6 If G3362 a man G5100 abide G3306 not G3362 in G1722 me, G1698 he is cast G906 forth G1854 as G5613 a branch, G2814 and G2532 is withered; G3583 and G2532 men gather G4863 them, G846 and G2532 cast G906 them into G1519 the fire, G4442 and G2532 they are burned. G2545
Every G3956 branch G2814 in G1722 me G1698 that G846 beareth G5342 not G3361 fruit G2590 he taketh away: G142 and G2532 every G3956 branch that beareth G5342 fruit, G2590 he purgeth G2508 it, G846 that G2443 it may bring forth G5342 more G4119 fruit. G2590
Every G3956 tree G1186 that bringeth G4160 not G3361 forth G4160 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down, G1581 and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire. G4442
For G1063 the earth G1093 which G3588 drinketh in G4095 the rain G5205 that cometh G2064 oft G4178 upon G1909 it, G846 and G2532 bringeth forth G5088 herbs G1008 meet G2111 for them G1565 G2532 by G1223 whom G3739 it is dressed, G1090 receiveth G3335 blessing G2129 from G575 God: G2316 But G1161 that which beareth G1627 thorns G173 and G2532 briers G5146 is rejected, G96 and G2532 is nigh G1451 unto cursing; G2671 whose G3739 end G5056 is to G1519 be burned. G2740
They went out G1831 from G1537 us, G2257 but G235 they were G2258 not G3756 of G1537 us; G2257 for G1063 if G1487 they had been G2258 of G1537 us, G2257 they would G302 no doubt have continued G3306 with G3326 us: G2257 but G235 they went out, that G2443 they might be made manifest G5319 that G3754 they were G1526 not G3756 all G3956 of G1537 us. G2257
For G1063 if G1487 after they have escaped G668 the pollutions G3393 of the world G2889 through G1722 the knowledge G1922 of the Lord G2962 and G2532 Saviour G4990 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 they are G1707 again G3825 entangled G1707 therein, G5125 and G1161 overcome, G1096 G2274 the latter end G2078 is worse G5501 with them G846 than the beginning. G4413
And G1161 now G2235 also G2532 the axe G513 is laid G2749 unto G4314 the root G4491 of the trees: G1186 therefore G3767 every G3956 tree G1186 which bringeth G4160 not G3361 forth G4160 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down, G1581 and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire. G4442
But she was plucked up H5428 in fury, H2534 she was cast down H7993 to the ground, H776 and the east H6921 wind H7307 dried up H3001 her fruit: H6529 her strong H5797 rods H4294 were broken H6561 and withered; H3001 the fire H784 consumed H398 them. And now she is planted H8362 in the wilderness, H4057 in a dry H6723 and thirsty H6772 ground. H776 And fire H784 is gone out H3318 of a rod H4294 of her branches, H905 which hath devoured H398 her fruit, H6529 so that she hath no strong H5797 rod H4294 to be a sceptre H7626 to rule. H4910 This is a lamentation, H7015 and shall be for a lamentation. H7015
These G3778 are G1526 spots G4694 in G1722 your G5216 feasts of charity, G26 when they feast G4910 with you, G5213 feeding G4165 themselves G1438 without fear: G870 clouds G3507 they are without water, G504 carried about G4064 of G5259 winds; G417 trees G1186 whose fruit withereth, G5352 without fruit, G175 twice G1364 dead, G599 plucked up by the roots; G1610 Raging G66 waves G2949 of the sea, G2281 foaming out G1890 their own G1438 shame; G152 wandering G4107 stars, G792 to whom G3739 is reserved G5083 the blackness G2217 of darkness G4655 for G1519 ever. G165
Say H559 thou, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Shall it prosper? H6743 shall he not pull up H5423 the roots H8328 thereof, and cut off H7082 the fruit H6529 thereof, that it wither? H3001 it shall wither H3001 in all the leaves H2964 of her spring, H6780 even without great H1419 power H2220 or many H7227 people H5971 to pluck it up H5375 by the roots H8328 thereof.
Shall wood H6086 be taken H3947 thereof to do H6213 any work? H4399 or will men take H3947 a pin H3489 of it to hang H8518 any vessel H3627 thereon? Behold, it is cast H5414 into the fire H784 for fuel; H402 the fire H784 devoureth H398 both H8147 the ends H7098 of it, and the midst H8432 of it is burned. H2787 Is it meet H6743 for any work? H4399 Behold, when it was whole, H8549 it was meet H6213 for no work: H4399 how much less shall it be meet H6213 yet for any work, H4399 when the fire H784 hath devoured H398 it, and it is burned? H2787 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 As the vine H1612 tree H6086 among the trees H6086 of the forest, H3293 which I have given H5414 to the fire H784 for fuel, H402 so will I give H5414 the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem. H3389 And I will set H5414 my face H6440 against them; they shall go out H3318 from one fire, H784 and another fire H784 shall devour H398 them; and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I set H7760 my face H6440 against them.
But G1161 a certain G5100 fearful G5398 looking for G1561 of judgment G2920 and G2532 fiery G4442 indignation, G2205 which shall G3195 devour G2068 the adversaries. G5227
And G2532 he cast down G4496 the pieces of silver G694 in G1722 the temple, G3485 and departed, G402 and G2532 went G565 and hanged himself. G519
But thou art cast out H7993 of thy grave H6913 like an abominable H8581 branch, H5342 and as the raiment H3830 of those that are slain, H2026 thrust through H2944 with a sword, H2719 that go down H3381 to the stones H68 of the pit; H953 as a carcase H6297 trodden under feet. H947
But G1161 the fearful, G1169 and G2532 unbelieving, G571 and G2532 the abominable, G948 and G2532 murderers, G5406 and G2532 whoremongers, G4205 and G2532 sorcerers, G5332 and G2532 idolaters, G1496 and G2532 all G3956 liars, G5571 shall have their G846 part G3313 in G1722 the lake G3041 which G3588 burneth G2545 with fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone: G2303 which is G3603 the second G1208 death. G2288
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on John 15
Commentary on John 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
Joh 15:1-27. Discourse at the Supper Table Continued.
1-8. The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Isa 5:1, &c.).
I am the true vine—of whom the vine of nature is but a shadow.
my Father is the husbandman—the great Proprietor of the vineyard, the Lord of the spiritual kingdom. (It is surely unnecessary to point out the claim to supreme divinity involved in this).
2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit … every branch that beareth fruit—As in a fruit tree, some branches may be fruitful, others quite barren, according as there is a vital connection between the branch and the stock, or no vital connection; so the disciples of Christ may be spiritually fruitful or the reverse, according as they are vitally and spiritually connected with Christ, or but externally and mechanically attached to Him. The fruitless He "taketh away" (see on Joh 15:6); the fruitful He "purgeth" (cleanseth, pruneth)—stripping it, as the husbandman does, of what is rank (Mr 4:19), "that it may bring forth more fruit"; a process often painful, but no less needful and beneficial than in the natural husbandry.
3. Now—rather, "Already."
ye are clean through—by reason of.
the word I have spoken to you—already in a purified, fruitful condition, in consequence of the long action upon them of that searching "word" which was "as a refiner's fire" (Mal 3:2, 3).
4. Abide in me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, &c.—As all spiritual fruitfulness had been ascribed to the mutual inhabitation, and living, active interpenetration (so to speak) of Christ and His disciples, so here the keeping up of this vital connection is made essential to continued fruitfulness.
5. without me—apart, or vitally disconnected from Me.
ye can do nothing—spiritually, acceptably.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch … withered … cast into the fire … burned—The one proper use of the vine is to bear fruit; failing this, it is good for one other thing—fuel. (See Eze 15:1-5). How awfully striking the figure, in this view of it!
7. If ye abide in me, and my words … in you—Mark the change from the inhabitation of Himself to that of His words, paving the way for the subsequent exhortations (Joh 15:9, 10).
ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you—because this indwelling of His words in them would secure the harmony of their askings with the divine will.
8. glorified that ye bear much fruit—not only from His delight in it for its own sake, but as from "the juices of the Living Vine."
so shall ye be my disciples—evidence your discipleship.
9-11. continue ye in my love—not, "Continue to love Me," but, "Continue in the possession and enjoyment of My love to you"; as is evident from the next words.
10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love—the obedient spirit of true discipleship cherishing and attracting the continuance and increase of Christ's love; and this, He adds, was the secret even of His own abiding in His Father's love!
12-16. That ye love one another, &c.—(See on Joh 13:34, 35).
13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends—The emphasis lies not on "friends," but on "laying down his life" for them; that is, "One can show no greater regard for those dear to him than to give his life for them, and this is the love ye shall find in Me."
14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you—hold yourselves in absolute subjection to Me.
15. Henceforth I call you not servants—that is, in the sense explained in the next words; for servants He still calls them (Joh 15:20), and they delight to call themselves so, in the sense of being "under law to Christ" (1Co 9:20).
the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth—knows nothing of his master's plans and reasons, but simply receives and executes his orders.
but … friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you—admitted you to free, unrestrained fellowship, keeping back nothing from you which I have received to communicate. (Compare Ge 18:17; Ps 25:14; Isa 50:4).
16. Ye have not chosen me, but I … you—a wholesale memento after the lofty things He had just said about their mutual indwelling, and the unreservedness of the friendship they had been admitted to.
ordained—appointed.
you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit—that is, give yourselves to it.
and that your fruit should remain—showing itself to be an imperishable and ever growing principle. (Compare Pr 4:18; 2Jo 8).
that whatsoever ye shall ask, &c.—(See on Joh 15:7).
17-21. The substance of these important verses has occurred more than once before. (See on Mt 10:34-36; Lu 12:49-53, &c.).
22-25. (See on Joh 9:39-41).
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin—comparatively none; all other sins being light compared with the rejection of the Son of God.
now they have no cloak for their sin—rather, "pretext."
24. If I had not done … the works which none other … did—(See on Joh 12:37).
25. that the word might be fulfilled … They hated me without a cause—quoted from the Messianic Ps 69:4, applied also in the same sense in Joh 2:17; Ac 1:20; Ro 11:9, 10; 15:3.
26, 27. (See on Joh 14:15; Joh 14:17).
27. ye also shall bear witness—rather, "are witnesses"; with reference indeed to their future witness-bearing, but putting the emphasis upon their present ample opportunities for acquiring their qualifications for that great office, inasmuch as they had been "with Him from the beginning." (See on Lu 1:2).