John 15:1-8

John 15:1-8

[1] am  the true  vine,  and  Father  the husbandman.  [2] Every  branch  in  that  beareth  not  fruit  he taketh away:  and  every  branch that beareth  fruit,  he purgeth  it,  that  it may bring forth  more  fruit.  [3] Now  clean  through  the word  which  I have spoken  [4] Abide  in  and I  in  As  the branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  it abide  in  the vine;  no more  ye abide  in  [5] am  the vine,  are the branches:  He that abideth  in  and I  in  him,  the same  bringeth forth  much  fruit:  for  without  ye can  do  nothing.  [6] a man  abide  in  he is cast  forth  as  a branch,  and  is withered;  and  men gather  them,  and  cast  them into  the fire,  and  they are burned.  [7] If  ye abide  in  and  words  abide  in  ye shall ask  what  ye will,  and  it shall be done  [8] Herein  Father  glorified,  that  ye bear  much  fruit;  so  shall ye be  my  disciples. 

What does John 15:1-8 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jesus often used a grapevine to describe the nation of Israel (cf. Matthew 20:1-16; Matthew 21:23-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 13:6-9; Luke 20:9-16). The vine as a symbol of Israel appears on coins of the Maccabees. [1] Here Jesus used the vine metaphorically of Himself. One can hardly escape the inference that Jesus viewed Himself as the fulfillment of Israel. Covenant theologians like to think of the church as the fulfillment of Israel, but there is no scriptural warrant for this conclusion except the similarities between the two entities. However the differences between them make dispensational theologians conclude that the church only superficially fulfills Israel.
This is not a parable in the Synoptic sense since there is no plot. It is more of an extended metaphor similar to the shepherd and sheepfold metaphors in chapter10.
"It is possible that if the text of this discourse was spoken as they walked from the upper room in Jerusalem down into the Kidron Valley and across to the Mount of Olives, they could have seen the great golden vine, the national emblem of Israel, on the front of the temple." [2]