Jesus wanted the disciples to understand how important it is to follow Him and stay connected with Him. Why Does Jesus Use the Metaphor of the Vine, the Gardener, and the Branches? They are connected, Jesus is saying, a true circle of life-sustaining support.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.''

No branch can bear fruit by itself it must remain in the vine. As Jesus says in John 15:4, ''Remain in me, as I also remain in you. They could bear fruit and live and thrive-indeed, have eternal life and be saved-through their connection with Jesus. By nourishing themselves only through Jesus, they were getting their strength from the true source of life, God Himself, Word-become flesh and born a man ( John 1). Most times, the vine was used as an illustration of how Israel had strayed from the Lord. But when Jesus said He was the 'true vine' and that the disciples were to remain in Him, this was an illustration of how the disciples and anyone else who followed Him could get back on track. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land' ( Psalm 80:8-9).īut along the way, the vine grew wild, off-path it stopped bearing good fruit, withered, and was consumed by fire ( Jeremiah 2:21, Ezekiel 19:10-14, Isaiah 5:1-7). We understand the concept of what it means but not the actuality. And most of us are also not raised in the context and with the ancient stories of Judaism, as the disciples would have been.Īs the psalmist writes, 'You transplanted a vine from Egypt you drove out the nations and planted it. Indeed, many of us have only ever seen vines in pictures or on television. However, we are not first-century farmers or other workers of the land and sea accustomed to metaphors like this. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you'' ( John 15:5b-7). If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ''I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener,'' Jesus tells the disciples in John 15:1. Then, as if His meaning isn't already understood, Jesus elaborates further, noting that the disciples are His branches and that as long as they remain in Him, nourished and sustained, they will bear fruit and thrive. But, Jesus warns, ''Apart from me you can do nothing.

Then, to drive home His ultimate point-that He is indeed the way, the truth, and the life (from John 14:6)-Jesus uses a metaphor that would have been crystal-clear to any Israelite of that day. Jesus tells them He is going to prepare a place for them and that soon they will receive the Holy Spirit as their advocate. Many of us know the story-in the hours after the start of Passover, when Jesus and His disciples had shared their evening meal and Judas had gone off in betrayal, Jesus is comforting the disciples with many teachings about the mysterious things that are to come.

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