John 15:5

Context

During the Farewell Discourse, Jesus introduces the metaphor by saying, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman" (v. 1). The Father takes away every branch that bears no fruit, and he purges every branch that bears fruit so that it may bring forth more (v. 2). In the Old Testament, Israel is frequently portrayed as a vine planted by God (Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:8), but Jesus calls himself the "true" vine. Verse 5 is the center of the metaphor; verse 6 warns that a branch that does not abide is cast forth and thrown into the fire; and verses 7-8 promise answered prayer and declare that the Father is glorified when the disciples bear fruit.

Interpretation

• "Abiding": The Greek verb menō means to stay or remain and appears frequently in the Gospel of John and in 1 John. It is understood as a continuing relationship of remaining in Christ's word and love (v. 7; vv. 9-10).
• "Fruit": Some interpret the fruit as qualities of character such as love and joy (Galatians 5:22-23); others as a life of obedience and love (vv. 10, 12); and still others as new believers won through evangelism (v. 16, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit"). Many hold that the term encompasses several of these meanings at once.
• "Ye can do nothing": The Reformed tradition cites this verse as evidence that human beings cannot do good by their own power and that every good fruit comes from grace. Augustine is known to have quoted this verse frequently in his refutation of Pelagianism.

Controversies and Issues

The warning of verse 6 is cited in the debate over whether salvation can be lost. Arminianism and the Wesleyan tradition read it as showing that even a branch that was in Christ can fall away. The Reformed tradition, in keeping with the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, holds either that the branches cast away are those who were only outwardly attached (like Judas Iscariot) or that the warning itself is a means by which true believers are kept persevering. Some read "taketh away" (airō) in verse 2 as "lifteth up," seeing in it the husbandman's hand raising a branch that has drooped to the ground, but this is a minority view.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently used in discipleship training, small-group materials, and daily devotional (quiet time, or QT) readings, and many gospel songs and church mottos are based on it.

Related Passages

• John 15:1-8
• Isaiah 5:1-7
• Galatians 5:22-23
• Galatians 2:20