John chapter 15

vs 1

Jesus already said that they should leave in the last chapter - is he really giving one of his most well known discourses on the trot?

Jesus obviously isn't a vine. God may or may not be a gardener. I'll leave that up to those with a peculiar theological bent. Jesus is obviously painting another picture, to help the disciples understand.

vs 2

I don't know how savage pruning of grape vines is, but since my idea of pruning is "cut it off and half-hope the plant dies from it", I think my version of pruning fits more under the first thing Jesus describes - the removal of branches that bear no fruit. Jesus' idea of pruning, then must be more gentle than that. The alternate translation of prune, to clean, is just as relevant, especially considering the next verse. But the intention is obvious - of all those who are in Jesus (or hypercalvinists would stress, claim to be in Jesus), God is active and his actions as Jesus describe them are based on fruit. Is that fruitful service, or just a fruitful life? Whatever it is, not everyone makes the cut, as it were.

vs 3

The disciples have already been shown to be pruned. How nice for them.

vs 4

How does one continue to bear fruit? Not by funny walks, or massive fasts, or any super ceremonies - simply by remaining tapped into Christ for the power to have fruit. It's a bit weird when you think about that - Jesus is the vine, and he is the one that gives you the juicy sap to produce fruit. If you aren't staying connected, then God comes and snips you off. What is being measured? How connected you are with Christ.

vs 5

A repetition - the only way to produce fruit is to remain in Jesus. It would seem to suggest to me that you should be less worried about the fruit you produce, and more worried that you are able to produce it, that is, that you are closely connected with Christ.

vs 6

That sounds like a pretty final end for such branches. I mean, like I said in verse one, you could be forgiven for thinking that the cutting off was actually pruning, and that the pruning was really cleaning. But does withering, being thrown on a fire and burned, sound recuperative? Sound like rehabilitation?

vs 7

If what you want is sap, anyway. Vine branches don't really ask for much - sunlight, a bit of sap, an occasional clean, and someone to pick and eat their fruit. They don't really need a new car, or a turnip in the country. I wonder if we keep that in mind when we ask for things?

Now, I'm not turning back on what I said recently about how we seek to disempower these statements. I just think that, in context, Jesus is talking about getting looked after, or getting burned. As a vine, I think my major concern would be to stay away from the burning.

vs 8

See, He will give you anything you ask, but what you should really ask for is to produce much fruit, because that is what glorifies God.

vs 9

This verse is much more plain and obvious - Jesus wants us to remain in his love. That love is direct from God. If you want to stretch the analogy, remaining connected to Jesus to get his precious sap means remaining in Jesus' love. And he already said a chapter ago that if we love him, we will obey his commands. And surely, that will produce fruit. But again, I say that we shouldn't do it for the sake of fruit (fruit is good though), because if we work for the sake of producing fruit, and the fruit doesn't come out the way we expect, we will get disheartened. No, we should love Jesus and obey his commands because in doing so we remain in him. We remain close to him through such love.