Matthew Henry Commentary John 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 15
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 15
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and [so] shall ye be my disciples." — John 15:1-8 (ASV)
Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine natures, and the fullness of the Spirit that is in Him, resemble the root of the vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers are branches of this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hidden with Christ; the root bears the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ are all supports and supplies.
The branches of the vine are many, yet, meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all true Christians, though in place and opinion distant from each other, meet in Christ. Believers, like the branches of the vine, are weak, and unable to stand but as they are supported. The Father is the Husbandman. Never was any husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about His church, which therefore must prosper.
We must be fruitful. From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper, disposition, and life. We must honor God, and do good; this is bearing fruit. The unfruitful are taken away. And even fruitful branches need pruning; for the best have notions, passions, and ill humors that require to be taken away. Christ has promised to advance the sanctification of believers through this process, and they will be thankful for it.
The word of Christ is spoken to all believers; and there is a cleansing virtue in that word, as it produces grace and expels corruption. And the more fruit we bear, the more we abound in what is good, the more our Lord is glorified. To be fruitful, we must abide in Christ, must have union with Him by faith. It is the great concern of all Christ's disciples to constantly maintain dependence upon Christ and communion with Him.
True Christians find by experience that any interruption in the exercise of their faith causes holy affections to decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop. Those who do not abide in Christ, though they may flourish for a while in outward profession, yet come to nothing. The fire is the fittest place for withered branches; they are good for nothing else.
Let us seek to live more simply on the fullness of Christ and to grow more fruitful in every good word and work, so that our joy in Him and in His salvation may be full.
"Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father`s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye may love one another." — John 15:9-17 (ASV)
Those whom God loves as a Father can despise the hatred of the entire world. Just as the Father loved Christ, who was most worthy, so he loved his disciples, who were unworthy.
All who love the Savior should continue in their love to him, and take every opportunity to show it. The joy of the hypocrite lasts only for a moment, but the joy of those who abide in Christ's love is a continual feast. They are to show their love to him by keeping his commandments.
If the same power that first poured out Christ's love in our hearts did not keep us in that love, we would not long abide in it. Christ's love for us should direct us to love each other. He speaks as if he is about to command many things, yet he names only this one; it includes many duties.
"If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name`s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But [this cometh to pass], that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." — John 15:18-25 (ASV)
How little do many people think, that in opposing the doctrine of Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, they prove themselves ignorant of the one living and true God, whom they profess to worship!
The name into which Christ's disciples were baptized is that which they will live and die by. It is a comfort to the greatest sufferers if they suffer for the sake of Christ's name.
The world's ignorance is the true cause of its hatred for the disciples of Jesus. The clearer and fuller the revelations of the grace and truth of Christ, the greater is our sin if we do not love him and believe in him.
"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." — John 15:26-27 (ASV)
The blessed Spirit will maintain the cause of Christ in the world, despite the opposition it faces. Believers, taught and encouraged by His influences, would bear testimony to Christ and His salvation.
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