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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
THE TRUE VINE AND LOVE’S FRUITAGE

[“Love Amidst Hatred”]
Key Word: Love

John 15:1-10 – Bear Fruitage and Remain in the Vine

JN15:1 “I am the True Vine, 789 and my Father is the farmer. 790

789	I am the True Vine: Or, real vine. Messiah is associated with a sprout or planting. [Isaiah 4:2]

790	My Father is the farmer: Or, husbandman, vinedresser, gardener, cultivator. See notes on 1 Corinthians 3:9. [Psalm 80:8; Jeremiah 2:21] There is a considerable difference between a vine and the farmer, just as the Son cannot be compared to his Father, God.

JN15:2 Every branch in me not bearing fruit He removes, 791 and everyone bearing fruit He prunes so that it may bear more fruit. 792

791	Every branch in me not bearing fruit He removes: Or, unfruitful branch; takes away, prunes away, cuts away. It is God who removes any unfruitful vines, and this for a failure to produce. [Matthew 15:13; Hebrews 6:8]

792	Everyone bearing fruit He prunes so that it may bear more fruit: Or, purges, cleanse, trims clean. It is likely this is a grape vine which produces wine, a most appropriate illustration as they have, or are about to, drink the Memorial Cup. [1 Corinthians 10:16]

JN15:3 You [apostles] are pruned ones by means of the Word 793 that I have spoken to you.

793

You [apostles] are pruned ones by means of the Word: Jesus continues to speak directly to his apostles, though certain principles may be applied to other disciples. It is the teachings of Jesus that “prunes” or “cleans.” Without a familiarity with these teachings there can be no pruning or cleaning. [John 17:17]

JN15:4 You [apostles] remain in me 794 and I in you. Just as the branch cannot continue to bear fruit if it does not remain in the Vine, neither will you if you do not remain in me. 795

794	Remain in me: Or, continue, abide, dwell. By continuing in his teachings Christ continues his close relationship with the disciple.

795	If you do not remain in me: That is, continue in the Nazarene’s teachings, particularly obeying his commandments.

JN15:5 I am the Vine and you [apostles] are the branches. 796 The one remaining in me, and I in him, this person continues to bear much fruit. 797 Because apart from me 798 you [apostles] are unable to accomplish anything. 799

796	You [apostles] are the branches: Jesus speaks directly to his apostles.

797

Continues to bear much fruit: Bearing fruit is what characterizes those who continue in Jesus’ teachings, and maintain a close relationship with him. What is this “fruit”? A vine bears more shoots, and produces grapes of the same kind. Bearing fruitage is mainly the result of making disciples of the Nazarene. [Matthew 28:19] Those who do not produce more disciples will be pruned off the vine.

798	Apart from me: Or, without me, separate from me. A disciple must continue in his teachings and a close relationship with Jesus in order to remain a partner with him.

799	Unable to accomplish anything: Or, do nothing at all. Those who do not “accomplish anything” by bearing fruitage have parted from Christ. Compare notes on 2 Peter 1:5-11. [See the Biblical Article in Nazarene Commentary 2000© Things That Prevent Unfruitfulness.]

JN15:6 If ever anyone does not remain in me, 800 he is to be thrown outside and then burned up. 801

800	Remain in me: Or, abide, share. That is, remain in his teachings and as a result in a close relationship with Christ.

801

Thrown outside and then burned up: Or, cast forth, thrown away, trimmed off, cast aside; withered, dries up. There is no absolutely guarantee that a branch may automatically remain in the Vine. If such ‘branches’ do not remain in the teachings of the Nazarene, and thus maintain a good relationship with him, they will be cast off and destroyed. Compare notes on Hebrews 6:4-8.

JN15:7 As long as you [apostles] remain in me and in my Sayings, 802 whatever you shall ask for it will come to be. 803

802	Remain in me and in my Sayings: Or, WMS: remain in union with me and my words remain in you. One cannot separate the Nazarene’s teachings from the Nazarene himself. Any disciple who refuses to remain in Jesus’ teachings, no longer remains in a relationship with him.

803	Whatever you shall ask for it will come to be: Jesus continues to speak specifically to his apostles.

JN15:8 In this my Father is glorified, that you [apostles] may continue to bear much fruit 804 and [show] you are [truly] my disciples. 805

804	Continue to bear much fruit: By disciple-making and teaching others the Master’s teachings.

805	Show you are [truly] my disciples: Or, literally, “so be my disciples”; RSV: prove; GDS: show. [Matthew 5:16; John 13:35; 2 Corinthians 13:5] It is not enough to claim to be a disciple of Christ. There must be fruitage in proof of such a claim. See notes on 2 Peter 1:8.

JN15:9 Just as my Father loved me, I also loved you. Now you [apostles] remain in my love. 806

806	Remain in my love: Or, continue, your must remain in. This love is not automatic, but conditional based on a] continuing in the Master’s teachings; b] maintaining a relationship with him; c] producing fruitage; and, d] obeying his commandments. Note the following phrase.

JN15:10 You remain in my love if you continue to observe my commandments, 807 even as I have observed my Father’s commandments and continue to remain in Him.” 808

807	If you continue to observe my commandments: This love is conditioned on obedience to the Nazarene commandments. See the work Nazarene Commandments 2000© and the 60 commands of Jesus Christ. Compare John 15:14.

808	Even as I have observed my Father’s commandments and continue to remain in Him: The Son’s own relationship with his Father is condition on his own obedience to His commandments. Compare notes on John 8:29. [Hebrews 5:8, 9]

John 15:11-16 – Love and Self-surrender for Friend

JN15:11 “I have spoken these words to you [apostles] so that my joy may be in you 809 and that your joy might be complete. 810

809

My joy may be in you: Or, share my joy, my own joy may be yours. Joy is best defined by the words glad, or satisfied. The English word “joy” comes from the Latin “smooth” referring to the brow. Research the word joy in Nazarene Commentary 2000©. Joy is different from “happiness” which is a temporary state of elation.

810	Your joy might be complete: Or, full, perfect. Compare notes on John 16:24; 17:13; 1 John 1:4.

JN15:12 This is my commandment, 811 that you [apostles] continue to love one another just as I love all of you.

811	This is my commandment: See notes on John 13:34 and 1 John 3:23.

JN15:13 No person has greater love than this, 812 that anyone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends. 813

812	No person has greater love than this: Or, greater proof of love.

813	Surrender his soul in behalf of his friends: Or, KJV: a man lay down his life for his friends; BEC: gives his life. Compare notes on John 10:11 and 1 John 3:16. [Romans 5:17; Ephesians 5:2]

JN15:14 As long as you continue doing my commandments, you are my friends. 814

814

As long as you continue doing my commandments, you are my friends: Or, keep on doing, do all I command. Friendship – a close relationship – with Christ is only possible if his disciples continue obeying his commandments. Compare notes on John 14:15, 23. [Matthew 12:50] The designation “friends” was used among early Christian disciples. [3 John 14]

JN15:15 I am not saying you [apostles] are slaves, 815 because the slave has no idea what his master is doing. 816 But I call you friends 817 because everything I heard alongside my Father 818 I made known to you [apostles].

815	Slaves: Or, servants. [John 12:26; 13:16; 15:28]

816	The slave has no idea what his master is doing: According to Jesus’ definition of ‘friend’ it means a relationship in which the other always knows what the friend is doing.

817	I call you friends: Jesus called his intimate apostles, his little flock, friends. [Luke 12:4, 32] This was a relationship over three years in the making.

818	Everything I heard alongside my Father: An allusion to his pre-existence. See notes on John 17:5.

JN15:16 You [apostles] did not chose me, but I chose you, and I appointed 819 you so that you may continue bearing fruit, and that your fruit will continue to remain. 820 So no matter what you might ask the Father in my name 821 He might give to you [apostles].”

819	Appointed: Or, ordained, picked out. Jesus speaks to his remaining eleven apostles. It must not be assumed that all others are also so appointed. [John 1:12, 13]

820	Your fruit will continue to remain: Such apostolic fruitage has remained throughout two thousand years with one-third of earth’s present population claiming to believe in Jesus Christ. Compare John 17:20.

821	No matter what you might ask the Father in my name: He speaks to his apostles, though many would apply the principle to others.

John 15:17-27 – World Hatred and a New Helper

JN15:17 “I am giving you [apostles] these commands so that you may continue to love one another. 822

822	Continue to love one another: Compare 1 John 3:23.

JN15:18 If the world of humankind hates you 823 [apostles], you know that it has hated me first. 824

823	If the world of humankind hates you: It is likely the word “world” here has in mind that Jewish world to which Jesus came looking for the “lost sheep of the House of Israel.”

824	It has hated me first: That is, the Jewish world.

JN15:19 If you were from the world of humankind, the world of humankind would certainly have affection for their own. 825 But, because you are not from the world of humankind – but rather I chose you [apostles] out of the world of humankind – for this reason the world of humankind continues to hate all of you. 826

825	Have affection for their own: Or, love. The Greek is EPHILEI which literally means brotherly affection. [1 John 4:5]

826	Continues to hate all of you: The Jewish world, particularly its religious hierarchy.

JN15:20 Remember the word that I spoke to you 827 [apostles]: ‘A slave is not greater that his master.’ If they persecuted me they will also persecute you 828 [apostles]. If they have observed my Word, they will also observe your word. 829

827	The word that I spoke to you: Compare John 13:16.

828	They will also persecute you: See Matthew 5:11; 10:22; 24:9; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 2:21.

829	Observe the word of you: Or, kept, listened to. [John 17:20]

JN15:21 But they will do all these things unto you because of my name. 830 They did not know 831 the One who sent me.

830	Because of my name: That is in the name of “Jesus.”

831	They did not know: Compare John 16:3. [Note John 4:22.]

JN15:22 If I had not come and spoke to them they would have no sin. 832 But now they have no excuse for their sin. 833

832	If I had not come and spoke to them they would have no sin: The Jews rested under the terrible sin of rejecting the Messiah, and therefore his Father, God. Moses had warned of this. [Deuteronomy 18:18, 19]

833	No excuse for their sin: Paul echoes this generational condemnation of the Jews. Compare notes on Romans 1:20 and surrounding verses. [Nazarene Commentary 2000©]

JN15:23 The person hating me also hates my Father. 834

834	The person hating me also hates my Father: The Jews, by hating Jesus, ended up hating the very God they claimed to worship. Thus, these Jews rested under a curse. [See notes on Romans 9:3.]

JN15:24 If I had not done the works among them that no other had ever done, 835 they would have no sin. But now they have also seen and also hated me and my Father. 836

835	No other had ever done: Note Matthew 11:23. [John 7:31; 11:47]

836	Hated me and my Father: This hatred continues to this day two thousand years later. [Exodus 20:5; John 5:42]

JN15:25 However, this is so that the word in the Law 837 should be fulfilled regarding them, ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 838 [Psalm 35:19]

837	The word in the Law: Again Jesus includes the Psalms under the title “Law.”

838	They hated me without a cause: Compare the sources at Psalm 35:19 and Psalm 69:4. The Greek is literally, “as a free gift.”

JN15:26 Whenever the Helper arrives that I shall send to you [apostles] from alongside the Father – the Truthful Pneuma that comes from the Father – that one will testify about me. 839

839	That one will testify about me: Or, he. Compare the result in the Book of Acts and the apostolic epistles.

JN15:27 Also you [apostles] will testify, because you were with me from the beginning. 840

840	From the beginning: Compare 1 John 1:1-4.

Review Questions on Chapter Fifteen