The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 271

@bl.t~. "Severed from me ye oan do nothing." 2. The doom of unfrultrulneBB 11 anticipnt.ed. To _be CIL9t out ILnd burnt, like the vine-p1Lrings In the Kedron valley, 3. 'l'he condit.ion of fruitfulness is mentioned. Close union with Christ. 4. The means of inCl"('ILsed fruitfulness is also expl1Lined. Divine prnning and discipline, ,.e. affliction and tr0uble tending to spirituRl streni;i:th and fertility. V. THE MOTIVES TO CHRIST-ABTDTNG AND FRUIT-BEARING ARE URGED. Stress is l&id here upon two. 1. 'l'hus the heavenly Hushandman, the Divine Fitther, is glorified. 2. Thn~ Jesus secures for himself true and worthy disci~les, What powerful motiveo to induce Christiane to be "neither barren nor unfruitful '1-T. Vert1. 1, 2.-The Divine Vinedresser. This is one of several passages In our Lord's discourt1es in which he designRt.es his Father a Husbandman, e. Householder, a Vino- dresser. Such ~imilitudes are helpful to us in arriving at an understa::idin"0 of the relations of the Father both to our Saviour and to ourselves. I. 'l'nE Drvn."E HuSBANDMAN 1S CARE OF THE VINE AND THl!I VINEYARD. 1. Ho plants the Vine. ThRt is to say, he appoints that his own beloved Son shall assume our lmm&n nature, and shall introduce into this world the principle of spiritual life, with all its fruitful and blessed results. 2. He watches over the Vine which he plants. "I the Lord do keep the vineyard; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will kc•ep it night and day" (Isa. xxvii. 3). As Jehovah cared for and tended the vine which was brought out of Egypt, for which he prepared room, and which he causeo to take deep root, so that it :filled the land; so he watched over and blessed "the true Vine" which be with his right hand planted in the soil of earth. II. THE Drvn."E HuSBANDM:AN's TREATMENT OF THE VINE-BRANOHES. 1. Of those which are unfruitful. As the worthless branches of the vine are removed, cast into the :fire, and burned, so is it with the lifeless and only apparent members of the organism constituted in the Person and ministry of Jesus Christ. 'l'he fate of the Jews is the best illustration of our Lord's meaning; they were like a branch that brings forth wild grapes, bitter clusters. 2. Of those which are fruitful. It might be supposed that for such, seeing that they are the occasion of satisfaction, there can be no severity. But as the vine is always carefully, closely, and unsparingly pruned by the skilful gardener, so is it with the faithful and fruitful Christian. Divine discipline is a fact, and it is the best and indeed the only explanation of much of human suffering. Religion does not make the sorrows of life, but it explains them, and it gives strength to beat them, and wisdom to profit by them. III. THE DIVINE HUSBANDM:ill's ULTnU.TE PURPOSES, 1. The fruitfulness of all the living branches of the living Vine. 2. The promotion of his own glory ; for the result is such a.s to bring out clearly the wisdom and the power of the Lord of all.-T. Ver. 5.-.Aparl from Ohrist. Our Lord does not say," Apart from my doctrine ye can do nothing;" important though it is that Christian people should apprehend and receive his truth. Nor does he say," Apart from my Ohurch ye can do nothing; "·though, if we understand the term "Church" aright, this wonld be manifestly true. But he 1111.ys, "lApart from me." Christ is, then, himself everything to his people. He is the Power, the Wisdom, the Salvation, of God, and consequently, could we be sundered from him, we should be rendered poor and powerless. J. To DO, TO BEAR FRUIT, 18 THE END OF TRUE BELIGI0N1 AND THE RESULT .lND PROOF OF SPIBITUAL LIFE. When substituted for faith," doing" is bad; but when it is the effect of faith, it is good and precious. Where do we look for evidence of the goodness of the tree? Is it not sought in fruit, good fruit, much fruit? 'l'he doing, or fruit-bearing, here commended by the Lord Jesus, is the performance of the will of God, is the imitation of the Master's own example, is the fulfilment of the behests of an enlightened conscience. It comprises personal holiness and active usefulness. II. SEVERANCE FB0M CHRIST BENDERS MEN POWERLESS FOB GOOD WORKS, The conduct and service which are distinctively Christian are only possible through personal union with the Saviour. 1. This assertion places in a clear light the unequalled dignity of tl,;;, Lord Jesw. This is a declaration which none but he could make. Yet, being the Son of God and the Source of spiritual life to men, he could justly advance a claim IQ vut. The duieiple ii nothing without bis master, the servant nothing without hill, on, xv. 1-27.) 'l'I:iE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOH~. 281