The Gospel of John by Michaels J. Ramsey;

Author:Michaels, J. Ramsey;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: REL006100 Religion / Biblical Criticism & Interpretation / New Testament
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Almost without stopping for breath Jesus continues, “I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Vinekeeper” (15:1), without the slightest narrative introduction, such as “So again Jesus spoke to them, saying” (as in 8:12), or “So again he said to them” (as in 8:21), or “But Jesus cried out and said” (as in 12:44). The closest analogy is with John’s farewell speech, where, after seeming to conclude with “He must grow, but I must diminish” (3:30), John instead plunged ahead with “The One coming from above is above all” (v. 31), and further testimony to Jesus (vv. 31–36). The question confronting the reader here is, What are these words of Jesus meant to follow? Are we to presuppose all that has been said in the preceding chapter, as the canon would dictate, or are we back to square one, building on the narrative of the footwashing and the exit of Judas, as modern theories of the Gospel’s composition have suggested? Surely the notices that “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes it away” (v. 2) and “Unless someone dwells in me, he is thrown outside like the branch” (v. 6) come appropriately after the apostasy of Judas.1 Yet just as surely, Jesus’ abrupt self-identification as “the true Vine” cannot be read as following immediately upon 13:30, for in that case it would have been introduced with “Jesus said,” or something to that effect. It could, however, be read as following 13:35, expanding on the themes of 13:31–35, and in particular the “new command” of mutual love (vv. 34–35). This is plausible because Jesus does get around fairly soon to reiterating that the disciples must love each other as he has loved them (see 15:12–17). Yet that is not the starting point. The starting point is rather the theme of indwelling, introduced only in the intervening discourse, specifically in answer to Philip’s question (14:10–11, 20) and the question of Judas (v. 23). Jesus now speaks as if the relationship to be revealed “in that day” that “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (14:20) has already gone into effect, as indeed it has, the Gospel writer believes, for the readers of the Gospel. For this reason, the traditional “canonical” reading of the text as it stands is preferable. Jesus uses the metaphor of the Vine to explain further what the “indwelling” of which he has just spoken will mean concretely in the disciples’ experience.

The Vine metaphor, however, has its limitations, for it does not explain the love Jesus has for the disciples or the love they must have for one another. While Jesus has spoken of loving him as one would love God and keeping his commands in connection with indwelling (see 14:15, 21), he has not yet revisited the “new command” of love given earlier, with its accent on love’s mutuality (13:34–35). The true measure of dwelling in the Vine (vv. 1–8), he now reminds them, is dwelling in his love and “keeping his commands” (vv.

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