1.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
I am. See on John 14:6
true = real. App-175 .
vine . Three trees are used in the N.T. to teach important lessons. The fig is used by our Lord to show the causes of the doom of Israel. In Romans 11 , Paul applies the figure of the olive tree also to Israel, and utters a solemn warning to the Gentiles; i.e. all the Gentiles upon whom My name is called (Acts 15:17 ), now grafted in in Israel's place. The vine speaks of Israel's temporal and spiritual blessings (Psalms 8 0 and Isaiah 5 ). That vine failed. Henceforth there is no blessing for Israel as such till He comes Who is the true Israel (Isaiah 49:8 ), as He is the true vine. Then shall Isaiah 27:6 be fulfilled. The interpretation of this passage is for Israel alone, though many blessed lessons may be drawn from it, by way of application. Through reading the "Church" into these verses, great confusion has resulted and grievous distress been caused to the people of God.
My Father . See John 2:16 .
2.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
branch. Greek. klema. Only here, and verses: John 15:4 , John 15:5 , John 15:6 .
in . Greek en. App-104 . not. Greek. me. App-106 .
taketh away = raiseth. Greek. airo. Occurs 102 times, and translates more than forty times, take up, lift up, &c. Take away is a secondary meaning, see the Lexicons. Compare Matthew 4:6 ; Matthew 16:24 .Luke 17:13 .Revelation 10:5 ; Revelation 18:21 , and Psalms 24:7 , Psalms 24:9 (Septuagint)
purgeth = cleanseth. Greek kathairo. Occurs only here, and Hebrews 10:2 . Of the two kinds of branches, the fruitless and the fruitful, He raises the former from grovelling on the ground, that it may bear fruit, and cleanses the latter that it may bear more fruit.
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
bring forth = bear. Same word as in the two previous clauses.
3.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Now = Already. clean. Greek. katharos. Compare John 13:10 , John 13:11 , the only other occurance in John, and the verb kathairo in John 15:2 .
through = on account of. App-104
word . Greek. logos. See on Mark 9:32 .
unto = to
4.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Abide . Greek. meno. See p. 1511.
and I . Read "I also [abide] in you". Omit the full stop, and supply "for".
cannot = is not ( App-105 ) able to.
of. Greek. apo. App-104 .
except = if . . . not. Greek. ean me. App-118 and App-105 .
no more = even so neither. Greek houtos oude.
5.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If a man . . . not . Greek. ean me tis. App-118 and App-123 . See "except" in John 15:4 . It is no longer "you "or "ye" but "any one", speaking generally.
is cast forth . . . is withered . (Both verbs are in the Aorist) = was cast forth, &c., perhaps referring to the fig-tree (Matthew 21:19 , and App-156 ). Compare Matthew 13:6 .
a = the.
men = they. Compare Matthew 13:30 , Matthew 13:39 , Matthew 13:41 .
into . Greek. eis. App-104 .
the fire . No art. in received text, but added by T Tr. A WI R, making it emphatic. See Matthew 13:40 , Matthew 13:42 .Revelation 20:15 .
7.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
If. App-118 .
words sayings. Greek rhema. See Mark 9:32 .
ye shall ask. All the texts read "ask". Compare John 14:13 , John 14:14 . Greek aiteo. App-134 .
will . Greek. thelo. App-102 .
be done = come to pass. Greek. ginomai.
8.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Herein = In (Greek. en. App-104 .) this.
is . . . glorified = was . . . glorified (Aorist). Greek doxazo. See p. 1511 and Compare John 13:31 .
that = in order that (Greek. hina), showing the Father's purpose. Compare John 11:15 , John 11:50 ; John 12:33 ; John 13:1-3 .
so shall ye be = and (that) ye may become. Greek ginomai. See on "done "in John 15:7 .
9.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10.
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.
keep. Greek. tereo. Compare John 8:51 , John 8:2 , John 8:55 ; John 14:15 , John 14:21 , John 14:23 , John 14:24 .
11.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
My joy = the joy that is mine (emph.) Three times in John, here, John 3:29 , and John 17:13 .
remain = abide. Greek meno as above, but all the texts read "be".
your joy . As He gave them His peace (John 14:27 ), so He seeks to make them partakers of His joy.
might be full = may be fulfilled: i.e. filled full.
12.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
My commandment . My charge to you. As the Father's charge to Me (John 15:10 ) so My charge to you. Compare John 13:34 .
as = even as. have
loved = loved, as in John 15:9 .
13.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
no man = no one. Greek. oudeis.
a man = one. Greek. tis. App-123 .
lay down . Greek. tithemi, literally place; translated "giveth" in John 10:11 ; "lay down "in John 10:15 , John 10:17 , John 10:18 ; John 13:37 , John 13:38 ; 1 John 3:16 .
life. App-110 .
for = in behalf of. Greek. huper. App-104 .
friends (Greek. philos, noun of phileo. App-135 .) = those whom one loves. Compare John 13:1 .Romans 5:6-8 .
14.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
whatsoever . The texts read "the things which".
15.
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Henceforth . . . not = No longer. Greek. ouketi, compound of ou.
servants = bondservants.
knoweth . App-132 .
not. Greek. ou. App-105 .
lord. Greek kurios. App-98 .
of = with. Greek para. App-104 .
have made known = made known (Aor.)
16.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
y e have not , &c. = Not that ye chose Me, &c. Figure of speech Antimetabole. App-6 . Thus reversing the custom of the Jews for the disciple to choose his own master. See Dr. John Lightfoot, Works, vol. iii. p. 175.
have chosen = chose.
ordained = placed. Greek. tithemi, as in John 15:13 . Compare 1 Timothy 1:12 ; 1Ti 2:7 . 2 Timothy 1:11 .Hebrews 1:2 .
go = go forth.
ask of = ask, as in John 15:7 .
17.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If . App-118 .
world . Greek. kosmos. See John 14:17 and App-129 .
ye know = know (imperative mood) Greek. ginosko. App-132 .
hated = hath hated. Therefore continues to hate.
19.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Remember . Referring to John 13:16 .
have persecuted = persecuted (Aor.) Greek. dioko = to pursue (opposite to pheugo, to flee), here with malignant intent. It is translated thirty-one times "persecute", and thirteen times "follow", &c. in a good sense. Compare Acts 9:4 . In Luke 11:49 and 1 Thessalonians 2:18 a stronger word, ekdioko, is used.
also, &c. = persecute you also.
have kept = kept (Aor.)
saying. Greek logos. Same as "word" above, and in John 3:25 .
21.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
unto. The received text has the dative, but all the texts read eis ( App-104 .)
for My name's sake = on account of (Greek. dia. App-104 .John 15:2; John 15:2 ) My name. See Acts 4:7 , Acts 4:17 , Acts 4:18 ; Acts 5:40 , Acts 5:41 ; Acts 9:14 , Acts 9:16 , Acts 9:21 ; 1 Peter 4:14 , 1 Peter 4:16 , where all the texts read "name" instead of "behalf".
Him That sent Me. See on John 14:24 .
22.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
had . . . come , &c. = came and spake.
had not had sin = would not have (imperf.) sin, i.e. in rejecting Him as the Messiah. Figure of speech Heterasis. App-6 . sin. App-128 .
now. Greek. nun. See John 12:27 .
no = not ( App-105 ) any.
cloke = excuse. Greek. prophasis. Occurs seven times, rendered "pretence" in Matthew 23:14 .Mark 12:40 . Philippians 1:1 , Philippians 1:18 ; "shew", Luke 20:47 ; ' colour", Acts 27:30 , and "cloke", here and 1 Thessalonians 2:5 .
for = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104 .
23.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
among . Greek. en. App-104 .
none other man = no one else. Greek oudeis altos. App-124 . Compare John 5:36 ; John 9:30 .
they had not , &c. Same as in John 15:22 . Notice the different negatives me and ou in the two clauses of the verse as in John 15:22 .
seen . Greek horao. App-133 .
25.
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
fulfilled. See note on "full" in John 15:11 .
their law . Compare John 8:17 .
They hated , &c. Quoted from Psalms 35:19 with Psalms 69:4 . Compare also Psalms 109:3 with Psalms 119:161 .
without a cause . Greek dorean. Occurs eight times; translated "freely" in Matthew 10:8 . Rom 3:24 . 2 Corinthians 11:7 . Revelation 21:6 ; Revelation 22:17 , "in vain", Galatians 2:21 "for nought", 2 Thessalonians 3:8 .
26.
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 testify of me:
the Comforter . See John 14:16 .
is come = shall have come.
send . Greek. pempo. App-174 .
from . Greek. para. App-104 .
the Spirit of truth . See on John 14:17 .
proceedeth = goeth forth.
he. Greek. ekeinos, as in John 14:26 .
shall = will; one of the many instances where both Authorized Version and Revised Version blur the sense of their translation by the misuse of "shall "and "will".
testify = bear witness. Greek. martureo. See note on John 1:7 .
of = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104 .
27.
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
shall bear witness = testify, or are testifying (present).
ye have been = ye are.
with . Greek. meta. App-104 .
from the beginning . See note on John 8:44 .