Vine and Branches - Exegesis of Verses V-XII of John 15

TRANSLATION OF JOHN 15:5-12 FROM THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE (GREEK)

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. The one that remains in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, that branch may be cut off and withers and the same are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my sayings remain in you, ask and it shall be done to you. 8By this is my Father been glorified that you bear much fruit and shall be my disciples. 9As the

Father loved me, so also I loved you- remain in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love. 11These things I have spoken to you in order that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full. 12This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.

EXEGESIS

It is so easy to misinterpret the above passage. Jesus clearly shows the relationship between himself and the Father in the first verse and that between himself and his disciples in the fifth verse. It would be a misleading oversimplification to assume that we are merely commanded here to bear fruit. The focus is rather to remain in him. When one remains in him, it is certain that he will bear fruit. Prof. Turaki preached a message in the chapel at West Africa Theological Seminary in Lagos in 2004 that echoed this point. If the branch is not a part of the vine (if it is not attached), how can it bear fruit? It will run dry and wither. One can only bear fruit by abiding. The song writer clearly expresses it thus: "change and decay all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me". He is ready to abide with us if we remain in him.

Christians must be taught to realize that the weight placed on the 'prosperity' doctrine (though biblical) is the result of the erroneous interpretation of this passage to mean that we are merely commanded to bear fruit. When people suffer, it is often believed that they are always living in sin and can't be in such a state if they remain in him.

Paul elsewhere in Scripture observed "in him we live and move and have our being". This is the strategic position of the Christian. God wants to show forth His glory in us through Jesus. The righteous will shine forth like the sun in their Father's kingdom. But how? - By remaining as part of this vineyard that is dressed by the ultimate vinedresser.

Prof. Turaki further observed that one would soon burn out if s/he tries to do something repeatedly. Why? - Because he is drawing from a very limited source. When Jesus says that one can do nothing without him, he is on other words saying we can do all things with him or in him.

Grammatically, one should further observe that fruit bearing (which is not commanded) is conditional if verses six and seven are carefully considered. Jesus did not use any other tense to reveal his identity as the true vine but the present. When he noted elsewhere that "before Abraham was, I am", they wanted to stone him. He did not say that if anyone associates with him, he can ask anything but deliberately uses the word 'remain'. This connotes a sense of continuity.

The preceding imagery of the vinedresser is obvious. Since the vine is constantly been cared for by the vinedresser, the branch is assured of a constant flow. The water is brought to the brim again and again whenever any amount is removed.

dead to the world