Christianity
John 15The True Vine
Summary
John 15 contains Jesus's image of himself as the true vine, his Father as the gardener, and his disciples as branches that must remain in him to bear fruit; branches that bear none are cut away and burned. He commands them to love one another as he has loved them, calls them friends rather than servants, and warns that the world will hate them as it hated him. He promises the Spirit will testify about him.
Key verse
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
Themes
- Abiding
- Fruitfulness
- Friendship with God
- Love and Sacrifice
Text
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.
Across traditions
Judaism
Isaiah 5: The Song of the VineyardIsaiah pictures Israel as a vineyard God planted that yielded wild grapes. John 15 reworks the vine image around Jesus and his followers.
Hinduism
Bhagavad Gita 12: The Dear DevoteeKrishna describes the devotee dear to him as free of hatred, friendly and compassionate, with mind fixed on him. Like John 15 it joins loving devotion to God with love toward others, though within a different understanding of the divine.
Questions about John 15
What does abide in me mean?
To abide means to remain or dwell. In John 15:4 to 7 Jesus urges continuing union with him, like a branch drawing life from a vine, as the source of a fruitful life.
What is greater love hath no man than this?
John 15:13 says the greatest love is to lay down one's life for one's friends. The verse is often quoted at memorials for soldiers and first responders.