Jesus is the True Vine

John 15:1 – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”

God repeatedly used a vine as a symbol of His people in the Hebrew Scriptures (one example is Psalm 80:8-9). Yet it was often used in a negative sense (as in Isaiah 5:1-7 and Jeremiah 2:21). Jesus publicly taught about Israel being like a vineyard in the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33-44).

Jesus spoke this verse to His disciples, probably as they stood in the upper room and prepared to leave. He used the picture of the vine because there were grapevines everywhere in ancient Israel. Also, there was a large golden vine set as a prominent decoration on the front of the temple communicating the idea that Israel was God’s vine. According to theologian Marcus Dods, “The vine was also a recognized symbol of the Messiah.”

This verse tells us that Jesus is the true vine. We must be rooted in Him (not in Israel) if we will bear fruit for God. In the New Covenant community, our first identification is in Jesus Christ Himself, not in Israel or even in the church.

Of the many pictures of the relationship between God and His people, the vine and the branches emphasize complete dependence on God, and our need for constant connection with Him. The branch depends on the vine even more than the sheep depends on the shepherd or the child depends on the father. As Jesus was about to depart from His disciples, this was an important encouragement. He would remain united to them and they to Him, as truly as branches are connected to the main vine.

In the Old Testament’s use of the vine as a picture of Israel, God the Father was presented as the One who cultivated and managed the vine. This verse shows us that God also fulfills this role for the believer under the New Covenant.

The New Covenant participant has relationship with both the Father and the Son; with both the vine itself and the vinedresser.

Based on The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.