John 15:1–2 (WEL) “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 “He removes every branch on me that doesn’t bear fruit and prunes everyone who does bear fruit so that it will bear more fruit.”
Chapter summary:
Joseph Benson:
In this chapter,
(1) Christ represents himself under the emblem of a vine, and exhorts his disciples to faith and a persevering regard to his commandments, John 15:1–11.
(2) He renews his exhortation to mutual love and universal obedience, by the consideration of his love to them, and the intimate friendship with him wherewith he would reward it, John 15:12–17.
(3) He comforts them against the hatred and persecution of carnal men, by the consideration of his being hated and persecuted in the same manner, and by the promise of the Comforter, John 15:18–27.
V1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Jesus is now giving an illustration of the dependency of Christian believers on Jesus for help to live the Christian life. Our spiritual life especially needs spiritual food, wisdom, understanding, and strength to live the Christian life whether in service or rest. We need God’s help.
The caretaker, vinedresser, of the vine is God the Father through the Holy Spirit. There is no one more able to do so.
People may draw their help from other sources, but all will fall far short of perfect because those vinedressers are failures and mostly incompetent.
V2 “He removes every branch on me that doesn’t bear fruit and prunes everyone who does bear fruit so that it will bear more fruit.
This is what any vinedresser does. If there is no fruit, remove that branch.
Principle: There are many who call themselves Christians but are not. God knows the difference, and removes them in one way or another.
God will prune those of us who are believers to increase our fruit production. Pruning is not enjoyable but is blessed in the end. Job found out; Joseph found out; Peter found out as well. This is refinement, a removal of the dross (impurities of things God is not pleased with).
He takes away what is diseased and non-bearing. The productive vines need attention to even bear more fruit. The Christian life is like this. The Holy Spirit knows what is best for every branch (every believer in Jesus Christ) and spends our whole Christian life increasing the production and quality of fruit. That is why this fruit is called the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. God wants every believer to increase in every type of fruit as listed in Galatians 5:22–23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The Holy Spirit may use trials (Job and Joseph), persecutions (David), other hardships (Samson, Jonah), and withdrawing His Spirit from someone to test them (Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 32:31).
We learn:
- The vinedresser by various methods of taking care of a grapevine increases the yield of fruit.
- God is the vinedresser of believers.
Questions:
- How has the Holy Spirit pruned your life?
- What was the result?