#8 - I Am The True Vine (John 15:1-11) (2024)

#7 - I Am The True Vine, and My Father Is the Vinedresser[i]

(John 15:1-11)

I invite you to open your Bibles to the gospel of John chap 15. We’ll be looking at vs1-11, this is Jesus’ last I Am statement. Though the statements are metaphorical, they give us greater insight as to His identity and provisions for those who choose to follow Him. As a reminder for us He is . . .

the bread of life[ii]
the light of the world[iii].
the door of the sheep[iv]
the good shepherd[v]
the resurrection and the life[vi]
the way, the truth and the life[vii]

Today we are looking at His last I Am statement, v1, of chap 15, I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.[viii] In application, faith is continuously abiding in His Words which results in producing fruit to the glory of the Father.

Let’s begin our study by reading vs1-6.

¹“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ²“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ³“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Let’s begin with prayer. -- Heavenly Father open our minds that we may grasp what it means to abide in Jesus, so that all that is of ourselves melts away. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A. Importance of Contextual Surroundings

I think there are times, in reading the life of Jesus, that we get the idea that much of what He said was was simply stated to stir things up. Take for example Jesus’ words in John 8, “I am the light of the world”. There is a contextual setting to those words, providing for us additional insight. Think about this:

In chap 8 we’re told that Jesus had spent the night on the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He hiked to the temple. Upon seeing Him, swarms of people came to Him, and so He sat down and began to teach them.
The courtyard Jesus was in was known as the Court of the Women. There were three temple courts--Court of the Women, Court of the Gentiles and the Court of Israelite Men. The Court of Women was the middle court, and was designated area for women to pray and meditate.[ix]
In this court was a giant candelabra, that when lit, it would cast a glow over the city at night. It was meant to call to mind the Shekina Glory Cloud that represented the presence of God during Israel’s hike through the wilderness.[x] The priests would light this candelabra every night of the week. At dawn it would be extinguished.
At this point the scribes and Pharisees dragged in a woman caught in adultery and placed her front center, not only in front of Jesus, but the entire crowd, bringing shame and disgrace on her, destroying any sense of self esteem she might have had. She became a test case as to Jesus stance with Mosaic law as to adultery The law called for her to be stoned to death.[xi] In response, Jesus, without a word, stoops down and begins to write in the dust of he courtyard.

So what we have is a giant candelabra that has been extinguished, a crowd eager for the contest, a woman shamed and disgraced, Jesus writing something in the dust, and the crowd watch as the accusers of arrogant haughty accusers, fade out of the limelight, beginning with the oldest.[xii]

It is at that point Jesus stands up near the candelabra, and declares loudly, I Am the light of the world. As the light of God streams in, the accusers fade back out of sight. They step away because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil hates the God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure.

Do you get the picture? In that moment Jesus exposed the hypocritical darkness of the Scribes and Pharisees, while wiping away the shame and disgrace of this woman. As John tells us in chap 1, In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. He who walks in the light of ‘Jesus’ will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of Life.

You see, knowing the contextual setting opens our eyes of our understanding. Because He is the true light, the hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees were shamed and disgraced, while the woman caught in darkness was brought into the light and given back her dignity. … If that doesn’t grip you, you are like wet wood on a cold night.

That brings us to John 15, v1, when Jesus said, I am the true vine, My Father is the vinedresser. Those words have a contextual setting which which serve as an object lesson, as well as clarifying the application. When we come to chap 15 vs1-11, there is a contextual setting we would do well to understand.

The Passover Meal is over, and Judas has slipped into the night literally controlled by Satan; v31, chap 14, Jesus tells His disciples, “Get up. Let’s go. It’s time to leave here,” and He leads them out of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. Since it was Passover, there would be a full moon. As they slipped out of Jerusalem, they went into a valley and then began the assent on the Mount of Olives. As they went they passed through vineyards He tells His disciples, perhaps while holding a grapevine, I am the true vine, My Father is the vinedresser.[xiii]

Now the disciples would have remembered that in the Old Testament Israel was described as a vineyard planted by God.[xiv] But something happened to the vine. Isaiah 5:4, When I/God looked for it to yield grapes, it yielded wild grapes. Understand, wild grapes tend to be smaller in size than cultivated grapes, they are seedier, and tend to have a sour taste. And because of their root system, they are often referred to as weeds.[xv]

A. Verse By Verse

The vineyard-metaphor is design to illustrate Jesus’ expectations of His followers following his departure. Remember, Judas was not present, Jesus was not talking to multitudes, He was talking to 11 committed men, and His focus was on their relationship to Him and fruit bearing. He was laying out for His disciples (then and now) how they and us are to live out our lives in a world that is at odds with God.[xvi]

V1, I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

In contrast to Israel’s wild grape vine, Jesus tells His disciples, I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.[xvii] To help us better grasp the metaphor, lets drop down to v5. Here He repeats again, I am the vine, and then He adds, you are the branches. So what we have here is Jesus is picturing Himself as a grapevine. This grapevine started off with 12 branches, and during the past 2000 years multiple branches have sprouted. And overseeing the growth of this vine is God the Father, who is the vinedresser.

So just exactly what is a vinedresser? A Vinedresser is a specialist who oversees the growth, planting, pruning and tending of grape vines. His job is to optimize the quality and abundance of grapes for market. For those of us who may be agriculturally challenged, this may be a stretch. But just know that there’s a lot of work that goes into the raisins and grapes we eat, the making of jelly’s and jams, and the wine one drinks.

V2, The Work Of The Vinedresser

That brings us to v2. Listen carefully to what Jesus says, ²“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. Now drop down to v6. Remember Judas was not in the mix. ⁶If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. So what we have here is a vine, a vinedresser, and two kinds of branches

branches that bear fruit, and pruned to bear more fruit;
branches that do not bearing fruit, so they are cut off, thrown to one side, then gathered up and burned.

Picture what Jesus is saying to His disciples--we have here is a flourishing vine, and the vinedresser walking along the vine. As He walks the vine He prunes the healthy branches so that they produce more. If He sees a branch that is dried up, He cuts it off, and throws it in a pile where it dries up. These are then gathered, cast into the fire, and burned. V5 Jesus reiterates, “I am the vine you are the branches; then He adds, he who abides in Me and I in him will bear much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. In the metaphor Jesus’ disciples are the branches. Remember there were 12 disciples, but now there are 11. There is a branch missing.

Remember Judas? He looked like a disciple. He smelled like a disciple. He preached like a disciple. He even had the gift of healing and casting out demons at one time.[xviii] He looked the part, but when we take a closer look, it becomes clear that he walked to a different drummer. John 12, v6 speaking of Judas, he did not care about the poor, but because he was a thief, and being the treasurer, he used to help himself to what was put into it. That reminds of something Jesus said in Matthew 7:22–24 ^(MSG) ²²I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ ²³And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Here in John 15 Jesus highlights two different groups of followers, those that produce fruit and those that do not. Jesus is surrounded by 11 who were clearly attached to Him; but there was that one who was not, and the Father cut him off. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.[xix] …

John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Though Judas walked with Jesus for 3 ½ years, for some reason he never heard the voice of Jesus.

Here’s the truth—You can have the appearance of a disciple, but if there is no fruit, like Judas, at some point you’ll be cut off, taken away and burned. Judas, who walked in close proximity to Jesus, never got it, and was sent to the fire to be burned, that would be eternal hell. The branches that are cut off are false believers, false followers of Jesus. God the Father prunes, as in cuts those branches off and throws them into the fire. No fruit equals certain death.

Now follow me. Jesus is saying that branches that bear fruit are true disciples; branches that do not bear fruit are cut off and burned because they are false disciples. There are possessors of life, and there are professors of life.

2 Timothy 3:5, there are people who have a form of godliness, but have no life.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of My Father.

So what we have here is true disciples and fake disciples and the Father is watching. He actively removes false branches. 1 John 2:18–19 ¹⁸Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

Vs3-4, The key to staying in the mix

How does one know whether they are a good vine or a bad vine? Jesus tells us in Vs3-4^(MSG) ³You have been pruned by the message I have spoken. ⁴“’So now’ live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

V3,You have been pruned by the message I have spoken. The 11 disciples have been purified through the cleansing power of the Word of God. Ephesians 5:25–27 ^(NASB95)2⁵. . . as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, ²⁶. . . having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.[xx]

There are things that only the washing of the word can cleanse--things in our minds, things that deal with our conduct, things that have to do with our character and attitude, these things can only be cleansed by being immersed in the word of God overseen by the Holy Spirit. This helps us understand why studying the Word of God is so important. We need the words of God in us so that we can think according to them, and if we believe those words, they will purify and cleanse the way we think.

So Jesus tells the disciples, unlike Judas, you are real disciples because you have come to abide in Me, therefore you are secure. To abide in Jesus is a picture of an intimate, close relationship; not a superficial acquaintance like Judas had. Those who “abide” in Jesus are those who are truly saved—they have a real and vital connection to Jesus. Withered branches are withered because, like Judas, they were never truly connected to Jesus; and like Judas they pretended to have an attachment to the Vine, but drew no life from Him. In the end, pretenders will be seen for what they are: hangers-on who have no authentic attachment to Jesus.[xxi]

In Vs7-11 we have Branches that produce fruit

1. First, branches that produce fruit are connected.

How does the Father know if a branch is withered or not?

Branches that are not producing fruit. It is possible to have a form of godliness, but have no life. Anybody who produces fruit is connected to Jesus.

Understand, every genuine follower of Jesus produces fruit. It might be in bunches, or it might be meniscal, but you still produce. Those who receive the planted word produce fruit—some thirty lbs, some 60 lbs, some 100 lbs. [xxii] That’s how you know that you are in a right relationship to Jesus. Matthew 7:15-20, you’ll know by your fruit. Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.[xxiii]

So how do you know a follower of Jesus? Not by perfection. Not by performance. Not by dominates. You know a person has been transformed because of the fruit manifested in their life. The key to producing fruit is being attached to the vine. Jesus refers to this attachment with the word ‘abide’. Nine times in this passage He stresses abiding. To abide in Christ is to be in an intimate close relationship with Him, not a superficial acquaintance like Judas. Abiding in the vine means receiving and believing and trusting in the words of Jesus. Nothing of any spiritual, eternal significance is possible apart from this abiding in the vine. V5, “apart from me you can do nothing”.

If we are not united to the vine the life of Christ will not flow into us. His words, His love, His joy will be totally absent. To have His words, His love, His joy we must be woven into Him. In Jesus’ words, abiding in Him. The essential meaning of our active abiding is receiving and trusting all that God is for us in Christ.”[xxiv]

2. Fruit Bearing

When it comes to fruit, what are we talking about? In thinking about fruit bearing, there are two kinds of fruit--Attitude fruit and Action fruit

a. Let’s first consider Action Fruit which is probably the easiest to define.

Hebrews 13, v 15^(NASB95) Let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His Name.[xxv]
Hebrews 10:24–25 ^{(NASB95) 2}⁴ stimulating one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Colossians 1:28–29 ^(NASB95) ²⁸proclaiming, admonishing every and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. Striving to bring people to spiritual maturity.
Romans 16:5, Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.[xxvi] Leading people to a saving relationship with God.
Titus 3:14 ^(NASB95) We must engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. Giving freely of your resources to the ministry[xxvii]
Matthew 25:31-49, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisons, taking care of strangers, visiting the sick.

Action fruit is living a life that has a positive effect on the people around you.[xxviii]

b. In addition to Action Fruit, there is what we might refer to as Attitude Fruit.

Galatians 5 is our go-to passage for Attitude Fruit. Vs22–25, ²² the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Let’s wrap up John 15 by highlighting the benefits of abiding in Jesus

1^st, V5^(GW), You will produce fruit. ⁵Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can’t produce anything without me.
2^nd, V7^(GW), Your prayers will be responded to. ⁷If you live in me and what I say lives in you, then ask for anything you want, and it will be yours.
3^rd, V8, ^(GW) Fruit bearing is a distinctive mark of a follower of Jesus. ⁸You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples.
4^th, V10 ^(GW) You will be submersed in the love of Christ. ¹⁰If you obey my commandments, you will live in my love. I have obeyed my Father’s commandments, and in that way I live in his love.

Jesus then sums it all up in 11^(GW) I have told you this so that you will be as joyful as I am, and your joy will be complete.

Listen carefully. The branches that get cut off are people who are superficial pretenders of following Jesus. Jesus said, “If any man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch.” Branches that do not abide are Judas branches. Judas branches are cast into hell for eternity, time without end. On the other hand Jesus tells us inJohn 6:37, “He/she that comes to me” --those who truthfully are committed – “I will in no wise cast out.” Our connection to Jesus is not based on the amount of fruit we bear. If you are a follower of Jesus, you will bear fruit. It might take a magnifying glass to see it, but you will bear fruit, and no way will Jesus dump you. He is not in the business of casting out true believers, only those who follow in the footsteps of Judas. The experience of abiding in Jesus grows out of our submersion in His Word.

Let’s close in prayer. Heavenly Father, ¹You are our God! We can’t get enough of you! We’ve worked up such a hunger and thirst for You, traveling across dry and weary deserts. ²So here we are in this place of worship, we open our eyes to drink in Your strength and glory. ³With your generous love we really living! Our lips are filled with praises like fountains. ⁴We bless you every time we take a breath; Our arms wave like banners of praise to you. [Psalm 63:1–4 (MSG)]⁸We long to eat our fill at the banquet table as you fill our cups with the fresh spring water of Your Word. ⁹You are the fountain of cascading light, and You open our eyes to light. [Psalm 36:8–9 (MSG)] ²You have bedded us down in lush meadows, You find quiet pools for us to drink from. ³True to Your word, You let us catch our breath and send us in the right direction. ⁴Even when the way goes through Death Valley, We are not afraid because You walk at our side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes us feel secure. ⁶Your beauty and love chase after us every day of our lives. Hold on to us. Keep us connected to the vine. Don’t let us go. Be our life. If there is any disease in us, cure us with your all-satisfying Word, then heal us, prune us, and cause Your life to surge in us again.” Amen

[i] I try to thoroughly cite all sources in my written sermon notes. But due to the extemporaneous nature of oral communication, delivery may occasionally contain material not fully cited or original with me. In such situations, the church nor I assert ownership to such material. The footnotes contain most of the resources that were used to prepare this sermon. Douglas Douma, John 15:1-11, The Fruit of the Vine, https://www.douglasdouma.com/2020/06/28/sermon-on-john-151-11-fruit-of-the-vine/ Ray Stedman, The Vine and the Fruit, https://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/john/the-vine-and-the-fruit; John McArthur, If You Abide in Me (John 15:1-11), https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1305/if-you-abide-in-me; John Piper, Glorifying God by Bering Fruit in Union with Christ, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/glorifying-god-by-bearing-fruit-in-union-with-christ; Alistair Begg, Fruitfulness (Pt 1), https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/fruitfulness-part-1/ Chuck Swindoll, Behold Christ . . . The Lamb of God (John 15-21 (Fullerton, CAL: Insight for Living, 1975).

[ii] John 6:35 (NASB95) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:41 (NASB95) 41Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” John 6:48 (NASB95) 48“I am the bread of life. John 6:51 (NASB95) 51“I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” In application, faith is being so absorbed by His presence and promises, that our deepest longings are satisfied.

[iii] John 8:12 (NASB95)12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 9:5 (NASB95) 5“While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” In application, faith is being so captured by His surpassing glory that we have an aversion to the darkness of the world

[iv] John 10:7–9 (NASB95) 7So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8“All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. In application, faith is coming exclusively to Jesus for both eternal life and spiritual abundant life.

[v] John 10:11–14 (NASB95) 11“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12“He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13“He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, In application, faith is a total reliance and trust in His provision.

[vi] John 11:25 (NASB95) 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, In application, faith is believing that death has no power over the follower of Jesus

[vii] John 14:6 (NASB95) 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. In application, faith means believing that Jesus is exclusively the means we come to God.

[viii] Two I AM Declarations--I Am statements, but they are not metaphorical, but declarations of His personal identity as Jehovah God.

§ The first one comes in John 8:58 in a response to a criciticism as to His age, I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I Am!![viii] Notice His response: Abraham was, but I Am. The Jesws knew exactly what He meant, and picked up stones to kill Him.
§ The second one comes in John 18:4-6. Judas’ mob arrives to arrest Jesus. Jesus asked them who they were looking for. They respond, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus responded I Am!!! Something weird then happened. When He said, I Am, the mob recoiled and fell to the ground. Applying God’s covenant name to Himself, Jesus demonstrated His power over His foes and showed that His surrender to them was entirely. voluntaryhttps://www.gotquestions.org/seven-I-AM-statements.html. See John 10:17–18 (NASB95)17“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18“No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”; John 19:11 (NASB95)11Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

[ix] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_of_the_Women. The reason for calling it the Court of the Women was that, although it served both men and women equally, during theSimchat Beit Hashoeva(Water Drawing Festival) special balconies were installed for the women to stand upon. Thegemarain TractateSukkahstates that "initially, women would stand on the inside of the Court of the Women, closer to the Sanctuary to the west, and the men were on the outside in the courtyard and on the rampart. And they would come to conduct themselves with inappropriate levity in each other’s company, as the men needed to enter closer to the altar when the offerings were being sacrificed and as a result they would mingle with the women. Therefore, theSagesinstituted that the women should sit on the outside and the men on the inside, and still they would come to conduct themselves with inappropriate levity. Therefore, they instituted a ruling, in the interest of complete separation, that the women would sit above and the men below" (Sukkah 51b).

[x] www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/shekinah-glory.

§ Showed divine protection and leadership--“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” The fire and the cloud symbolized divine leadership and protection (Exodus 13: 21);
§ Cloud of God's direction--Numbers 9:15-23, describes how the “cloud” that represented the presence of God controlled the activities of the Israelite community and assured them on a daily basis that God was with them;
§ Symbolized God’s presence--This same cloud signified God’s presence when the tabernacle was constructed in the desert: “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34);
§ Located above the Ark--Leviticus 16:2 says, “I will appear in the cloud above the Mercy Seat.” The glory of the Lord (the Shekinah) also appeared above the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place in the sanctuary, and later in Solomon’s temple. When the ark was captured by enemy forces in the time of Samuel (1 Sam. 4:21) the event was called “Ichabod” meaning “no glory”;
§ The Shekinah in the temple--During the time when the Jewish people were taken captive by the Babylonians, the prophet Ezekiel recorded that originally “the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory,” but, “Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple.” (Ezekiel 10:4, 18).

[xi] Jesus and the Law of Moses: the Woman Caught in Adultery. https://news.ag.org/en/articles/news/2017/04/jesus% 20and%20the%20law%20of%20moses%20the%20woman%20caught%20in%20adultery. Part of contextualizing any passage is understanding where an event took place and how location affects what was said or done in that passage. In the story of the woman caught in adultery, the fact that the conversation between her accusers and Jesus took place in the temple should arrest our attention. We should immediately ask, “Why would someone caught in as grievous a sin as adultery be brought straight into the temple?” we note that the test case brought before Jesus is adultery (v. 4), which as the challengers note, is a capital crime according to the Law of Moses (v. 5, seeLeviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). Both of these texts, however, require the death of both the woman and the man who are caught in the act of adultery. the “witnesses” are not merely subject to cross-examination. They also become subject to all laws pertaining to false witnesses, and the one most applicable at this point in the proceedings comes from the same section of the Law of Moses as the previous passages. This text states, “"And the judges shall investigate thoroughly; and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely,¹⁹then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you” (Deuteronomy 19:18-19, emphasis added). As for the witnesses themselves, they knew that if upon cross-examination they were found to be false, they stood to incur the same penalty the accused would have suffered: death by stoning! It is clear that this same attitude toward false witnesses continued to exist within the Jewish community in Israel just before, during, and after Jesus’ ministry (11Q Temple Scroll 61:7-12; Susanna 61-62; Mishnah Sanhedrin 11:6; Tosefta Sanhedrin 14:17; Sifre Devarim 190:4-5).

[xii]John 1:4–5 (NASB95) 4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

[xiii]Jesus often used the vine metaphor in His teaching. See Matthew 20:1-7; 21:28’; Mark 2:1-11; Luke 13:6-7

[xiv] Psalm 80:8-11⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. ⁹ You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land. ¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. ¹¹ It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. Isaiah 5:3–5 (NASB95) 3“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, Judge between Me and My vineyard. 4“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones? 5“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. Jeremiah 2:21 ESV Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? Hosea 10:1-2 ESV ¹ Israel is a luxuriant vine that yields its fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; as his country improved, he improved his pillars. ² Their heart is false; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and destroy their pillars.

[xv] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/grapes/what-are-wild-grapes.htm

[xvi] Gary M. Burge, John, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 423.

[xvii] George R. Beasley-Murray, John, vol. 36, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1999), 271.the only one to which an additional predicate is conjoined (“and my Father is the Vinedresser”).

[xviii] Mark 6:7–13 (NASB95) 7And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belt— 9but to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.” 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. 11“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 12They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

[xix] 1 Timothy 6:10 (NASB95)10For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

[xx] 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NASB95) 11Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.; Titus 3:5 (NASB95)5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

[xxi] https://www.gotquestions.org/abide-in-Christ.html

[xxii] Matthew 13:18–23 (NASB95) 18“Hear then the parable of the sower. 19“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20“The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22“And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23“And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” : Cf., Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15

[xxiii] Colossians 1:10 ^(ESV) walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him by bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

[xxiv] John Piper, What Does It Mean to ‘Abide In Christ’? (John 15), https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-does-it-mean-to-abide-in-christ

[xxv] Isaiah 57:19 (NASB95) 19Creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “and I will heal him.” ; Hosea 14:2 (NASB95) 2Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips.

[xxvi] 1 Corinthians 16:15 (NASB95) 15Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints),

[xxvii] Titus 2:7 (NASB95) in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified.[xxvii]

[xxviii] Matthew 25:31–46 (ESV) ³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ ⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”