The Gospel Of John Chapter 15 Pt. 1 Keep The Vineyard of Jehovah Pure!

John 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 

John 15 begins with another of the "I Am" statements of Jesus Christ. He said "I am the true vine." Then, He adds that His Father is the husbandman, and describes the work of the Father for us.

The concept of Israel being the vine of Jehovah, was well understood by the Jewish people. 

We will look at several Old Testament scriptures to help us grasp what Jesus is teaching in John's gospel.

Israel is the vine Jehovah took from Egypt and planted in Canaan. 

Psalm 80:7-11  Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. 8)  Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9)  Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10)  The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. 11)  She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 

The Psalmist used the symbol of a vine for the nation of Israel. The context of the Psalm is the judgment that Jehovah brought on the nation because of their idolatry and immorality.

The Hebrew people were the vine that Jehovah brought out of Egypt in the Exodus. 

"Casting out the heathen" and "planting it" refers to Israel entering the promised land and driving out all the nations thereof, with God's mighty help.

"Thou preparedst room before it" (the vine) and "caused it to take deep root and fill the land" refer to Jehovah bringing them into the promised land. 

This beautiful place was filled with milk and honey, where they enjoyed harvests that they did not plant, and lived in dwelling places that they did not build, as God fulfilled His promises. 

The vine (Israel) sinned and was judged by God. 

Psalm 80:12-13  Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13)  The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. 

Now the Psalmist wonders about the current state of Israel being carried away by the Assyrians, and Judah carried away by the Babylonians.

God was so good to His people in redeeming them from Egyptian slavery, and bringing them into a most wonderful land as His special people.

Now, the nation was laid waste by judgment due to their grievous sin. It troubled him greatly and he was imploring God to step in and help His people once again.

God promises a future restoration for His vine. 

Psalm 80:14-15  Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15)  And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. 

Next, the Psalmist pleads the promises of God as He sought help from the Lord. He asked God to "visit this vine" which is a plea for Divine intervention to restore the people to their land. 

He reminds Jehovah that this is His vineyard that He planted and strengthened. This is a prayer for God to restore the nation, which He also promised to do. Historically, they came back as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah. 

Today, Israel dwells in part of the promised land, and we know that there is a future day in which Jehovah will judge the nations and re-establish Israel as the head of the nations. 

Israel is a vineyard planted by Jehovah.

Isaiah 5:1-2  Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2  And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 

Isaiah's prophecy depicts Israel as the vineyard of Jehovah. (Verse 7 makes this perfectly clear). Remember, Jesus is Jehovah in the flesh, and His name means "Jehovah saves."

God the Father directs this song to Jesus Christ, His well beloved Son. 

Jehovah is called "my well beloved" by the Father in the gospels which connects to what Isaiah recorded (See for examples, Matthew 3:13-17; 17:1-8; Luke 3:22; 9:35-36; John 12:28). 

What did Jehovah do? He brought the Hebrews out of Egypt, and made them like a vineyard planted on a fruitful hill, which is Jerusalem. 

Jehovah put a fence of protection about His vineyard and removed all the stones from the farmland so that the soil was good for planting. 

The idea of a "tower in the midst of it" is to remind us that Jehovah is Lord of His vineyard. He watches over it, stands ready to protect it and to diligently care for it. 

Jesus Christ is the Lord of the vineyard.

Matthew 21:33-41  Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34)  And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35) And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36)  Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37)  But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38)  But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39)  And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40)  When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41)

  They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 

Jesus spoke the parable of the vineyard that contains clear connections with Isaiah's prophecy. He applied this parable to Himself. 

God the Father, is the "certain householder" who planted a vineyard, hedged it for protection. He cultivated the soil so it could grow well, and then built a tower, so that He could watch over it. 

The "certain householder" went into a country far away, and placed tenants at the vineyard to keep it and tend it.

When the time of harvest drew near, the "certain householder" sent his servants, but the tenants abused them, by beating them, stoning some and killing others. 

The servants represent all the prophets of God, sent to deliver a message of judgment from Jehovah to Israel. 

Therefore, the "certain householder" sent his son, reasoning that they would respect him. In response to this, the tenants killed him and took possession of the vineyard. 

Historically, this refers to the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, and the hostile reaction He received from the religious leaders, who ultimately crucified Christ. 

Jesus asked the religious leaders what would happen to those wicked tenants. 

The scribes and Pharisees said that the "certain householder" will completely destroy the tenants and give his vineyard to those who would properly care for it. 

This pictures judgment upon all who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Master and King. Thus, Jesus' parable has a clear reference point in Isaiah's prophecy. 

Isaiah tells us what Jehovah would do in caring for His vineyard. He pledged to water it, keep it and protect his vineyard so that it would bring forth the best red wine (See Isaiah 27:2-3).

He planted His chosen people there as the choicest vine, the very best stock to produces the finest grapes possible. This is a picture of the Israelites living for the glory of God, and sharing the gospel with surrounding nations. 

However, when the harvest time came, the choicest vine brought forth "wild grapes" instead of the finest ones. 

Wild grapes are bad fruit, worse than the grapes of Sodom (See Deuteronomy 32:32).   

Wild grapes are the fruits of a corrupt nature, fruit from a corrupt vine, not growing from the original good branch. 

Wild grapes represent fruits from the root of bitterness, (See Hebrews 12:15). 

Wild grapes symbolize religious hypocrisy. Religionists look like grapes, but on the inside they are sour or bitter.  

Counterfeit graces are wild grapes, just as the tares and wheat grow together until judgment day.  Tares and wheat essentially appear the same, until they ripen. Then the tares turn black and are poisonous.

Jehovah calls them to account for their wicked ways. 

Isaiah 5:3-4  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 

Remember, Israel is the vine in this picture. Jerusalem is the fruitful hill where the Temple of the One, True God of heaven was established. 

God could do no more to help them produce good fruit, than what He already did. In spite of His tender care, they produced wild grapes, corrupt fruits of idolatry and immorality. 

Jehovah warns of judgment.

Isaiah 5:5-7  And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6)  And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7)  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.  

Because Israel (the vineyard) consistently fell into idolatry and ignored God's prophets, Jehovah determined to take away their protections. 

He would cause the nation to be laid waste by their enemies. He would send drought and cause the land to be non- productive.

Not only did Israel sin by falling into idolatry, but the wealth and powerful took advantage of orphans, widows and refugees. They seized their properties and assets because they bribed the judges.

Thus, Jehovah heard the widows cry out for justice. He heard the orphans plead for help. He listened to the refugees who were oppressed.  

And, Jehovah brought judgment upon them. Yet, He also promised a future restoration of the nation.

Thoughts to Ponder...

When Jesus said "I am the true vine" He reminded the Jews that Israel was an unfaithful vine, bringing forth corrupt fruit. 

As the "true vine" Jesus would perfectly follow the Father, and satisfy His holy law.

In fulfillment of Christ's parable about the vineyard, the Jews conspired to crucify Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

And, God the Father sent judgment upon the nation. Rome utterly destroyed Jerusalem in 69 A.D. 

The Jews were once again dispersed into the world, until 1948, when they were able to regain some of their ancient homeland. 

The principles taught in these texts are very clear.

Each believer in Christ, is bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. He engrafts us into His vine, along with the Israelites (See Romans 11:11-24). 

We too, are admonished to be faithful to our Lord, so that we do not suffer the same fate that Israel did.

Thus, we belong to God because He purchased us with his own blood (Acts 20:28).

Because we belong to God, we are given instruction from the Word and help from the Holy Spirit, to live a life that honors God. 

If we dishonor God with our actions, He will judge us by chastening us (See Hebrews 12:6-17).

I pray that this groundwork will help us grasp the beauty of what Jesus means, when He said "I am the true vine!"

Bob