John 15:5

"He that abideth in Me, and I in him." Seest thou that the Son contributeth not less than the Father towards the care of the disciples? The Father purgeth, but He keepeth them in Himself. The abiding in the root is that which maketh the branches to be fruit-bearing. For that which is not purged, if it remain on the root, bears fruit, though perhaps not so much as it ought; but that which remains not, bears none at all. But still the "purging" also hath been shown to belong to the Son, and the "abiding in the root," to the Father, who also begat the Root. Seest thou how all is common, both the "purging," and the enjoying the virtue which is from the root?

This is beautiful, but much more beautiful is the vine branch that signifies the spiritual, of which we are the branch, and we can bear fruit if we abide in the vine; but if not, we are cut off. The holy patriarch Nephthalim was an abundant vine. Hence Moses says: Nephthalim will receive satisfaction, and will be filled with the blessing of the Lord, possessing the sea and the south wind (Deut. 33:23).

The Lord told us, "Outside of me you can do nothing." This is because our weakness, when moved to do good things, is unable to bring anything to completion without the giver of good things. The one who has come to understand the weakness of …

By the example of the branch He clearly represents to us that from Him are bestowed strength and life to those who are well-pleasing to Him. For just as that branch bears fruit which abides on the vine and receives from it the assistance for …

I am the vine, and you are the branches: and therefore he who abides in me, he bears much fruit. And therefore abide in me as in the origin of fruit: because without me you can do nothing; Isaiah 26: "All our works you have …

All the fruit of good works proceeds from this root. He who hath delivered us by His grace, also carries us onward by his help, so that we bring forth more fruit. Wherefore He repeats, and explains what He has said: I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me, by believing, obeying, persevering, and I in Him, by enlightening, assisting, giving perseverance, the same, and none other, bringeth forth much fruit.

1991 Here he shows that being united to Christ is efficacious: first, he shows that it is efficacious; secondly, the reason for this efficacy (v 5b). 1992 First he says: I say that it is not only necessary for a person to abide in me …

I am the vine, ye are the branches - Our Lord in this whole passage speaks of no branches but such as are, or at least were once, united to him by living faith.

I am the vine, ye are the branches,....

He that is constant in the exercise of faith in Christ and love to him, that lives upon his promises and is led by his Spirit, bringeth forth much fruit, he is very serviceable to God's glory, and his own account in the great day.

In further explaining the meaning of this passage, let me remark that Christ did not say "Without Me you can perfect nothing," but, "Without Me you can donothing." The Pelagian might perhaps admit that the Christian could not complete the good work unaided, but then he might do much towards it. Says he, "If he does not finish, he may begin; if he is not the Omega, he may at least be the Alpha.

THIS is not the language of a man of ordinary mold. No saint, no Prophet, no Apostle would ever have addressed a company of faithful men and have said to them, "Without me you can do nothing." Had Jesus Christ been, as some say, a good man and nothing more, such language as this would have been unseemly and inconsistent. Among the virtues of a perfect man we must certainly reckon modesty, but this from a mere man would have been shamelessly immodest!

The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Isa 5:1, &c.). I am the true vine--of whom the vine of nature is but a shadow. my Father is the husbandman--the great Proprietor of the vineyard, the Lord of the spiritual kingdom.

These verses, we must carefully remember, contain a parable. In interpreting it we must not forget the great rule which applies to all Christ's parables. The general lesson of each parable is the main thing to be noticed. The minor details must not be tortured and pressed to an excess, in order to extract a meaning from them. The mistakes into which Christians have fallen by neglecting this rule, are neither few nor small. We are meant to learn first, from these verses, that the union between Christ and believers is very close.

These verses, we must carefully remember, contain a parable. In interpreting it we must not forget the great rule which applies to all Christ's parables. The general lesson of each parable is the main thing to be noticed. The minor details must not be tortured and pressed to an excess, in order to extract a meaning from them. The mistakes into which Christians have fallen by neglecting this rule, are neither few nor small. We are meant to learn first, from these verses, that the union between Christ and believers is very close. He is "the Vine," and they are "the branches." The union between the branch of a vine and the main stem, is the closest that can be conceived. It is the whole secret of the branch's life, strength, vigor, beauty, and fertility. Separate from the parent stem, it has no life of its own. The sap and juice that flow from the stem are the origin and maintaining power of all its leaves, buds, blossoms, and fruit. Cut off from the stem, it must soon wither and die. The union between Christ and believers is just as close, and just as real. In themselves believers have no life, or strength, or spiritual power. All that they have of vital religion comes from Christ. They are what they are, and feel what they feel, and do what they do, because they draw out of Jesus a continual supply of grace, help, and ability. Joined to the Lord by faith, and united in mysterious union with Him by the Spirit, they stand, and walk, and continue, and run the Christian race. But every jot of good about them is drawn from their spiritual Head, Jesus Christ. The thought before us is both comfortable and instructive. Believers have no cause to despair of their own salvation, and to think they will never reach heaven. Let them consider that they are not left to themselves and their own strength.

In further explaining the meaning of this passage, let me remark that Christ did not say "Without Me you can perfect nothing," but, "Without Me you can donothing." The Pelagian might perhaps admit that the Christian could not complete the good work unaided, but then he might do much towards it. Says he, "If he does not finish, he may begin; if he is not the Omega, he may at least be the Alpha. If he cannot bring out the glorious top stone and crane it up to the sublime height in which it is to stand forever and ever, he may at least dig out the foundations and lay in the first hidden stone." "No," says Christ, "Without Me you can do nothing." As in that last glorious leap when the Believer shall vault from his dying bed into the land of the living, all his strength must be of God—so must it be in that first trembling step when as a penitent he comes to Christ, and rests his soul on Him. Do not say, if you are about to undertake some enterprise, "I will begin this, and then God will give me Grace to make up my deficiencies; but I will trust in myself as far as I can." Ah, you foolish one, your trowel is covered with untempered mortar; you build with wood and hay and stubble! So far from its being yours to do much apart from the Spirit of God, you can do nothing whatever. You can neither lift a finger, nor stir a hand in this spiritual work apart from God! You cannot put on the white robe of Glory— no, more—you can not unwrap yourself from the clothes of your death! Even this must be done for you, from the beginning to the end. And yet still further, to put the meaning in a forcible light.

THIS is not the language of a man of ordinary mold. No saint, no Prophet, no Apostle would ever have addressed a company of faithful men and have said to them, "Without me you can do nothing." Had Jesus Christ been, as some say, a good man and nothing more, such language as this would have been unseemly and inconsistent. Among the virtues of a perfect man we must certainly reckon modesty, but this from a mere man would have been shamelessly immodest! It is impossible to conceive that Jesus of Nazareth, had He not been more than man, could ever have uttered the sentence, "Without Me you can do nothing." My Brothers and Sisters, I hear, in this sentence, the voice of that Divine Person without whom was not anything made that was made! The majesty of the words reveals the Godhead of Him that uttered them. The "I Am" comes out in the personal word, "Me," and the claim of all power unveils the Omnipotent! These words mean Godhead or nothing! The spirit in which we listen to this language is that of adoration. Let us bow our heads in solemn worship and so unite with the multitude before the Throne of God who ascribe power and dominion and might to Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb. In this adoring state of mind we shall be the better prepared to enter into the innermost soul of the text. I am not going to preach upon the moral inability of the unregen-erate, although in that doctrine I most firmly believe—for that Truth of God did not come in our Lord's way when He uttered these words—and neither did He allude to it. It is quite true that unregenerate men, being without Christ, can do no spiritual action whatever, and can do nothing which is acceptable in the sight of God. But our Lord was not speaking to unregenerate men at all, nor speaking about them.

Without me ye can do nothing - Χωρις εμου ου δυνασθε ποιειν ουδεν - Separated from me, ye can do nothing at all. God can do without man, but man cannot do without God. Following the metaphor of our Lord, it would be just as possible to do any good without him, as for a branch to live, thrive, and bring forth fruit, while cut off from that tree from which it not only derives its juices, but its very existence also. Nearly similar to this saying of our Lord, is that of Creeshna (the incarnate God of the Hindoos) to his disciple Arjoon: “God is the gift of charity; God is the offering: God is the fire of the altar; by God the sacrifice is performed; and God is to be obtained by him who maketh God alone the object of his works.” And again: “I am the sacrifice; I am the worship; I am the spices; I am the invocation; I am the fire; and I am the victim. I am the Father and Mother of this world, and the Preserver. I am the Holy One, worthy to be known; the mystic figure Om; (see on Joh 1:14 (note)) I am the journey of the good; the Comforter; the Creator; the Witness; the resting-place; the asylum, and the Friend. I am the place of all things; and the inexhaustible seed of nature; I am sunshine, and I am rain; I now draw in, and now let forth.” See Bhagvat Geeta, pp. 54 and 80. Could such sentiments as these ever come from any other source than Divine revelation? There is a saying in Theophilus very similar to one of those above: Θεος ου χωρειται, αλλα αυτος εστι τοπος των ὁλων. - God is not comprehended, but he is the place of all things.

People will tell you, for instance, that theology became elaborate because it was dead. Believe me, if it had been dead it would never have become elaborate; it is only the live tree that grows too many branches.