my sleep when I need to serve e.g. VBC, evangelistic meeting, etc. Today's passage to remind me to do my part, and not to control what belongs to God's.
(4) What does "remain in Me" mean?
15:3 You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you. 15:4a Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
v,7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you
v,7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you
Remain in Jesus means remaining in God's words. Let God's words be in us. Do not deviate our lives from God's words.
Reflection: Bearing fruit or not is not our job, but remaining in God's words is. Reading the Bible is important, but not all. Meditate on it, imagine yourself applying it, memorize it, make tools to help us to remember it and apply it in our lives.
Audrey
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