John 15:1-27

After Jesus and the remaining learning-disciples went out from the house where they had eaten their last meal/supper together (Judas Iscariot had previously gone away from them as recorded in John 13:26-30), they went towards the Mount of Olives where the garden of Gethsemane is located at the west side.

During this walk - which spans Matthew 26:30-35, Mark 14:26-31, Luke 22:39, and John 15:1 to 17:26 - Jesus continued to speak with them regarding what was about to happen to himself, his death and resurrection, about the interval of time while he would be preparing a place for them after his resurrection (refer to John 14:2-4), and about other future events.

John 15:1-8:

^15:1"I am the vine, the true (vine), and my Father is the tiller. ^.2Every branch in me not carrying fruit - He lifts it; and every (branch) carrying fruit - He cleans it in order that it may carry more fruit. ^.3Already you are clean-people because-of the word which I uttered-forth² to you; ^.4you must remain in me and I in you; according as the branch is not able to carry fruit from itself except it may remain in the vine, thus neither you except you may remain in me. ^.5I am the vine - you (are) the branches; the (person) remaining in me and I in him, this-person carries much fruit because without me he is not able to make nothing. ^.6Except someone may remain in me, he was thrown outside as the branch and it was dried, and they gather them together and throw into the fire and they are burned. ^.7If-ever you may remain in me and my spoken-matters may remain in you, that-which if-ever you may intend you must ask and it will become to you; ^.8in this my Father was glorified - in order that you may carry much fruit and you may become learning-disciples to me.

Jesus uses figures of speech to teach regarding himself and God his Father by saying:

• "Emphatically I am the vine (in Greek there is a definite word for “I” plus the verb meaning “I am” giving emphasis – I myself am the vine),
  • emphatically and specifically the true vine (the vine that has the quality and essence of trueness, my consistency is truth, I am the actual, certain, real, genuine vine – as opposed to a copy such as the false, fictitious, unreal or fake vine),
• and my Father is the tiller (God my Father is the cultivator, husbandman, the One who tills the soil preparing the garden making it ready for the plants to bear fruit).
• Every branch in me not carrying fruit (all, every single vine shoot or sprout within my realm of operation that is not bearing produce, not bringing fruit, fruitless) -
  • He lifts it (my Father takes it up and carries it away, as described in verse 6 below);
• and all/every branch in me that is carrying fruit (bearing produce, bringing fruit, fruitful) -
  • He cleans it (my Father makes it free from all mixture, causes it not to be mixed with the branches not carrying fruit, cleans it from that-which would be contrary to my Father’s intention, as a tiller prunes a vine's branches)
  • for the purpose and result that the branch that is carrying fruit would carry more fruit (comparatively a bigger amount or quantity of produce).
• By this time emphatically you are clean-people (in Greek there is a definite word for “you” plus the verb meaning “you are” giving emphasis – you yourselves presently are free from any bad foreign mixture)
  • on account of the word (the spoken-account containing individual words constituting what is spoken)
  • which I uttered-forth (spoke) and continue to utter-forth to you;
• it is imperative that you remain in me and I in you (after my resurrection we must stay, continue within one-another's realm of operation, as the vine with its branches that carry fruit);
  • according as the branch is not able to carry fruit from itself (just as, according to how, in comparison to the way that the vine-shoot does not have the able-power, the capability, is not capable of bearing or bringing produce from itself as the source of what is needed to produce that fruit)
    • except/unless it would remain in the vine (if it should ever happen that the branch would not stay, not continue in the vine),
  • in this manner neither you (you do not have the ability to carry fruit from yourselves)
    • except/unless you would remain in me (if it should ever happen that you would not stay, not continue in me - the true vine).
• Emphatically I am the vine (again there is emphasis as verse 1 above – I myself am the vine) -
  • you are the branches (in this figurative illustration);
• the person who is remaining in me and I in him,
  • specifically this person (man, human-being)
  • carries a lot of fruit
    • because without me (apart from me, separated from me)
    • he is not able to make nothing (the usage of a double negative figuratively emphasizes that – definitely that person is not capable of producing anything, he does not have the ability to bring-about something, he cannot do the action of one thing in alignment with God and the things of God).
• Except/unless someone would remain in me (if it should ever happen that anyone would not stay, not be continuing in me),
  • then at that time he was thrown outside (cast external to the area where I am)
    • as the branch (which did not produce any fruit)
    • and it was dried (caused to dry, wither),
    • and the people working in the vineyard assemble the dried branches and cast them into the fire and the dried branches are burned (destroyed by fire).
• If it should happen at any time that you would remain in me
• and my spoken-matters would remain in you (the portions of the whole of God’s Word that I speak to you, each containing a specific discourse necessary for that particular situation or circumstance),
  • that-which if-ever you would intend (the thing which if it should ever happen that you would be willing with active volition and desire)
  • you must ask (it is imperative that you request for it to be given to you, as an inferior asking a superior)
  • and it will become to you (it will come to pass, come into being, happen, occur for you);
• in/by this my Father was glorified (at that future time when it will come to pass for you God my Father will be given the importance, splendor, renown) -
  • for the purpose and result that
  • you would carry (presently and actively bear, be bringing)
    • a lot of fruit (produce)
  • and you would become learning-disciples to me (at that future time after my resurrection you would come to pass to be students relative to me being evidenced).

Many of the verbs above are in the aorist tense in the Greek texts, which is why they may be translated as a past event – however, this tense can refer to any time past, present, or future emphasizing that once this event is accomplished it is done, finished, it will not need to be done a second time! These occurrences may be made-up of many single actions being carried-out at any time and once a specific action is completed then it becomes a past reality.

[Reference: Matthew 13:42 and 50; John 6:63, 13:10, 11, 26-30 and 35, 14:13, 14, 23 and 24; I Corinthians 3:9; James 5:7; Revelation 20:14 and 15, 21:8. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

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John Chapter 16