Chapter
Fifteen
Jesus emphasized not only the Father-Son
relationship, beginning with I AM, but also the meaning of this relationship
for all believers. Jesus is the Creating Word of Genesis 1 and John 1, using
His own Creation to explain our relationship to Him and His Father. Most of us
do not grow grapes, but many grow roses. The principles are the same. Dead wood
is cut away, and fruitful branches are cleansed to make them even more
fruitful. The spoken Gospel Word absolves the sins of believers.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 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.
3 Now ye
are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
When we remain in the Savior through the
Means of Grace, He remains in us. A branch is not fruitful on its own but only
when it remains part of the plant. The same way, we cannot bear the fruits of
the Spirit unless we remain in the Savior. Then we are especially fruitful. Those
who abandon the Gospel are thrown away, so they are gathered up, dry up, thrown
into the fire, and burned.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
Jesus encouraged prayer with the Gospel.
Ask whatever is needed and it will be done, to glorify the Father in its
fruitfulness, filling believers with joy.
7 If ye
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall
be done unto you.
8 Herein is
my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the
Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 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.
11 These
things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your
joy might be full.
Love is defined as the love of Jesus for
His disciples, giving His life for His friends. They were chosen, elect,
ordained to be fruitful, a lasting harvest, and prayer to the Father will be
answered.
12 This is
my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my
friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 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.
16 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.
17 These
things I command you, that ye love one another.
Hatred should be expected. The hatred of
the disciples came from hatred of the Teacher. Persecution will follow, but so
will faithfulness among the believers. Those who persecute have no excuse for
their sin, because Jesus taught them. They hate the Father in hating the Son.
18 If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 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.
20 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.
21 But all
these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not
him that sent me.
22 If I had
not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak
for their sin.
23 He that
hateth me hateth my Father also.
24 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.
25 But this
cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law,
They hated me without a cause.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, sent from the Son and
the Father, will witness about Him. They will also bear witness, having been
with Him from the beginning.
26 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:
27 And ye
also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
