John 15:1-8—The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Israel was a land where vineyards were ubiquitous—found everywhere. The grapes were pressed and fermented into wine which kept and didn’t spoil, it preserved the grape juice. The grapes were also dried into raisins or even pressed into dried cakes and kept for long periods of drought.[1] Therefore, it is not surprising the vineyard and the vine is such compelling Biblical imagery for the Nation itself.
Most discussions on Israel as the vineyard for a good reason start with Isaiah 5:1-7. This text is often referred to as the ‘parable of the vineyard’ and describes Israel as God’s vineyard. Consequently, it should not be surprising that Jesus would appeal to this vine image found in Isaiah and Mark 12:1-9. As with any vineyard, the vinedresser has to complete all the work before expecting a bountiful harvest. This parable describes God’s election of Israel (Deuteronomy 7:7-11); His love for a Nation, where He cared and prepared the land, planted it, and protected it. Another indication of the importance of the vineyard is evidenced by the vineyard’s owner building a watchtower. [2] These buildings were permanent substantial buildings and meant to be lived in, with the expectancy of receiving a vintage crop. Vineyards were important assets throughout the Ancient Near East and the vineyard owners protected them with vigilant intent, including punishment on the disobedient tenants, and building military defences.
The condition of the vine’s fruit would indicate how well the farmer has cared for it (Sirach 27:6). Notable Biblical passages describe through the Exodus imagery the rapid growth of this vine which was brought out of Egypt (Psalm 80:8-11).
Psalm 80:8-11— You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 9 You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. 10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. 11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea, its shoots as far as the River.
Israel, grew rapidly in Egypt, and, equally after the Exodus. The vine’s rapid growth is well known in viticulture. Pruning was an essential skill that provided long-term health to the vine with the expectancy of healthy fruit. Consequently, those leasing a vineyard were responsible for cutting away useless branches. In the Exodus narratives it documents how God Himself was pruning away through judgement on Israel, the dead and fruitless branches.
In a wild natural landscape, the vine is a dynamic climber and uses natural trellis’s such as cliffs and trees to support its growth. The growth can become unmanageable, growing quickly to over one hundred feet in height. [3] The flowers and fruit will only develop where the sunlight can penetrate the canopy at the lower levels, or generally at the extreme tree-tops. This natural restriction prevents the vine from overproduction and perishing. However, when this wild vine is cultivated and transported to an open sunlit country, the growth must be carefully maintained. The vinedresser has a crucial assignment in selecting the correct framework and trellis to support the cultivated vine.[4]
Israel had ancient knowledge of pruning; there are numerous references to the practice in the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 25:3-4; Isaiah 2:4; 5:5;18:5; Joel 3:10; Micah 4:3). The vine requires the most attention out of all the fruit plants. The olive and fig trees can be pruned; however, this is not required as they naturally produce an excellent harvest. Given the cultivated vine was produced for open sunlight hillsides
and all-natural restrictions are missing. The vine’s exorbitant and unsustainable vigour has to be restricted artificially, achieved by equally vigorous pruning. Therefore, if these images can be considered comparable to humans, then clearly correction of character needs to be applied. Some have suggested the metaphor was primarily addressing the leaders and the nation as a collective, or the church. However, nothing in Jesus’ metaphor were directives to the leadership; instead, He
addressed the general audience. Jesus’ intention was aimed at each individual present.[5] The metaphor appeals to the audience and the importance to respond swiftly—we can do nothing on our own without Jesus. [6]
The objective of the vinedresser who removes any unfruitful branches is to strengthen the plant for its yield of fruit to be bountiful. The nutrients are all directed to the remaining scions. However, the message in vs7 is close to John the Baptist’s statement, where the axe is already at the tree’s root (Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9). The destruction announced by John the Baptist is not eliminated, but only suspended temporarily in his story, with the expectancy of good fruit. Jesus’s message identifies a delay, but equally, the presence of God’s judgement. The reader of this passage, and we as a Church would be wise to recover some sense that our actions are significant, remembering that the Gospel is a message of repentance, productive living, mercy and judgement.
In His wisdom, God has allowed people to cultivate their own ideas. If these ideas go unchecked and people refuse to retain the knowledge of Him, then humans must themselves be held responsible for the axe falling at the root, or the cutting away of the fruitless branches.
The key aspect concerning the symbolism of fruit-bearing or not, is that both these branches are on the vine (“in me”). Instinctively, we might interpret the imagery as living a virtuous life or in terms of exhibiting good deeds. However, John does not make the distinction that later Christian Theologians made: that a life in Christ would constitute a virtuous life. Insomuch, that John believed these traits were natural exhibits for anyone who was from this faith community. Therefore, anyone who did not exhibit these deeds did not have life at all. Consequently, life is a committed life; a branch that did not bear fruit was already a dead branch. This interpretation seems severe because the grasp of hope for unproductive branches is absent. There is no intermediate phase in John’s writings, there are only dead or living branches. This attitude parallels Jeremiah’s words regarding the vineyard of Judah: “Go up through her vine-rows and destroy…strip away her branches, for they are not the Lord’s.”
Brueggemann affirms that God has taken creation, the whole of the visible known world to be His partner. The relationship between the Creator and creation is of concern, as familiarity with this theme might not be so obvious. [7] Having a deeper understanding of the gardener’s activities and the techniques employed which provide vivid descriptions of how vines and vineyards are maintained, highlighting the message’s intent concerning the cutting away and pruning. For in all of these text on repentance, there is the suggestion of delay. In Luke 13:6-9:
Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilise it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Brown correctly identifies in this narrative, John addressed Christians who were already converted and in Jesus, but were now dead. This would comply with the atmosphere of the Last Supper, where Judas could be considered a dead branch that did not bear fruit. Certainly, OT passages would also concur with such thought and speak of rebelliousness, unfruitfulness, or the unworthiness of Israel (Ezekiel 17:7 ff.; 19:10-12).[8] Furthermore, the unfruitful Fig Tree and the branches broken off the Olive tree in the NT certainly parallel such thought.[9] Therefore, since the image of bearing fruit is symbolic of divine life, the narrative concerns the continual growth in union with Jesus and the virtuous life which this fruit produces.[10] Through the death on the cross and the resurrection, New life, good fruit should be identifiable for all to see! This is our testimony that Christ lives in us!
This is a parable with intent and each of us would do well to take notice of this message and the Gospel—the good news of Christ!
[1] Craig S. Keener, The Gospel Of John: A Commentary, Volume Two, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic Publishing, 2003), 988-89.
[2] The importance of the watchtower within the walls of the vineyard can be found in: Isaiah 5:2; 21:5; Matthew 21:33; Mark 21:1; Luke 13:4.
[4] Brown, XIII – XXI, 676-77.
[6] Darnell L. Bock, Luke 9:51-24:53:Baker Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament, (Grand Rapids, Michigan:Baker Academic Publishing Group, 1996), 1208.
[8] Further OT scripture which details the consequences of unfruitfulness: Leviticus 26:18-20; Deuteronomy 11:17; Isaiah 5:1-10; 32:10; Psalm 107:33-34.
[9] Matthew 3:8-10; 7:19; 13:22; 21:19; 21:43; Mark 4:19; 11:14; Luke 3:9; 8:14; 13:6-9; John 15:2; 15:4; 15:6.
