John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Analogy from nature:
While on the way to the garden where He will be taken captive and carried to the place of His death, Jesus gives instruction to the eleven disciples using nature and an Old Testament example to them. Jesus calls Himself the True Vine and the eleven and us branches growing out of the Vine.
The disciples would have identified the vine as being representative of Israel from Old Testament passages (Isa 5:1-2, 7; Psa 80:8-9; Hos 10:1). Jesus used the adjective “True” of Himself as opposed to something that was false or untrue. Israel did not prove to be the true vine that God desired of them and they were disposed of being that desired vine (Matt 21:43). Jesus also used this adjective in other examples as well (Jn 1:9; 6:32; He 8:2). Paul used it to show us that we are to seek true holiness and not the false that the enemy so often presents to people (Eph 4:24). The devil tries to counterfeit God in any way he can in order to deceive and ensnare us.
Jesus gave the characters in this example: He is the Vine, the Father is the Husbandman and we are the branches. As in the natural, Jesus says that any branch that does not produce fruit is taken away and eventually burned (Jn 15:6). The branches that bear fruit are purged (cleansed) in order to produce more fruit. This purging can be in a number of ways – losses in life, financial problems, physical problems, etc (He 12:2; 1 Cor 9:27; 2 Cor 7:1; Heb 12:11). God desires to make us more like Jesus and cleanse us so that we can bear more fruit to His glory. Much of the cleansing in our lives comes as we apply, read, obey, etc the word (Jn 15:3; 17:17; Eph 5:26; Psa 119:9). We must always remember that fruit bearing is not for our boasting or glory, but for the Father (Jn 15:8; Isa 60:21).
Necessity of abiding:
Jesus tells us that it is important that we abide in Him. Three times in this chapter, He uses the word abide (one time it is translated continue in verse 9). Paul used the term in Acts 27:31 and so the disciples would’ve known very well what He meant by abiding. At one point in His ministry, Jesus asked the question, “will He find faith” when He returns (Lu 8:18). We are the only ones who can answer that question. Abiding means staying true to the word of God and the doctrine of God and practicing it in our everyday living.
New relationship:
Jesus established a new relationship with the disciples (Jn 15:14-15). Abraham was called “the friend of God” and because of that, God shared with him what He was about to do to Sodom and Gomorrah (Ge 18:17-19). Friends are included in special fellowship which servants are not, therefore, as we continue to keep His word, we remain in that relationship.