John Calvin Commentary John 15

I am the true Vine. The general meaning of this comparison is that we are, by nature, barren and dry, unless we have been grafted into Christ and draw from Him a power that is new and does not proceed from ourselves.

I have followed other commentators in translating ἄμπελος as vitis (a vine), and κλήματα as palmites (branches). Now, vitis (a vine) strictly denotes the plant itself, and not a field planted with vines, which Latin writers call vinea (a vineyard), although it is sometimes taken for vinea (a vineyard); for example, when Cicero mentions in the same breath, pauperum agellos et viticulas (the small fields and small vineyards of the poor). Palmites (branches) are what may be called the arms of the tree, which it sends out above the ground.

But as the Greek word κλῆμα sometimes denotes a vine, and ἄμπελος, a vineyard, I am more disposed to adopt the opinion that Christ compares Himself to a field planted with vines, and compares us to the plants themselves. On that point, however, I will not enter into a debate with any person; I only wish to remind the reader that he should adopt the view that appears to him to derive greater probability from the context.

First, let the reader remember the rule that should be observed in all parables: we should not examine minutely every property of the vine, but only take a general view of the object to which Christ applies that comparison. Now, there are three principal parts:

1. That we have no power of doing good except what comes from Him.
2. That we, having a root in Him, are cultivated and pruned by the Father.
3. That He removes the unfruitful branches, so that they may be thrown into the fire and burned.

Hardly anyone is ashamed to acknowledge that everything good he possesses comes from God; but, after making this acknowledgment, they imagine that universal grace has been given to them, as if it had been implanted in them by nature.

But Christ dwells principally on this: that the vital sap — that is, all life and strength — proceeds from Him alone.

Hence it follows that human nature is unfruitful and destitute of everything good, because no one has the nature of a vine until he is implanted in Him. But this is given to the elect alone by special grace.

So then, the Father is the first Author of all blessings, who plants us with His hand; but the commencement of life is in Christ, since we begin to take root in Him.

When He calls Himself the true vine, the meaning is, I am truly the vine. Therefore, people labor in vain seeking strength anywhere else, for useful fruit will proceed from none but the branches that will be produced by Me.

Every branch in Me that bears not fruit. As some men corrupt the grace of God, others suppress it maliciously, and others choke it by carelessness, Christ intends by these words to awaken anxious inquiry, by declaring that all the branches that will be unfruitful will be cut off from the vine.

But here a question arises: Can anyone who is engrafted into Christ be without fruit? I answer that many are supposed to be in the vine according to human opinion, who actually have no root in the vine. Thus, in the writings of the prophets, the Lord calls the people of Israel His vine because, by outward profession, they had the name of The Church.

And every branch that bears, fruit He prunes. By these words, He shows that believers need incessant cultivation so that they may be prevented from degenerating, and that they produce nothing good unless God continually applies His hand. For it will not be enough to have been once made partakers of adoption if God does not continue the work of His grace in us.

He speaks of pruning or cleansing because our flesh abounds in superfluities and destructive vices and is too fertile in producing them. These grow and multiply endlessly if we are not cleansed or pruned by the hand of God.

When He says that vines are pruned that they may yield more abundant fruit, He shows what the progress of believers in the course of true religion ought to be?

You are already clean, on account of the word. He reminds them that they have already experienced in themselves what he had said; that they have been planted in him, and have also been cleansed or pruned. He points out the means of pruning, namely, doctrine; and there can be no doubt that he speaks of outward preaching, for he expressly mentions the word, which they had heard from his mouth.

Not that the word proceeding from the mouth of a man has so great efficacy, but, so far as Christ works in the heart by the Spirit, the word itself is the instrument of cleansing. Yet Christ does not mean that the apostles are pure from all sin, but he holds out to them their experience, that they may learn from it that the continuance of grace is absolutely necessary. Besides, he commends to them the doctrine of the gospel from the fruit which it produces, that they may be more powerfully stirred to meditate on it continually, since it resembles the vine-dresser’s knife to take away what is useless.

Abide in Me. He again exhorts them to be earnest and careful in keeping the grace which they had received, for the carelessness of the flesh can never be sufficiently stirred. Indeed, Christ has no other object in view than to keep us

as a hen keeps her chickens under her wings,
(Matthew 23:37)

so that our indifference does not carry us away and make us fly to our destruction. To prove that He did not begin the work of our salvation only to leave it imperfect midway, He promises that His Spirit will always be efficacious in us, if we do not hinder Him.

Abide in Me, He says: for I am ready to abide in you. And again, He who abides in Me bears much fruit. By these words He declares that all who have a living root in Him are fruit-bearing branches.

Without me you can do nothing. This is the conclusion and application of the whole parable. As long as we are separate from him, we bear no fruit that is good and acceptable to God, for we are unable to do anything good.

The Papists not only diminish the force of this statement but destroy its substance; indeed, they completely evade it. For, though in words they acknowledge that we can do nothing without Christ, they foolishly imagine that they possess some power, which is not sufficient in itself but, being aided by the grace of God, cooperates (as they say), that is, works along with it; for they cannot endure that humanity should be so reduced to nothing as to do nothing of itself.

But these words of Christ are too plain to be evaded so easily as they suppose. The doctrine invented by the Papists is that we can do nothing without Christ, but that, aided by him, we have something of ourselves in addition to his grace. Christ, on the other hand, declares that we can do nothing by ourselves.

The branch, he says, does not bear fruit of itself; and, therefore, he not only praises the aid of his cooperating grace but deprives us entirely of all power except what he imparts to us. Accordingly, this phrase, without me, must be explained as meaning, except from me.

Next follows another fallacy; for they allege that the branch has something from nature, because if another branch, which is not fruit-bearing, is grafted into the vine, it will produce nothing. But this is easily answered, for Christ does not explain what the branch has naturally before it becomes united to the vine, but rather means that we begin to become branches at the time when we are united to him. And, indeed, Scripture elsewhere shows that, before we are in him, we are dry and useless wood.