John - Chapter 15: Jesus Taught about Bearing Fruit
JOHN 15:1-17
Application: The student will learn to abide in Christ so that he can bring forth much spiritual fruit.
AFTER THE PASSOVER MEAL WHICH WILL BE THE LAST ONE SHARED BY THE LORD AND HIS DISCIPLES, AND AFTER THE CLEANSING JESUS GAVE BY THE WASHING OF THE FEET, JESUS SAID TO THE ELEVEN IN 14:31 “ARISE, LET US GO HENCE”
NOW AS THE GROUP MAKES THEIR WAY THROUGH THE VINEYARDS SURROUNDING THE CITY, THEY HEAD UPWARD PAST THE KIDDRON VALLEY TO GETHSEMANE AT THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.
BECAUSE IT IS PASSOVER TIME, A FULL MOON IS THERE.
THE LORD HAD MENTIONED HIS OWN RETURN TO THE FATHER, BRINGING SADNESS TO THE HEARTS OF HIS OWN MEN.
HE HAD TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE COMFORTER TO COME, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH HAD TO BE A NEW AND DIFFERENT TEACHING, WHICH LIKELY WAS PUZZLING TO UNDERSTAND.
NOW TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND FURTHER, HE BEGINS THE LESSON OF THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES BY TELLING THEM
“... YE IN ME AND I IN YOU...”
PAUL WILL LATER TEACH THIS SAME LESSON ABOUT THE RELATION WITH JESUS USING THE WORDS, “MUTUAL RESIDENCE”.
THESE VERSES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THESE FAITHFUL MEN TO GRASP HOW TO CONTINUE IN JESUS AFTER HE HAS ARISEN AND ASCENDED BACK TO THE FATHER.
IN VERSES 1-3 WE BEGIN THE TEACHING BY JESUS DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS THE TRUE VINE AND HIS FATHER AS THE ONE WHO IS THE VINEDRESSER.
THE MAIN DESIGN ON THE FRONT OF THE HOLY TEMPLE WAS A GOLDEN CARVED VINE FOR ALL TO KNOW THAT ISRAEL WAS GOD'S VINE.
BUT NOW WE SEE THE LORD USE THE SAME SYMBOL TO SHOW THAT HE IS THE TRUE VINE.
AS THE TEACHING CONTINUED, WE SEE THAT JESUS WAS INSISTING ON EACH MAN TO BE PRODUCTIVE AS A BRANCH OF THE TRUE VINE FOR THE FATHER IN HEAVEN IS SAID TO REMOVE THOSE WHO DO NOT BEAR FRUIT.
THE HEBREW WORD IS TRANSLATED AS “TAKE AWAY” OR “CUT CLEANLY”.
BUT EVERY BRACH THAT DOES BEAR FRUIT IS PRUNED, MEANING THAT IT IS IN CONSTANT CARE, AS IN A VINEYARD WHERE PRUNING BRINGS MORE FRUIT BEARING.
SO AS JESUS TEACHES BOTH POSSIBILITIES, HE NEXT MOVES TOWARD ASSURING HIS DISCIPLES THAT EACH OF THEM HAS ALREADY BEEN CLEANSED BY THE WORD JESUS HAS SPOKEN TO THEM, MAKING THEM READY TO BEAR MUCH SPIRITUAL FRUIT.
BACK IN 13:10 JESUS HAD TAUGHT THAT THERE IS PERSONAL CLEANSING AND THEN AFTER COMES COMMUNITY CLEANSING.
THIS PRUNING TO PRODUCE MORE GROWTH IS UNDERSTOOD TO MEAN IS CONDEMNS SIN, INSPIRES HOLINESS, AND MAKES THE MAN MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR THE KINGDOM.
IN VERSES 4-5 WE BEGIN TO SEE THE VITAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRANCH AND THE VINE.
IN THESE VERSES JESUS EMPHASIZES A MUTUAL RELATIONSHIP.
IT IS NOT ONLY THE DISCIPLE ABIDING IN JESUS BUT ALSO HE IS ABIDING IN THEM THEREBY ASSURING A CONTINUING CONNECTION IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AFTER HE SOON DEPARTS.
WHEN THE LORD SAYS ABIDE IN ME, HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE WILL, ABOUT THE CHOICES WE MAKE, THE DECISIONS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY IN FRONT OF US.
HE IS STRONGLY PERSUASIVE WHEN HE SAYS NO FRUIT CAN BE IN THE BRANCH ALONE, BUT IS THE BRANCH IS ONLY FRUITFUL WHEN IT ABIDES IN THE VINE.
MUCH FRUIT OCCURS WHEN THE ABIDING GOES BOTH WAYS.
TO MAKE VERY SURE THIS PART OF THE LESSON IS CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, JESUS TAKES THE TEACHING DEEPER IN VERSES 6-8.
THERE IS A PRICE FOR NOT ABIDING AND THAT IS THAT THE BRANCH IS CAST OUT AND THEREBY WITHERS AND THOSE BRANCHES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR BURNING.
THERE IS ALSO A REWARD FOR THOSE WHO DO ABIDE, WHICH IS THE GRANTING OF REQUESTS MADE AND BY THAT PROCESS IS THE HEAVENLY FATHER GLORIFIED.
AND TO NAIL THIS PORTION OF THE TEACHING HOME, JESUS SAYS WITHOUT HIM, WE CAN DO NOTHING.
ABIDING IN JESUS MEANS ABIDING AND LIVING IN HIS WORD
THE CONNECTION IS MAINTAINED BY OBEDIENCE AND PRAYER.
HERE IS THE CENTRAL PART OF THE TEACHING.
THIS IS A CONSCIENCE AND CONSTANT ACCEPTANCE OF HIS AUTHORITY OVER OUR LIVES FOR WHEN WE DO SO, WE ARE ABIDING.
VERSES 9-11 PROVIDE THE LINK BETWEEN LOVE AND OBEDIENCE IN THIS IMPORTANT TEACHING.
HERE THE SPECIFIC AND DETAILED LESSONS ARE FOUND.
AS THE FATHER LOVED ME, JESUS SAYS, I HAVE ALSO LOVED YOU.
ABIDE IN HIS LOVE.
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS JUST AS HE HAS KEPT THOSE OF THE FATHER.
THESE THINGS WERE SPOKEN SO THAT THE JOY OF JESUS MAY REMAIN IN US AND THAT OUR JOY MAY THEREFORE BE FULL.
HERE IS THE REVEALING OF THE PERFECT LOVE OF THE FATHER OF THE SON. WE SEE IT IS A LOVE
THAT HAS NO BEGINNING NOR END
IT IS CLOSE & PERSONAL
IT IS WITHOUT MEASURE
IT IS UNCHANGING & INTIMATE
WE KNOW THESE THINGS BECAUSE THAT IS HOW JESUS LOVES ALL WHO ARE HIS AND HE TEACHES THAT HE HAS LOVED US AS THE FATHER LOVES HIM.
HIS SPOKEN WORDS OF THIS TEACHING ARE SO THAT THE JOY HE FEELS HIMSELF FROM HIS FATHER IS ALSO TRANSFERRED TO US IN HIS WISH THAT HIS JOY REMAIN IN US.
AND THAT JOY WILL FILL US COMPLETELY NOT PARTIALLY.
THIS JOY IS NOT THE SAME AS WHAT IS COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD AS HAPPINESS OR EXCITEMENT, OR PLEASURE OR EASE OF LIFE.
IT IS THE OVERWHELMING EXHILARATION OF BEING RIGHT WITH GOD, CONSCIOUSLY WALKING IN HIS LOVE AND CARE AND THAT PROCESS OF LIFE BRINGS US SPIRITUAL JOY IN FULL.
NOW IN VERSES 12-15 WE SEE HOW THOSE WHO ARE HIS ARE TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER AFTER HE DEPARTS.
THE TEACHING HERE IS JESUS SPEAKS TO THE DISCIPLES OF THE EXTENT OF HIS LOVE THAT THEY ARE TO IMITATE IN THEIR LIVES.
HE FRAMES THE TEACHING IN A NEW COMMANDMENT FOR THEM THAT THEY ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS HE HAS LOVED THEM.
HE SPEAKS TO THEM OF THE GREATEST LOVE OF ONE LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS AND NOW CONFIDES THAT THESE ELEVEN ARE NO LONGER SERVANTS, BUT ARE NOW FRIENDS.
HE ALSO CONFIDES THAT ALL THE FATHER HAS TAUGHT HIM HAS BEEN PASSED ONWARD TO THEM.
SO NOW THEY ARE FILLED WITH LOVE FROM HIM EXACTLY AS HE WAS FILLED FROM HIS HEAVENLY FATHER.
HERE IS A STEP IN FAITH FOR THESE HE HAS CHOSEN, THAT THEY HAVE UNDERSTOOD FAITH AS HE HAS EARLIER TAUGHT TO BE SERVANTS, BUT NOW THEIR FAITH IS MULTIPLED INTO GREATER FAITH AS FRIENDS.
JESUS MAKES SURE THEY KNOW THIS COMMAND IS CONDITIONAL, MEANING THEY ARE HIS FRIENDS IF THEY CARRY OUT THE COMMANDS GIVEN TO THEM.
SO THE ONLY CONDITION IS FULL OBEDIENCE.
NOW IN VERSES 16-17 THE LORD TAKES ANOTHER PATH IN HIS TEACHING OF THESE FAITHFUL ONES.
HE CONFIRMS TO THEM THAT THEY WERE CHOSEN TO BEAR FRUIT AND TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
JESUS SAYS THEY DID NOT CHOOSE HIM, RATHER HE CHOSE THEM AND HE APPOINTED EACH OF THEM TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT AND THE FRUIT SHALL NOT FADE BUT WILL SURELY REMAIN.
JESUS HERE SPEAKS OF THE GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR THESE ELEVEN DISCIPLES:
FRIENDSHIP WITH THE MASTER
PRAYERS ASSURED OF HEAVEN'S ANSWER
BEARING FRUIT FOR THE KINGDOM
HOLDING GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUAL THINGS
THESE THINGS ARE TO BE TREASURED WITHOUT PRIDE FOR THEY DID NOT EARN THESE THINGS, BUT THEY WERE GRANTED FREELY TO THOSE CHOSEN TO RECEIVE THEM.
THEY ARE ALL ROOTED IN THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT DO THE CHOOSING, JESUS DID.
THE LESSON IS VERY CLEAR HERE FOR US AS WELL:
WE ARE IN CHRIST NOT BECAUSE WE HOLD TO HIM
BUT BECAUSE HE CHOOSES AND THEN HOLDS TO US.
AS THEY WORK FOR THE KINGDOM, THEY GLORIFY THE LORD.
SO DO WE
AGAIN HE REPEATS FOR EMPHASIS THAT THEY ARE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
THEY ARE NOT TO DISBAND, OR TO TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER AFTER HE HAS LEFT THE EARTH. THEY ARE ONE EACH IN HIM BUT ALSO ONE IN COMMUNITY WITH HIM.
IN VERSES 18-20 WE SEE THAT JESUS COMPLETES THE TEACHING INTENDED BY MOVING FROM HOW THE ELEVEN SHOULD RELATE TO EACH OTHER TO HOW THEY SHOULD RELATE TO THE WORLD AFTER HE HAS LEFT THE WORLD.
HE GIVES A LESSON THAT IS HARSH AND DIFFICULT AND IT APPLIES AS MUCH TO US TODAY AS TO THEM IN THEIR DAY.
THE WORLD WILL HATE THEM, AS IT HAS HATED HIM, BECAUSE OF THE MESSAGE THEY WILL DELIVER.
THEY SHOULD EXPECT TO BE REJECTED.
WE CANNOT LEAVE THIS CHAPTER WITHOUT RECALLING THAT THE TRUTH OF THIS PART OF THE TEACHING WAS STRONGLY VALID.
ALL BUT ONE OF THE ELEVEN WERE GRANTED THE EXTREME HONOR OF MARTRYDOM.
EARLY WRITERS ALLOW US A VIEW OF THESE NEXT YEARS FOR THE ELEVEN.
TACITUS WROTE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE HATED BY ALL FOR THEIR CRIMES AND THESE WERE KNOWN AS CHRISTIANS.
SUETONIUS SAID THAT THESE CHRISTIANS WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE MAN JESUS WERE A RACE OF MEN WHO KNEW NOTHING EXCEPT NEW AND MOST EVIL SUPERSTITION, AND THAT THEY THEMSELVES HATED THE HUMAN RACE.
BRINGING THIS FACTOR DOWN TO OUR DAY, IT IS OVERWHELMING THAT THE 20TH CENTURY BROUGHT MORE CHRISTIAN MURDERS WORLDWIDE THAT THE FIRST 19 CENTURIES COMBINED.
JESUS COMFORTED HIS OWN BY REMINDING THEM THAT THEY KNOW THE WORLD HATED HIM FIRST.
BUT HE THEN REMINDS THEM THAT HE CHOSE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD.
SO THE HATRED THEY WILL ENCOUNTER SHOULD BE FOR THEM EVIDENCE THAT THEIR MESSAGE IS STILL TRUE, JUST AS HIS MESSAGE WAS TRUTH.
PERSECUTION WILL BE SWIFT & STRONG AGAINST THEM.
NOW IN THE FINAL VERSES 21-27 JESUS TEACHES THAT ALL THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS.
THE WORLD WILL HATE & PERSECUTE THESE NEW MESSENGERS BECAUSE THE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW THE TRUE & LIVING GOD WHO SENT HIM.
BECAUSE JESUS HAD COME INTO THE WORLD BRINGING SALVATION TO THE LOST, THE WORLD DID KNOW SOMETHING OF GOD AFTER HE WAS HERE THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW BEFORE HE ARRIVED.
SO THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR THEIR SIN.
HIS WORDS AND HIS WORKS HAVE TESTIFIED AND THE WORDS AND WORKS OF THE ELEVEN WILL ALSO TESTIFY.
NOW JESUS PROCLAIMS THAT THE WORLD HATED HIM WITHOUT A CAUSE, QUOTING PSALM 69:4 TO SHOW THAT ONCE MORE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED BY HIS COMING.
“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head...”
HERE IS A STRONG CONDEMNATION ESPECIALLY AGAINST THE PHARISEES.
THOSE THAT WERE SEEN TO BE CHAMPIONS OF THE LAW OF MOSES ARE FULFILLING THIS PROPHECY OF HATRED.
OUR FINAL TEACHING IN THIS CHAPTER REINFORCES THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE SHORTLY GIFTED TO THESE MESSENGERS.
WHEN THE HELPER COMES, WHOM JESUS WILL SEND FROM THE FATHER, HE WILL TESTIFY OF JESUS AS WILL THESE ELEVEN WHO HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS FROM THE START OF HIS MINISTRY.
SO THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE ETERNAL WITNESS WILL COME FROM THESE ELEVEN & THOSE THEY TEACH WHILE THE SPIRITUAL SIDE WILL COME FROM THE COMFORTER SENT FROM GOD WHO WILL BRING DIVINE TESTIMONY TO INDWELL THEM.
NOW THE DISCIPLES ARE QUALIFIED & CLEANSED TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM BECAUSE THEY HAD TRUSTED JESUS, HAD THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE THEM, AND HAVE COME TO ABIDE IN HIM FOREVER AS HE ALSO ABIDES IN THEM.
OUR SPIRITUAL NEW BIRTH SHOULD PROVIDE OUR WITNESS.
