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Scott's Reference Library
John 15:1 through John 15:8 (NIV)
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He 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. 3You are already clean because of the word I
have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will 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 a man remains in me and I in him, he
will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches
are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my
words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is
to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my
disciples.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 1-8
Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine
natures, and the fulness of the Spirit that is in him, resemble the root of the
vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers are branches of
this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the root bears
the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ are all supports and supplies. The
branches of the vine are many, yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine;
thus all true Christians, though in place and opinion distant from each other,
meet in Christ. Believers, like the branches of the vine, are weak, and unable
to stand but as they are borne up. The Father is the Husbandman. Never was any
husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about his church,
which therefore must prosper. We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for
grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper, disposition, and
life. We must honour God, and do good; this is bearing fruit. The unfruitful are
taken away. And even fruitful branches need pruning; for the best have notions,
passions, and humours, that require to be taken away, which Christ has promised
to forward the sanctification of believers, they will be thankful, for them. The
word of Christ is spoken to all believers; and there is a cleansing virtue in
that word, as it works grace, and works out corruption. And the more fruit we
bring forth, the more we abound in what is good, the more our Lord is glorified.
In order to fruitfulness, we must abide in Christ, must have union with him by
faith. It is the great concern of all Christ’s disciples, constantly to keep up
dependence upon Christ, and communion with him. True Christians find by
experience, that any interruption in the exercise of their faith, causes holy
affections to decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop.
Those who abide not in Christ, though they may flourish for awhile in outward
profession, yet come to nothing. The fire is the fittest place for withered
branches; they are good for nothing else. Let us seek to live more simply on the
fulness of Christ, and to grow more fruitful in every good word and work, so may
our joy in Him and in his salvation be full.