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Chapter 26 - True Vine
True Vine
John 15:1
1 I [ego] am [eimi] the true [alethinos] vine [ampelos] , and [kai] my [mou] Father [pater] is [esti] the husbandman [georgos] . KJV-Interlinear
1 'I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. NASB
Called by some the upper room discourse, is more apparently a discourse taught by Jesus either while on the way to the Mt. of Olives, or spoken by Christ, after the group of apostles and Christ had reached the Mt.
From there they would continue on to the Garden of Gethsemane It is in the Garden where the formal arrest of Jesus will take place. So that event is just a matter of a few hours away.
Jesus begins His discourse with this last parable (chronologically speaking) in His ministry. This is the thirty fifth and final parable in the gospels of the New Testament.
What is going on at this time? Judas has already left the dinner table and is arriving at the place where the Temple leadership was obviously assembled. We know from the first couple of trials, that some of the Sadducees were already assembled together because they will sit in judgment against Jesus in His second trial (Annas will be the first trial). It is interesting that on this holiest of feasts of the year (Passover), that the temple high priests and scribes would be gathered together plotting (or at least discussing) the demise of Christ.
They were probably having their Passover dinner just as everyone in Jerusalem and Judea were doing at this time. Judas would know where to find them.
Not the full assembly of the Sanhedrin was now gathered together mind you, but just a small group who have obviously dedicated their efforts toward getting rid of Jesus. The full assembly of the Sanhedrin (which is there form of Jewish Supreme Court comprised of 71 members of the Priests and Scribes of the Temple) will all gather in the morning (for the third trial out of six) to condemn Jesus and send him off to Pilate for execution.
Remember that Passover is a holy feast celebrated on one day, then it is immediately followed by the seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is not typically a time for holding court. All civil or criminal matters would normally have been put off until after the feast celebrations were over - the following week.
Judas is making his way to where the priests and scribes are located. Jesus and the eleven are making their way to the Mt. of Olives. Soon the Priests and scribes will be discussing, debating, and arguing over their next move after being notified by Judas that Jesus will be in the Garden (a place where Jesus often frequented).
Simultaneously, Jesus will be teaching the eleven, more principles of doctrine in these next three chapters in the book of John.
Jesus Christ is the vine. But not just any vine, He is the true vine of life. Anyone who is a part of this vine (we the church are its branches) will live as an integral part of Him, and therefore will be forever associated with God forever. Anyone who is not a part of the vine will whither and die into oblivion.
The church (those who believe in Christ) or the true nation of Israel is a part of the vine, Psa. 80:8, which was removed from sin (Egypt) and delivered to and planted deep into the rich soils (Bible doctrine) of the promised land (spiritual maturity).
Jesus Christ came into this world not an especially attractive man, not one that people would be inordinately drawn to, Isa. 53:2, but He is the foundation or the main vine root and the life blood of all living things in existence. Nothing goes to the branches that does not come first from the root of the vine, and therefore nourishment is distributed to the branches from the root.
Our life in this world depends entirely on Jesus Christ and no other. There is no other source of life, no other source of the sustaining of life. There are many false concepts concerning mans origins, and mans continued survival here on earth. Likewise there are many false destinies in the many religions, cults, and philosophies of the world. All of these false things are from mans imagination and invention.
There is only one God (the Father). There is only one Son of God (Jesus Christ). There is only one path to God (through faith in Jesus Christ). There is only one Word of God (the Bible). There is only one means of spiritual growth (through the daily study and application of the scriptures). There is only one sphere of maintaining a relationship with God (fellowship). Only by means of Gods defined methods can one be saved and grow up spiritually and therefore attain a completeness in their life.
Completeness is defined as the attainment of ones final body (resurrection body), the attainment of an educated soul (spiritual maturity), a secure relationship with God (human spirit obtained through faith in Christ), and then the receipt of an 'abundance' of blessings for all of eternity (received at the Judgment Seat of Christ). This then is the picture of what your life should be all about. Your goal? Completeness. Anything less is incomplete.
Many other religions and philosophies give some courtesy acknowledgment of God, but they then reject Gods Word, and plan of salvation, and plan for the spiritual life. They are thus all false.
The Father is the cultivator of the garden (history defined in the Divine Decrees) and the one who keeps (Gods plan) and prunes (the execution of history) the vine (believers) in order that it produces a great deal of fruit. The vine branches' purpose then is to produce fruit (spiritual production from a position of spiritual growth). More on that in the next couple of verses.
The wild vines (false philosophies etc.) of life are those who deceive themselves as well as others, 2 Kg. 4:39. The vines (those that embrace compromises in life) that do not produce fruit are liars, Hab. 3:17.
Christ is the true vine illustrated by Judah's vine, which enriched him, Gen. 49:11, by Joseph's vine, the branches of which ran over the wall with tremendous prosperity of growth, Gen. 49:22, by Israel's (Jacob's) vine, under which he dwelt safely, 1 Kings 4:25.
Thus within the sphere of Gods power there is prosperity, wealth, and security. All these combine to make tremendous happiness for all of eternity.
Your objective in life is then to advance to spiritual maturity which encompasses learning, understanding, and obedience to Gods Word. God does everything else. You want to advance in your spiritual life without being picky, without compromising Gods principles, without being shallow in your thinking, without finding convenient excuses as to why things do not apply to you, or excuses for putting off until later that which you should be doing now.
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