The Commentary | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 26, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 33.

The Commentary.

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

Jesus the True Vine.

(September 5.—John 15:1-16.)

FROM the last supper Jesus repaired with his disciples to the garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of Mount Olivet, a retired place which he had often visited for seasons of communion with his Father. It was night; but the moon was shining brightly, and revealed to him a flourishing grape-vine. Drawing the attention of the disciples to it, he said: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 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."

THE Jewish nation was a fruitless branch, and was therefore to be separated from the living vine, which was Christ Jesus. The Gentiles were to be engrafted upon the stalk, to become a living branch, partaker of the life that nourished the true vine. This branch was to be pruned that it might be fruitful. In view of his separation from his disciples, Jesus now

exhorted them to connect themselves firmly to him by faith, that they might become a part of the living Vine, and bear a rich harvest of fruit. "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. 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."

WHEN the sinner has repented of his sins, and is united with Christ, as the branch is engrafted in the vine, the nature of the man is changed, and he is a partaker of the divine nature. He loves the things that Christ loves, and hates that which he hates. His desires are in harmony with the will of God. He treasures up the words of Christ, and they abide in him. The life-giving principle of the Saviour is communicated to the Christian. Just so the little scion, leafless and apparently lifeless, is engrafted into the living vine, and fiber by fiber, vein by vein, drinks life and strength from it, till it becomes a flourishing branch of the parent stalk.

HE still impressed upon them the importance of carrying forward the work which he had begun, and bearing fruit to the glory of God: "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." The disciples were the chosen depositaries of the truth of God. They were witnesses of the Father's acknowledgement of Jesus as the Son of God. They had beheld his miracles, heard his teachings, and it was theirs to give the message of salvation to the world, that through their evidence men might lay hold of Christ by living faith. Thus would the disciples bring forth fruit to the glory of God.

JESUS assured his disciples that he would in no case forsake them, but would be clothed with power, and would become their Advocate at the right hand of the Father, to present the petitions they might ask in the name of his Son. The disciples did not then fully comprehend the words of their Master, but later in their religious experience they cherished the precious promise, and presented their prayers to the Father in the name of Jesus.—Mrs. E. G. White, in Great Controversy.

"YE are my friends." There is something inexpressibly touching in these words. To be Christ's friends—what glory or blessedness is greater? If a human father should say of his child, "He is not only my son, but also my friend," it would be an ascription of something more excellent than filial loyalty to his son. In some such sense, more easily felt than defined, the Saviour says to all who keep his commandments, "Ye are my friends." It denotes the most intimate and confidential and unreserved communion.

"THESE things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." There is no motive so controlling over the Christian's will as the adequate appreciation of Christ as he is. Out of the many views of this divine Friend which this allegory solicits us to take, this one is perhaps the most powerful. The agony of Gethsemane and the horrors of the crucifixion were just before him, and their shadows were shrouding his soul. He was on the way to "lay down his life for his friends." And yet, for some mysterious reason, he was filled with sacred joy.

HE speaks these words of the Father's love and his own love to the sorrowing disciples that he may soothe their grief and impart to them his joy and fill them with their own proper joy. Why should not they rejoice even in tribulation when he was rejoicing under his mighty woes? His sacred bliss was founded in the mutual love and communion of himself and the Father. But as the Father loved him, so he loved them. In him they had the same foundation for abiding joy. Why should not they abide in his love as he "abides in his Father's love"? That they may share this full joy he spoke these words even at such a time.

WHAT a Friend to us wretched and sinful men, who are the cause of all his unparalleled woe! And yet if we abide not in his love as he abides in the Father's love, we have no joy. "In the world" his disciples shall have tribulation, but "in him they shall have peace." None but God could be such a Friend. Yes, that joy at that time—and, what is more, the tender solicitude to impart it and lead his followers into full abiding joy, and the friendly and confidential and unreserved revelation—declare him to be the true Vine, humanity glorified by indwelling Deity, in whom we have everlasting joy and gladness. "We know whom we have believed." We love him and one another. This is the perfection of a fruitful branch.—J. A. LeFevre, D. D., in Half Hours with the Lessons.