There is no other "True Vine", for this very name "True Vine" belongs to Jesus, and to Jesus alone. But, just what is meant by "True Vine"? How can we relate Christ to this name ... "True Vine"? Let's look into God's Word, and discover what He means, followed by some information found in both Bible dictionary's, and/or commentaries:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.(John 15:1 KJV).
This statement comes directly from the mouth of Jesus, Himself. He in no way is denying His authority. Rather, He is the true VINE, and His Father is the husbandman (or Vinedresser ... the keeper of the vineyard).
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 KJV).
The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Isa 5:1).
LET ME [as
God's representative] sing of and for my greatly Beloved [God, the Son] a
tender song of my Beloved concerning His vineyard [His chosen people].
My greatly Beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. [S. of Sol.
6:3; Matt. 21:33-40.]. (From Isa 5:1 Amplified Bible).
From Vines Complete Expository Dictionary:
The word
true, here, is used in the sense of real, genuine. He really and truly
gives what is emblematically represented by a vine. The point of the
comparison or the meaning of the figure is this: A vine yields proper
juice and nourishment to all the branches, whether these are large or
small. All the nourishment of each branch and tendril passes through the
main stalk, or the vine, that springs from the earth. So Jesus is the
source of all real strength and grace to his disciples. He is their
leader and teacher, and imparts to them, as they need, grace and
strength to bear the fruits of holiness.
The Vine is explained beautifully from the Matthew Henry Comentary:
(Expounding on John 15:1-8): Jesus
Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine
natures, and the fulness of the Spirit that is in him, resemble the root
of the vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers
are branches of this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with
Christ; the root bears the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ are
all supports and supplies. The branches of the vine are many, yet,
meeting in the root, are all but one vine; thus all true Christians,
though in place and opinion distant from each other, meet in Christ.
Believers, like the branches of the vine, are weak, and unable to stand
but as they are borne up. The Father is the Husbandman. Never was any
husbandman so wise, so watchful, about his vineyard, as God is about his
church, which therefore must prosper. We must be fruitful. From a vine
we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a Christian temper,
disposition, and life. We must honour God, and do good; this is bearing
fruit. The unfruitful are taken away. And even fruitful branches need
pruning; for the best have notions, passions, and humours, that require
to be taken away, which Christ has promised to forward the
sanctification of believers, they will be thankful, for them. The word
of Christ is spoken to all believers; and there is a cleansing virtue in
that word, as it works grace, and works out corruption. And the more
fruit we bring forth, the more we abound in what is good, the more our
Lord is glorified. In order to fruitfulness, we must abide in Christ,
must have union with him by faith. It is the great concern of all
Christ's disciples, constantly to keep up dependence upon Christ, and
communion with him. True Christians find by experience, that any
interruption in the exercise of their faith, causes holy affections to
decline, their corruptions to revive, and their comforts to droop. Those
who abide not in Christ, though they may flourish for awhile in outward
profession, yet come to nothing. The fire is the fittest place for
withered branches; they are good for nothing else. Let us seek to live
more simply on the fulness of Christ, and to grow more fruitful in every
good word and work, so may our joy in Him and in his salvation be full.
*********************
When in our
thoughts, considering the picture of a vine, and seeing that same vine
travel all over, everywhere, from one person to the next, from one house
to the next, from one town to the next, from one state to the next,
from one country to the next, ... even throughout the entire world, and,
at the same time, to visualize the multitudes of branches that are
growing from this vine, reveals quite the picutre of Christ, throughout
the earth ... His Body connected to Him, thus leaving us to recognize
that the strength, the actual needed nutrients, the very life itself of
these branches (His Body), extends from the vine (Christ), and the
branches (His Body) can only grow by and through all that is received
from the impartation of nutrients given by the Vine (Christ). As we
apply this to our spiritual lives, we come into the knowledge that we
(Christ's Body) cannot flourish apart from the Vine (Christ Jesus). In
fact, apart (or severed) from the Vine, we most surely will perish. All
of our life source, whether it be physically, emotionally, and/or
spiritually flows out to us, from the Vine (Christ), as the Vinedresser
(our Heavenly Father) tends the entire garden (Vineyard). Thinking
today, on this Bible Treasure, also causes me, in an even greater way,
to realize just how greatly we all need one another, and how each of us
are supported by the Vine (Christ), and in no way can any of us "go it alone". Truly, we need each other, and we need Him, and without Him, we can do nothing! (John 15:5).
Jesus, we thank You that You are our very support, and that all that we have need of is imparted from You, to us ... that every blessing extended to us comes from You. We recognize that without You, we are severed from our very life source. Help us always Jesus, to remain close to You ... branches connected to the Vine, receiving even our very breath from You. We love You and thank You for Your goodness to us. It is in Your name we pray Jesus ... Amen!
Blessings upon each of you, my brothers and sisters!
In Christ (the Vine) ... Marcia
