Devotional Questions & Commentary
John 15:1-8
“Pruning is necessary for any vine. Dead wood is worse than fruitlessness, for dead wood can harbor disease and decay. An untrimmed vine will develop long rambling branches that produce little fruit because most of the strength of the vine is given to growing wood. The vine-grower is concerned that the vine be healthy and productive. The caring process is a picture of the divine dealing with human life. God removes the dead wood from his church and disciplines the life of the believer so that it is directed into fruitful activity.”[1]
“The connection is maintained by obedience and prayer. To remain in Christ and to allow his words to remain in oneself means a conscious acceptance of the authority of his word and a constant contact with him by prayer. The prayer request must be related to a definite need and must be for an object Jesus himself would desire.”[2]
- Why is the relationship between the vine and the branch a particularly apt description of my relationship with God? How is fruitlessness and withering away an accurate picture of a life that does not remain in Jesus?
- What is surprising about the fact that the Gardener prunes the “branch that does bear fruit?”
- How does the word of God “prune” or “clean” a person?
- Notice that there is no command to bear fruit, but only the command to “remain in me.” What is the significance of this, and how does this apply to me?
John 15:18-21
- Why does the world hate Christians? How does this match my view of Christian life?
- What is my relationship with the world? What does this reveal about my Christian identity and my value system?
- What values do I hold that “belong to the world?” What values do I hold that do not belong to the world?
Additional Questions:
John 15:12-15
- How does Jesus define friendship, and what is the difference between a “friend” and a “servant?” Which do I relate to more?
- What responsibility do I have since Jesus has “made known to [me]” “everything that [he] learned from [the] Father?”
John 15:22-27
- What made those who rejected Jesus “guilty of sin?”
- In what ways does the world hate Jesus “without reason?”
- What responsibility do I have towards the word of God that I’ve heard and the works of God that I have witnessed?
- What is revealed about Jesus’ heart for the world from the fact that he commands his disciples to “testify” about him right after he tells them that the world “will persecute” them?
[1] Source: Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for chapter 15.
[2] Ibid.
Commentary
vv. 1-17 “In his final ‘I am’ saying in this Gospel, Jesus declares that he is the true vine (15:1). That is, in this ancient imagery he has taken the place of Israel as God’s true planting. The new concept is that God’s vineyard holds one vine and Israel must inquire if it is attached to him. No longer is Israel automatically seen as vines growing in God’s vineyard. Men and women are now branches growing from one stock.
“[…]
“Jesus now calls his disciples ‘friends’ (15:14 – 15) to distinguish them from servants, who do not know the deeper thoughts of their masters. What characterizes such friends is that they obey him. […] Where true friendship exists, true disclosure (or revelation) accompanies it (15:15b). Disciples possess the word of Jesus (thanks to the Spirit, 14:25 – 26), and they will receive ongoing revelations of Jesus (also brought by the Spirit, 16:12 – 13). Disciples thus know ‘God’s heart.’ When they therefore pray, their desires and God’s will harmonize, making them participants in God’s efforts in the world (15:16; cf. 15:7).”[1]
vv. 18-25 “Jesus discusses the guilt of the world in 15:22 – 25 by explaining that it is accountable before the revelation of God. Jesus’ ministry provided both words (15:22) and works (15:24) that pointed to God. Now that they have seen and heard him, their guilt is immovable (15:24). For instance, in the story of the healed blind man (ch. 9), the Jewish leadership refused to accept the miracle as a sign from God. Yet because they claimed to see, Jesus pronounced their guilt (9:41).”[2]
vv. 26-16:4a “The promises of the Spirit in the Synoptic Gospels fit this setting precisely. Jesus says that in the midst of persecution (Matt. 10:16 – 18) his followers should not worry about what to say since the Spirit will speak through them (Matt. 10:19 – 20; Mark 13:11). The Spirit will also instruct, ‘for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say’ (Luke 12:12). But there is a partnership, for ‘you also must testify’ (John 15:27a, italics added). ‘You’ is emphatic in Greek here, underscoring that we are not permitted a passive role. The disciples are witnesses and the Spirit will bear witness; the disciples possess the historical record of Jesus’ words and work (‘you have been with me from the beginning,’ 15:27b), and they now will be empowered as they deliver that message to the world.”[3]
[1] Burge, Gary M. “John 15:1 – 16:4a” In The NIV Application Commentary: John. By Gary M. Burge, 414-433. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 2000.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.