Chapter Fifteen

I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch of Me that does not bear fruit He cuts off; and every one that beareth fruit, He cleanses, that it may bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word which I have preached to you.

By repeatedly speaking about His sufferings, the Lord completely convinced His disciples of the need for them. Wherefore he saw that they were afraid lest they should soon be seized, and from great fear they would no longer heed His words. Therefore, He apparently wants to lead them to a secret place, where they will not be captured. But He departs from the place where they were, in order to tame the confusion in their souls, and to teach them the most mysterious teaching. He takes them, as we learn from what follows, to the garden that was known to Judas. Such an act was apparently a withdrawal, but in reality a voluntary surrender of Himself; for he is withdrawing to a place which Judas knew. What mysterious things does He teach them? I, he says, am the vine, that is, the root, and you are the branches, and My Father is the husbandman. For whom does the Father care? Is it about the root? No, but about branches. For, he says, "every branch that does not bear fruit He cuts off," that is, every man who, through faith, has become a part of the root, has been united to the Lord, and has become a bearer of Him, must also bear fruit, that is, lead a virtuous life, so that if anyone has only an unfounded confession of faith, and does not bear fruit through the observance of the commandments, he becomes a dead branch; for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:29). Therefore every believer is in Christ as long as he believes; for, he says, every branch that is in me, if it does not bear fruit, the Father "cuts off," that is, deprives it of communion with the Son, and "cleanses" the one that bears fruit. From this we learn that even a very virtuous person still needs God's care. For a barren branch cannot remain on the vine, but the Father makes a fruitful one even more fruitful. Understand these words also about the misfortunes of the disciples. Since disasters are similar to what gardeners call pruning, the Lord shows His disciples that through tribulations they will become more fruitful, just as the branches will become more fruitful through pruning. For through temptations they proved to be more and more powerful. Then, lest they ask, "Of whom thou speakest this," He says, "Ye have already been cleansed by the word which I have preached unto you." See, I said above that the Father cleanses, and now He presents Himself as taking care of the branches. So, the Father and the Son have one action. I, he says, have cleansed you through My teaching: now it is necessary that you also show in deeds what follows on your part. Therefore he adds:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it is on the vine, so neither can you, unless you are in Me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in Me will be cast out like a branch, and will wither; but such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

I, he says, have cleansed you through my word and teaching, and nothing has been left unfulfilled on my part. Now your business should begin. "Abide in Me." That they may not be separated from him for fear, he strengthens their weakened souls, cleaves them to himself, and already gives them a good hope: whatsoever ye ask ye shall receive, if ye abide in me, v. 7. The example of the branch clearly shows us that from Him power and life are given to those who please Him, for as the branch that abides on the vine bears fruit and from it receives assistance to life, so also you, if you abide in Me through the keeping of the commandments, will bring forth more fruit. And whoever does not abide will "wither," that is, he loses what he had from the root, and if he received any spiritual grace, he is deprived of it and the help and life communicated from it. And finally? "They are thrown into the fire, and they are burned." With these words He also gives them no small consolation, showing that those who plot against Him, such as Judas, will be burned, but they, who abide in Him, will bear fruit. For without the power and quickening which are given from Him, they will not be able to do anything.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. By this my Father will be glorified, if you bear much fruit and be my disciples.

Here the Lord explains to us what the words "if ye abide in Me" mean, namely, if ye keep my commandments, for the words, "If My words abide in you," mean that He desires to be united with them through works. For each of those who live God-pleasing to God abides on the Vine of his own free will, uniting with Her through love and keeping the commandments, and cleaving to Her in spirit; just as, on the contrary, he who ceases to keep the commandments is arbitrarily alienated from the Lord. "By this," he says, "my Father will be glorified, if you bring forth much fruit." The glory of God and the Father is the dignity of the disciples of His Son. For when the light of the apostles shone before men, then they glorified also the Heavenly Father (Matt. 5:14-16). The fruit of the apostles is also those peoples who were brought to faith by their teaching and began to glorify God. But if the Father is glorified by bringing forth fruit, He will surely not despise His own glory, but will help you to bear more fruit, that He also may be more glorified. My Father will be glorified when you bear much fruit "and become My disciples." You see, he who bears fruit is a true disciple. And the Father is "glorified" because of this, that is, He rejoices and considers it His glory.

As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept the commandments of my Father, and abide in his love.

He urges them not to be afraid, and for this reason he says: I have loved you, and I have loved you as the Father has loved Me. He said this in a human-like way. Therefore, "abide in my love": for this depends on you. And when you hear that I have loved you, you will not be careless, but strive to abide in my love. Then he explains how they can abide in this love, namely, if they keep His commandments. For, as has been said many times, he loves him who keeps his commandments. By all this He shows that they will be safe when they lead a pure life. "As I also have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love"; and this speaks out of condescension to the weakness of the listeners. For it is very absurd to think that He who gives laws for all was subject to commandments, and without the commandments of the Father could not govern His life. He says this in order to console them more. He said to them, "I love you." Meanwhile, they must later struggle with sorrows. In order that in this case they should not be offended, as if His love did not serve them for anything, He says: Do not be dismayed. For behold, the Father loves me, and yet gives me over to suffer for the sake of the world. And just as the Father's love does not diminish because I suffer, so My love for you will not diminish, even though you will be subjected to tribulations.

These things have I said unto you, that my joy may abide in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you 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.

I say I told you this in order not to interrupt your joy. For they rejoiced when they were with Him, when He worked miracles and was glorified. They also rejoiced because they themselves cast out demons, as He Himself said: "Rejoice not" that you cast out demons (Luke 10:20). But as now the sufferings came, and sorrowful words interrupted their joy, He says: I have spoken these comforting words to you, so that your joy may always and to the end remain uninterrupted, be full and perfect. And the present events are worthy not of sorrow, but of joy, although there is a cross, shame and dishonor ahead.

Above He said, "Ye shall abide in Me then, when ye shall keep My commandments." Now He shows them what commandments they must keep and makes love appear to them: "That you love one another as I have loved you." He wants us to love one another, not just as it happened, but as He loved us. Notice that above He said in the plural, "commandments," and here He says in the singular, "This is My commandment." In my opinion, love is called commandments and commandments because it embraces all the commandments and is their head. At the same time, he shows us the way to keep the commandments, namely: through the observance of one commandment – the commandment of love. As He says, "Love one another even as I have loved you," He thereby indicates the measure and perfection of love. For there is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Therefore lay down your lives for one another, just as I also die for you. Therefore do not think that I am now departing from you because I am dislike of you, but on the contrary, it is done out of love, and a most perfect love at that,

You are My friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have told you all that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and ordained you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he may give to you.

He constantly interjects a speech about love, and by these many speeches he shows us that the commandment of love is more important than others and requires great diligence. He is also the greatest proof of His love. I, he says, love you so much that I have revealed to you unspeakable secrets. For I have made known to you all that I have heard from my Father. How then in another place (John 16:12) says: "I have much to say to you, but you cannot bear it"? He told them all that they could listen to and that they could now understand. But when He says, "All that I have heard from My Father," do not think that He needs to be taught, but shows that He declares nothing extraneous, but that which belongs to the Father, and that all His words are the words of the Father. Having said that the proof of My love for you is the communication of mysteries to you, He adds another sign of love. "I," he says, "have chosen you," that is, you have not clung to My friendship, but I to you, and I was the first to love you. How then shall I leave you for the time to come?