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Calvin's Commentaries
The Harmony of the Gospels
John 15:1-6
1. I am the true Vine, and my Father is the
Husbandman. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he
will take away, and every branch that beareth fruit he will prune,
that it may bear more fruit. 3. You are already clean, on
account 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 abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abideth in me,
and I in him, beareth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.
6. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast out, and
wither as a branch; and men shall gather it, and cast it into the
fire, and it shall be burned.
1. I am the true Vine. The general
meaning of this comparison is, that we are, by nature, barren and
dry, except in so far as we have been engrafted into Christ, and
draw from him a power which is new, and which does not proceed from
ourselves. I have followed other commentators in rendering
aμπελος
by vitis, (a vine,) and
κλhματα
by palmites, (branches.) Now, vitis (a vine)
strictly denotes the plant itself, and not a field planted with
vines, which the Latin writers call vinea, (a
vineyard;) although it is sometimes taken for vinea a
vineyard; as, for example, when Cicero mentions in the same breath,
pauperum agellos et vlticulas, the small fields and small
vineyards of the poor Palmites (branches) are what may
be called the arms of the tree, which it sends out above the
ground. But as the Greek word
κλwμα
sometimes denotes a vine, and
aμπελος,
a vineyard, I am more disposed to adopt the opinion, that Christ
compares himself to a field planted with vines, and compares
us to the plants themselves. On that point, however, I will not
enter into a debate with any person; only I wish to remind the
reader, that he ought to adopt that view which appears to him to
derive greater probability from the context.
First, let him remember the rule which ought to be
observed in all parables; that we ought not to examine minutely
every property of the vine, but only to take a general view
of the object to which Christ applies that comparison. Now, there
are three principal parts; first, that we have no power of doing
good but what comes from himself; secondly, that we, having a root
in him, are dressed and pruned by the Father; thirdly, that he
removes the unfruitful branches, that they may be thrown into the
fire and burned.
There is scarcely any one who is ashamed to
acknowledge that every thing good which he possesses comes from God;
but, after making this acknowledgment, they imagine that universal
grace has been given to them, as if it had been implanted in them by
nature. But Christ dwells principally on this, that the vital sap —
that is, all life and strength
— proceeds from himself alone. Hence it follows, that the nature of
man is unfruitful and destitute of everything good; because no man
has the nature of a vine, till he be implanted in him. But
this is given to the elect alone by special grace. So then, the
Father is the first Author of all blessings, who plants us with his
hand; but the commencement of life is in Christ, since we begin to
take root in him. When he calls himself the true vine
the meaning is, I am truly the vine, and therefore men
toil to no purpose in seeking strength anywhere else, for from none
will useful fruit proceed but from the branches which shall
be produced by me.
2. Every branch in me that beareth not
fruit As some men corrupt the grace of God, others suppress it
maliciously, and others choke it by carelessness, Christ intends by
these words to awaken anxious inquiry, by declaring that all the
branches which shall be unfruitful will be cut off from the
vine But here comes a question. Can any one who is engrafted
into Christ be without fruit? I answer, many are supposed to be
in the vine, according to the opinion of men, who actually have
no root in the vine Thus, in the writings of the prophets,
the Lord calls the people of Israel his vine, because, by
outward profession, they had the name of The Church.
And every branch that beareth, fruit he pruneth.
By these words, he shows that believers need incessant culture that
they may be prevented from degenerating; and that they produce
nothing good, unless God continually apply his hand; for it will not
be enough to have been once made partakers of adoption, if God do
not continue the work of his grace in us. He speaks of pruning or
cleansing,
because our flesh abounds in superfluities and destructive vices,
and is too fertile in producing them, and because they grow and
multiply without end, if we are not cleansed or pruned
by the hand of God. When he says that vines are pruned,
that they may yield more abundant fruit, he shows what ought to
be the progress of believers in the course of true religion?
3. You are already clean, on account of
the word. He reminds them that they have already
experienced in themselves what he had said; that they have been
planted in him, and have also been cleansed or pruned
He points out the means of pruning, namely, doctrine; and
there can be no doubt that he speaks of outward preaching, for he
expressly mentions the word, which they had heard from his
mouth. Not that the word proceeding from the mouth of a man
has so great efficacy, but, so far as Christ works in the heart by
the Spirit, the word itself is the instrument of cleansing
Yet Christ does not mean that the apostles are pure from all sin,
but he holds out to them their experience, that they may learn from
it that the continuance of grace is absolutely necessary. Besides,
he commends to them the doctrine of the gospel from the fruit which
it produces, that they may be more powerfully excited to meditate on
it continually, since it resembles the vine-dresser’s knife to take
away what is useless.
4. Abide in me. He again exhorts them
to be earnest and careful in keeping the grace which they had
received, for the carelessness of the flesh can never be
sufficiently aroused. And, indeed, Christ has no other object in
view than to keep us as a hen keepeth her chickens under her
wings, (Matthew 23:37) lest our indifference should carry us
away, and make us fly to our destruction. In order to prove that he
did not begin the work of our salvation for the purpose of leaving
it imperfect in the middle of the course, he promises that his
Spirit will always be efficacious in us, if we do not prevent him.
Abide in me, says he; for I am ready to abide in you
And again, He who abideth in me beareth much fruit. By these
words he declares that all who have a living root in him are
fruit-bearing branches
5. Without me you can do nothing. This is the
conclusion and application of the whole parable. So long as we are
separate from him, we bear no fruit that is good and acceptable to
God, for we are unable to do anything good. The Papists not only
extenuate this statement, but destroy its substance, and, indeed,
they altogether evade it; for, though in words they acknowledge that
we can do nothing without Christ, yet they foolishly imagine that
they possess some power, which is not sufficient in itself, but,
being aided by the grace of God, co-operates (as they say,) that is,
works along with it;
for they cannot endure that man should be so much annihilated as to
do nothing of himself. But these words of Christ are too plain to be
evaded so easily as they suppose. The doctrine invented by the
Papists is, that we can do nothing without Christ, but that, aided
by him, we have something of ourselves in addition to his grace. But
Christ, on the other hand, declares that we can do nothing of
ourselves. The branch, he says, beareth not fruit of itself; and,
therefore, he not only extols the aid of his co-operating grace, but
deprives us entirely of all power but what he imparts to us.
Accordingly, this phrase, without me, must be explained as
meaning, except from me.
Next follows another sophism; for they allege that
the branch has something from nature, for if another branch,
which is not fruit-bearing, be engrafted in the vine, it will
produce nothing. But this is easily answered; for Christ does not
explain what the branch has naturally, before it become united to
the vine, but rather means that we begin to become branches at the
time when we are united to him. And, indeed, Scripture elsewhere
shows that, before we are in him, we are dry and useless wood.
6. If any one abide not in me. He
again lays before them the punishment of ingratitude, and, by doing
so, excites and urges them to perseverance. It is indeed the gift of
God, but the exhortation to fear is not uncalled for, lest our
flesh, through too great indulgence, should root us out.
He is cast out, and withered, like a branch.
Those who are cut off from Christ are said to wither like a
dead branch; because, as the commencement of strength is from him,
so also is its uninterrupted continuance. Not that it ever happens
that any one of the elect is dried up, but because there are many
hypocrites who, in outward appearance, flourish and are green for a
time, but who afterwards, when they ought to yield fruit, show the
very opposite of that which the Lord expects and demands from his
people.
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John 15:7-11
7. If you abide in me, and
my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will,
and it shall be done for you. 8. In this my Father is
glorified, that you bear much fruit, and become my disciples. 9.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
10. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love,
as I also have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may abide
in you, and that your joy may be full.
7. If you abide in me. Believers often
feel that they are starved, and are very far from that rich fatness
which is necessary for yielding abundant fruit. For this reason it
is expressly added, whatever those who are in Christ may need, there
is a remedy provided for their poverty, as soon as they ask it from
God. This is a very useful admonition; for the Lord often suffers us
to hunger, in order to train us to earnestness in prayer. But if we
fly to him, we shall never want what we ask, but, out of his
inexhaustible abundance, he will supply us with every thing that we
need, (1 Corinthians 1:5.)
If my words abide in you. He means that we
take root in him by faith; for as soon as we have departed from the
doctrine of the Gospel, we seek Christ separately from himself. When
he promises that he will grant whatever we wish, he does not give us
leave to form wishes according to our own fancy. God would do what
was ill fitted to promote our welfare, if he were so indulgent and
so ready to yield to us; for we know well that men often indulge in
foolish and extravagant desires. But here he limits the wishes of
his people to the rule of praying in a right manner, and that rule
subjects, to the good pleasure of God, all our affections. This is
confirmed by the connection in which the words stand; for he means
that his people will or desire not riches, or honors,
or any thing of that nature, which the flesh foolishly desires, but
the vital sap of the Holy Spirit, Which enables them to bear fruit.
8. In this my Father is glorified This
is a confirmation of the former statement; for he shows that we
ought not to doubt that God will listen to the prayers of his
people, when they desire to be rendered fruitful; for this
contributes very greatly to his glory. But by this end or effect he
likewise kindles in them the desire of doing good; for there is
nothing which we ought to value more highly than that the name of
God may be glorified by us. To the same effect is the latter clause,
that you may become my disciples; for he declares that he has
no one in his flock who does not bear fruit to the glory
of God.
9. As the Father hath loved me. He
intended to express something far greater than is commonly supposed;
for they who think that he now speaks of the sacred love of
God the Father, which he always had towards the Son, philosophize
away from the subject; for it was rather the design of Christ to
lay, as it were, in our bosom a sure pledge of God’s love
towards us. That abstruse inquiry, as to the manner in which the
Father always loved himself in the Son, has nothing to do
with the present passage. But the love which is here
mentioned must be understood as referring to us, because Christ
testifies that the Father loves him, as he is the Head of the
Church. And this is highly necessary for us; for he who without a
Mediator, inquires how he is loved by God, involves him in a
labyrinth, in which he will neither discover the entrance, nor the
means of extricating himself. We ought therefore to cast our eyes on
Christ, in whom will be found the testimony and pledge of the love
of God; for the love of God was fully poured out on him, that from
him it might flow to his members. He is distinguished by this title,
that he is the beloved Son, in whom the will of the Father is
satisfied, (Matthew 3:17.) But we ought to observe the end, which
is, that God may accept us in him. So, then, we may contemplate in
him, as in a mirror, God’s paternal love towards us all; because he
is not loved apart, or for his own private advantage, but
that he may unite us with him to the Father.
Abide in my love. Some explain this to mean,
that Christ demands from his disciples mutual love; but
others explain it better, who understand it to mean the love
of Christ towards us. He means that we should continually enjoy that
love with which he once loved us, and, therefore, that we ought to
take care not to deprive ourselves of it; for many reject the grace
which is offered to them, and many throw away what they once had in
their hands. So, then, since we have been once received into the
grace of Christ, we must see that we do not fall from it through our
own fault.
The conclusion which some draw from these words,
that there is no efficacy in the grace of God. unless it be aided by
our steadfastness, is frivolous. For I do not admit that the Spirit
demands from us no more than what is in our own power, but he shows
us what we ought to do, that, if our strength be deficient, we may
seek it from some other quarter. In like manner, when Christ exhorts
us, in this passage, to perseverance, we must; not rely on our own
strength and industry, but we ought to pray to him who commands us,
that he would confirm us in his love.
10. If you keep my commandments. He
points out to us the method of perseverance. his, to follow where he
calls, for, as Paul says, They who are in Christ walk not
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit,
(Romans 8:1.) For these two things are continually united, that
faith which perceives the undeserved love of Christ toward us, and a
good conscience and newness of life. And, indeed, Christ does not
reconcile believers to the Father, that they may indulge in
wickedness without reserve, and without punishment; but that,
governing them by his Spirit, he may keep them under the authority
and dominion of his Father. Hence it follows, that the love of
Christ is rejected by those who do not prove, by true obedience,
that they are his disciples.
If any one object that, in that case, the security
of our salvation depends on ourselves, I reply, it is wrong to give
such a meaning to Christ’s words; for the obedience which believers
render to him is not the cause why he continues his love toward us,
but is rather the effect of his love. For whence comes it that they
answer to their calling, but because they are led by the Spirit of
adoption of free grace?
But again, it may be thought that the condition
imposed on us is too difficult, that we should keep the
commandments of Christ, which contain the absolute perfection of
righteousness, — a perfection which far exceeds our capacity, — for
hence it follows, that the love of Christ will be useless, if we be
not endued with angelical purity. The answer is easy; for when
Christ speaks of the desire of living a good and holy life, he does
not exclude what is the chief article in his doctrine, namely, that
which alludes to righteousness being freely imputed, in consequence
of which, through a free pardon, our duties are acceptable to God,
which in themselves deserved to be rejected as imperfect and unholy.
Believers, therefore, are reckoned as keeping the commandments
of Christ when they apply their earnest attention to them,
though they be far distant from the object at which they aim; for
they are delivered from that rigorous sentence of the law, Cursed
be he that hath not confirmed all the words of this law to do them,
(Deuteronomy 27:26).
As I also have kept my Father’s commandments.
As we have been elected in Christ, so in him the image of our
calling is exhibited to us in a lively manner; and therefore he
justly holds himself out to us as a pattern, to the imitation of
which all the godly ought to be conformed. “In me,” says he, “is
brightly displayed the resemblance of those things which I demand
from you; for you see how sincerely I am devoted to obedience to
my Father, and how I persevere in this course. My Father,
too, hath loved me, not for a moment, or for a short time, but his
love toward me is constant.” This conformity between the Head and
the members ought to be always placed before our eyes, not only that
believers may form themselves after the example of Christ, but that,
they may entertain a confident hope that his Spirit will every day
form them anew to be better and better, that they may walk to the
end in newness of life.
11. These things I have spoken to you.
He adds, that his love is far from being unknown to the godly, but
that it is perceived by faith, so that they enjoy blessed peace of
conscience; for the joy which he mentions springs from that
peace with God which is possessed by all that have been justified by
free grace. As often, then, as God’s fatherly love towards us is
preached, let us know that there is given to us ground for true
joy, that, with peaceable consciences, we may be certain of our
salvation.
My joy and your joy. It is called Christ’s
joy and our joy in various respects. It is Christ’s,
because it is given to us by him; for he is both the Author and the
Cause of it. I say that he is the Cause of it, because we
were freed from guilt, when the chastisement of our peace was
laid on him, (Isaiah 53:5.)
I call him also the Author of it, because by his
Spirit he drives away dread and anxiety in our hearts, and then
arises that calm cheerfulness. It is said to be ours for a
different reason; because we enjoy it since it has been given to us.
Now since Christ declares that he spake these things, that
the disciples might have joy, we conclude from these words, that
all who have duly profited by this sermon have something on which
they can rest.
That my joy may abide in you. By the word
abide he means, that it is not a fleeting or temporary joy
of which he speaks, but a joy which never fails or passes
away. Let us therefore learn that we ought to seek in the doctrine
of Christ the assurance of salvation, which retains its vigor both
in life and in death.
That your joy may be full. He adds, that
this joy will be solid and full; not that believers
will be entirely free from all sadness, but that the ground for
joy will be far greater, so that no dread, no anxiety, no grief,
will swallow them up; for those to whom it has been given to glory
in Christ will not be prevented, either by life, or by death, or by
any distresses, from bidding defiance to sadness.
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