Worthy.Bible » STRONG » John » Chapter 15 » Verse 2-8

John 15:2-8 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

2 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

3 Now G2235 ye G5210 are G2075 clean G2513 through G1223 the word G3056 which G3739 I have spoken G2980 unto you. G5213

4 Abide G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and I G2504 in G1722 you. G5213 As G2531 the branch G2814 cannot G3756 G1410 bear G5342 fruit G2590 of G575 itself, G1438 except G3362 it abide G3306 in G1722 the vine; G288 no more G3761 G3779 can ye, G5210 except G3362 ye abide G3306 in G1722 me. G1698

5 I G1473 am G1510 the vine, G288 ye G5210 are the branches: G2814 He that abideth G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and I G2504 in G1722 him, G846 the same G3778 bringeth forth G5342 much G4183 fruit: G2590 for G3754 without G5565 me G1700 ye can G1410 do G4160 nothing. G3756 G3762

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

7 If G1437 ye abide G3306 in G1722 me, G1698 and G2532 my G3450 words G4487 abide G3306 in G1722 you, G5213 ye shall ask G154 what G3739 G1437 ye will, G2309 and G2532 it shall be done G1096 unto you. G5213

8 Herein G1722 G5129 is G1392 my G3450 Father G3962 glorified, G1392 that G2443 ye bear G5342 much G4183 fruit; G2590 so G2532 shall ye be G1096 my G1699 disciples. G3101

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).