Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 15:1

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." — John 15:1 (ASV)

I am the true vine,

Now we know where to find the true Church. It is to be found only in Christ and in those who are joined to him in mystical but real union: I am the true vine,

And my Father is the husbandman.

Now we know who is the true Guardian of the Church. Not the so-called "holy father" at Rome, but that Father above, who is the true Guardian, Ruler, Keeper, Preserver, Purifier, Husbandman of the one Church, the vine.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

If you want to know where the true Church is, Christ here tells you: I am the true vine. All who are in Christ are in the true Church. If you want to know who is the Father of the Church, its Keeper and Guardian, Christ here tells you: My Father is the husbandman.

Therefore, I feel persuaded that the true vine, the Church, will never die, for it is Christ; and I am also persuaded that it will never be uprooted, for Jesus says, My Father is the husbandman.; and that fact is a guarantee that he will take care of it.

I am the true vine.

All other vines are but shadows of Christ. They represent Christ, but he is himself the substance, the essence, the one great reality. He is the truth of all things that exist: I am the true Vine. Does anybody ask which is the true Church? All who are vitally joined to Christ are in the true Church, for he says, I am the true Vine.

And my Father is the husbandman.

He cares for the Church with infinite wisdom and love. No one else can care for that true Vine as the Father—the Husbandman—does.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Not only the Mosaic law, but the whole creation is full of types of Christ. All the vines that we see in this world are only as it were typical; but Christ is the substance—the substance of nature as well as of grace: I am the true vine, and the real Husbandman, who watches over everything, who has the whole Church, even the whole universe, under his care, is the great Father: My Father is the husbandman.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (John 15:1).

All other vines were but types and shadows; Christ is the substance; God's ideal vine; "the true vine." Israel was a vine—the figure is a common one throughout the Old Testament—but it was a false vine, and it bore bitter grapes.

I am the true vine,

Many questions have been raised about which is the true Church; the Savior answers them, I am the true vine. All who are united, really united, to the ever-living Savior are members of the true Church. Find them where you may, if they are one with Christ, they are his – they are parts of the divine vine; they are belonging to his Church.

And my Father is the husbandman.

It is the Father's province, by the Holy Spirit and by the works of Providence, to see to the prosperity of the Church. My Father is the husbandman. All preachers, all teachers, are only, so to speak, the pruning tool in the hand of the great vine-dresser. My Father is the husbandman.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

We thank you, O Saviour, for this blessed answer to the often-repeated question, "Which is the true Church?" Are you one with Christ? Then you are a part of the true vine. If we have but a real, vital, personal connection with Christ, then to whatever section of the visible Church we may belong, we are part of the true vine.

And we are told, in the next sentence, who is the great Caretaker of the Church? Some of us are much occupied in Christ's service, and there is a tendency with all of us to get, like Martha, numbered even in serving him.

We tend to imagine that the burden of all the churches lies upon our shoulders, but, beloved, this is a great mistake. Jesus said, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman, or vine-dresser. He will take the utmost possible care of it, for it is very dear to him. There is not a branch in that vine which the Father does not love with infinite affection; and as for the majestic stem, even Jesus, he loves him beyond measure.