Christian Age John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. I. THIS UNION. 1. It is compared — (1) By Peter (1 Peter 2:5, 6) to the connection between the foundation stone and the building, and the relation thus suggested is one of dependence. (2) By the Lord Himself to the union between the branches and the vine, the connection is seen to be one of life. (3) By Paul (Ephesians 4:15, 16) to the union between the head and the members, where the connection is one of subjection. (4) By the same Apostle (Ephesians 5:22, 23) to the union between husband and wife; and there the idea of affection is the predominating one. Now, putting all these together, we get this result, that believers are one with Christ, as represented by Him, dependent upon Him, living in Him, subject to Him, and loving Him with tenderest affection. But in the figure of our text there is further suggested the idea that believers are supported by Christ. The branches are sustained by the sap, which the vine supplies; and so His people are animated by the Spirit which Christ bestows. 2. How this union is entered into. The analogy of the vine does not help us here. The branches are in the vine, whether they will or no. But men have wills; and so this union is, on their part, a voluntary thing. 3. Then, when we are thus united to Him, His strength and grace flow into us. When the car is coupled to the engine, the motion of the engine is communicated to, and shared with, the car; and when we are one with Christ in love and trust, His Spirit comes into our hearts and makes us more responsive to Himself. II. THE END FOR WHICH THE UNION EXISTS (vers. 2, 8). Fruit, the character of which may be gathered from Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:22, 23; 2 Peter 1:6-8. Then this fruit is — 1. A personal thing. It is not the effect on others of some effort which we put forth, but the appearance in ourselves of the graces of holiness. 2. Not a single grace, but a whole circle. The spiritual vine, like the natural, brings forth its fruit in a cluster, and only when each of the members of that cluster is fairly and symmetrically developed is there true fruitfulness. (Christian Age.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. |
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