1‐11. *In a beautiful allegory, Christ declares the necessity of
union with Himself in order to a supernatural life.*
12‐17. *He inculcates mutual love, proposing as a model His own
love for the Apostles—a love which made him ready to lay down His
life for them (13), and which was spontaneous (16).*
18‐25. *He fortifies them against the world’s hatred by reminding
them that it hated Himself, and so they shall only be treading in
His footsteps. He points out too how inexcusable is this attitude
of the world towards Himself and His followers.*
26‐27. *He again promises the Holy Ghost, who together with the
Apostles, will bear testimony of Him.*
1. Ego sum vitis vera: et 1. I am the true vine; and my
Pater meus agricola est. Father is the husbandman.
1. After they had left the supper‐room Christ again addresses the
Apostles. The fact that the Evangelist gives the discourse that follows
without any introductory remark, such as: And Christ said, or: And while
they went Christ said—favours the view that only a slight break separated
this discourse from that recorded in the preceding chapter. This would,
therefore, render it very probable that what follows was spoken in the
vicinity of the house in which they had supped rather than on the
outskirts of the city.
As Christ was about to leave His Apostles, He now impresses upon them the
necessity of abiding in Him by faith and love. For this purpose He
compares Himself to the stem of the vine, and the Apostles to its
branches. As the branches draw all their life and nourishment from the
stem, so must the Apostles draw all their spiritual life from Him. This
idea would be illustrated by the relation between the trunk of any tree
and its branches. The chief reason, then, why He compares Himself to the
vine is because it was customary to prune its branches, and He was about
to speak of the pruning of His mystical branches by the Father.(98) He is
_the true_, that is the perfect vine, because He nourishes His members
more perfectly than does any vine tree its branches. In a similar sense He
is the true light (John i. 9), and the true bread (John vi. 32).
“He is the ‘vine’ in His _humanity_, in which the branches of the same
nature are united with Him. But it is from His _Divinity_ the branches
derive the spiritual and life‐giving influence that leads to eternal
happiness” (MacEv.)
It is needless to say, that in calling Himself the true vine, Christ does
not mean to signify that He is really a vine. The language is plainly
metaphorical, and is so explained by our Lord Himself in verses 4 and 5.
Hence it bears no comparison with the words used by Christ in instituting
the Blessed Eucharist. In the latter case He declared that what He held in
His hands was His body, and there was nothing in His words, or in the
circumstances in which they were uttered to point to a figurative sense.
On the contrary, His discourse delivered twelve months beforehand in the
Synagogue of Capharnaum, and recorded in the sixth chapter of our Gospel,
prepared the Apostles to receive His words, mysterious though they must
have seemed, in the literal sense.
*And my Father is the husbandman.* The Father attends to and purifies
Christ’s followers in a manner similar to that employed by the vine‐
dresser, that so they may produce more abundant fruit. The Arians appealed
to this text to show that Christ was inferior to God. For as the vine and
the husbandman are not of the same nature, so neither, they said, are
Christ and the Father of the same nature. We answer that in metaphorical
language the comparison is not to be pressed too far, only indeed in that
particular, or in regard to that point, for the illustration of which the
metaphor is employed. See above on x. 3. Now in the present instance
Christ points out (in verse 4) that His metaphorical language is designed
to show the necessity for the Apostles of union with Himself. Nothing
therefore can be inferred in regard to His _nature_ and the Father’s. In
reality, Christ, _as God_, was husbandman, as well as the Father; but as
it would not suit the comparison to call Himself both vine and husbandman,
He attributes the office of husbandman to the Father. “Numquid unum sunt
agricola et vitis? Secundum hoc ergo vitis Christus, secundum quod ait:
Pater major me est. Secundum autem id quod ait: Ego et Pater unum sumus,
et ipse agricola est.” (St. Aug.)(99)
2. Omnem palmitem in me non 2. Every branch in me, that
ferentem fructum, tollet eum: beareth not fruit, he will
et omnem qui fert fructum, take away: and every one that
purgabit eum, ut fructum plus beareth fruit he will purge
afferat. it, that it may bring forth
more fruit.
2. *Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit.* From this it follows that
branches may be unfruitful and yet really remain branches, and members of
Christ’s Church. The sense of Christ’s words is: Every Christian that
beareth not the fruit of good works, the Father _takes_ away (Gr.
present), either in this life, by permitting them to fall into heresy, or
at death when they shall no longer remain members of the Church. They are
therefore lopped off like useless branches. The good, too, are purified by
the Father, who _prunes_ their hearts, removing therefrom all impediments
to perfection, taking away everything that would hinder or impede the
vital power in the production of spiritual fruit. As even the best
branches are improved by judicious pruning, so the just are rendered more
perfect by the purifying action of the Divine Husbandman. Αὐτο in both
cases is redundant.
3. Iam vos mundi estis propter 3. Now you are clean by reason
sermonem, quem locutus sum of the word which I have
vobis. spoken to you.
3. *Now* (already) *you are clean*. The meaning is that the Apostles were
already pruned, that the obstacles to their spiritual growth had been
taken away by His words addressed to them that night. It is possible that,
as some think, there is reference to all Christ’s teaching; but we believe
there is at least _special_ reference to the discourse of that last night.
For He had that night perfected their knowledge (xiv. 6‐11); guarded them
against an unavailing sorrow (xiv. 1‐2, &c.); checked the presumption of
some (xiii. 38), and supplied motives to confirm the faith of all (xiv.
29).
4. Manete in me: et ego in 4. Abide in me: and I in you.
vobis. Sicut palmes non potest As the branch cannot bear
ferre fructum a semetipso, fruit of itself, unless it
nisi manserit in vite: sic nec abide in the vine, so neither
vos, nisi in me manseritis. can you, unless you abide in
me.
4. *Abide in me, and I in you.* The meaning is: take care that ye abide in
Me by faith and love, and I will abide in you by love and grace.(100) Or
it may be that the last clause too is imperative in conception: permit me
to abide in you. Since they are exhorted to abide, it follows that they
were free not to abide; and hence it is possible, as the Council of Trent
defined (Sess. vi., Can. 23) to fall away from faith and grace. *Of
itself*—that is, as the source of its vital energy.
5. Ego sum vitis, vos 5. I am the vine; you the
palmites: qui manet in me et branches: he that abideth in
ego in eo, hic fert fructum me, and I in him, the same
multum: quia sine me nihil beareth much fruit: for
potestis facere. without me you can do nothing.
5. The theme (verse 1) is again repeated, and now there is added the
clause: *Ye are the branches*, which definitely sums up what was already
implied in the preceding verses. *For without me you can do nothing.*
These words show that, though as we have seen in the preceding verse the
Apostles were free not to abide in Him, they were not able of themselves
to abide in Him or to bear any supernatural fruit except through His
grace. The words refute the Pelagian and Semipelagian heresies, for they
show that without the aid of Christ’s grace we are capable of no
supernatural good work. “Sive ergo parum, sive multum, sine illo fieri non
potest, sine quo nihil fieri potest” (St. Aug. _in loc._). It would be
difficult, we think, to prove from this text by itself that even where
_habitual_ grace is present, _actual_ grace is also necessary in order to
a salutary work; but the traditional interpretation given to this text by
the fathers forbids us to doubt that the necessity of actual grace also is
here revealed.
There is no question in this text of the necessity of God’s concurrence in
our _natural_ acts; the question is of Christ’s influx as mystic vine upon
the faithful who remain united to Him as branches.
6. Si quis in me non manserit, 6. If any one abide not in me:
mittetur foras sicut palmes: he shall be cast forth as a
et arescet et colligent eum, branch, and shall wither, and
et in ignem mittent, et ardet. they shall gather him up, and
cast him into the fire, and he
burneth.
6. Observe the variety of tense in the verbs of this verse in the Greek
text. “Sensus est: Si quis in me non manserit, jam eo ipso _ejectus est_
foras sicut palmes et _exaruit_” (Beel., _Gr. Gram._, § 41, 5, b). The
casting forth and withering happen simultaneously with the separation from
Christ. The words of the verse indicate the punishment which is in store
for those who die separated from Christ. In the Greek we have αῦτὰ (ea)
instead of “eum” of the Vulgate; and the sense, is that as men usually
gather up the _withered branches_ (αὐτα), and fling them into the fire,
where they burn, so shall the angels of God do to the sinner. See Matt.
xiii. 41.
7. Si manseritis in me, et 7. If you abide in me, and my
verba mea in vobis manserint: words abide in you, you shall
quodcumque volueritis petetis, ask whatever you will, and it
et fiet vobis. shall be done unto you.
7. In contrast with the unhappy condition of those separated from Christ,
they who remain in Him by faith, and keep His words through charity
working by faith, shall obtain from God through prayer whatever they ask,
provided it be necessary or useful to their spiritual life. “Whatsoever we
shall ask according to His will He heareth us” (1 John v. 14).
8. In hoc clarificatus est 8. In this is my Father
Pater meus, ut fructum glorified; that you bring
plurimum afferatis, et forth very much fruit, and
efficiamini mei discipuli. become my disciples.
8. It is clear from these words that the good works of the just give glory
to God. Instead of “efficiamini,” the more probable Greek reading is
γενήσεσθε (efficiemini), and the meaning is; And so you shall become more
and more My disciples.
9. Sicut dilexit me Pater, et 9. As the Father hath loved
ego dilexi vos. Manete in me, I also have loved you.
dilectione mea. Abide in my love.
9. As (καθώς) expresses not equality, but resemblance. The resemblance
consists in this, that as the Father loved Christ’s humanity gratuitously,
without any previous merit on its part, and united it with the Person of
the Word, so Christ loved the disciples gratuitously, and united them with
Himself. So Toletus, following St. Aug. Then Christ adds as a practical
conclusion: Take care to remain in the enjoyment of that love of mine for
you. Or the meaning of the whole verse according to the Greek text may be:
as the Father hath loved Me, and as I have loved you, so abide ye in the
enjoyment of that love of Mine for you.
10. Si praecepta mea 10. If you keep my
servaveritis, manebitis in commandments, you shall abide
dilectione mea, sicut et ego in my love; as I also have
Patris mei praecepta servavi, kept my Father’s commandments,
et maneo in eius dilectione. and do abide in his love.
10. Here he points out how they are to continue to enjoy His love: it is
by keeping His commandments.
11. Haec locutus sum vobis, ut 11. These things I have spoken
gaudium meum in vobis sit, et to you, that my joy may be in
gaudium vestrum impleatur. you, and your joy may be
filled.
11. The meaning is: these things, namely, that you should keep My
commandments and continue to retain My love, I have spoken in order that
My joy on account of you may continue (the true reading is ᾖ, not μείνῃ,
but does not alter the sense), and your joy may be perfected.
12. Hoc est præceptum meum ut 12. This is my commandment,
diligatis invicem, sicut that you love one another, as
dilexi vos. I have loved you.
12. He had just said that the observance of His commandments is a
necessary condition to be fulfilled by those who would retain His love,
and now He goes on to point to one commandment that in a special manner is
_His_, the “new commandment” (xiii. 34), to which they must attend.
13. Maiorem hac dilectionem 13. Greater love than this no
nemo habet, ut animam suam man hath, that a man lay down
ponat quis pro amicis suis. his life for his friends.
13. In this verse He explains what sort is that love of His upon which
theirs must be modelled (comp. 1 John iii. 16). The meaning is, that no
greater proof of love for a friend can be given than to lay down one’s
life for him. This He was about to do for them. The comparison is not
between dying for a _friend_ and dying for an _enemy_, but between the
different proofs of love for a friend.
14. Vos amici mei estis, si 14. You are my friends, if you
feceritis quae ego praecipio do the things that I command
vobis. you.
14. Here He shows that in speaking of laying down His life for His
friends, He means laying it down for the Apostles.
15. Iam non dicam vos servos, 15. I will not now call you
quia servus nescit quid faciat servants: for the servant
dominus eius. Vos autem dixi knoweth not what his Lord
amicos: quia omnia quaecumque doth. But I have called you
audivi a Patre meo, nota feci friends: because all things
vobis. whatsoever I have heard of my
Father, I have made known to
you.
15. He has referred to them as friends, and will do so in future.
Formerly, indeed, He had referred to them as His servants (John xii. 26,
xiii. 16), but now after He has taken them so fully into His confidence,
told them of His speedy departure from them (xiii. 33), pointed out to
them His consubstantiality with the Father (xiv. 7‐11), and instructed
them that the Holy Ghost was to come to them (xiv. 16, 17), He will no
longer speak of them as servants, but as friends.
*All things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to
you.* That is to say, all the knowledge which was communicated to Him,
together with His Divine nature, in His eternal generation by the Father;
all this, as far as they were capable (John xvi. 12), and it was useful
for them, He had communicated to them.
16. Non vos me elegistis: sed 16. You have not chosen me:
ego elegi vos et posui vos, ut but I have chosen you; and
eatis, et fructum afferatis: have appointed you, that you
et fructus vester maneat: ut should go, and should bring
quodcumque petieritis Patrem forth fruit, and your fruit
in nomine meo, det vobis. should remain: that whatsoever
you shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it you.
16. *You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you.* Or more exactly; “it
was not you that chose Me, but I chose you,” where the aorist refers back
to the definite act of selecting and calling the Apostles. Not only then
was His love for them most intense, as was signified in verse 13, but it
was also _gratuitous_, unmerited: and this is now pointed out. You did not
choose Me as your friend, but I chose you as My special friends, My
Apostles; and set you up as such, in order that you should go into the
whole world (Mark xvi. 15). and bear fruit in yourselves and others, and
that this fruit should remain unto eternal life.
*That* (ἵνα) *whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may
give it you*. Some as Mald. and A Lap. take ἵνα here to denote a
consequence: if you bring forth the fruit for which I have chosen you, _it
will come to pass_ that whatsoever, &c. Others think ἵνα may retain its
usual telic force: I appointed you in order that ... your fruit should
remain, and that whatsoever _in reference to that fruit_ you shall ask,
&c. On what is meant by asking the Father in Christ’s name, see above on
xiv. 13.
17. Haec mando vobis, ut 17. These things I command
diligatis invicem. you, that you love one
another.
17. Some take the meaning to be: these things, namely, the greatness and
gratuitousness of My love for you _I insist upon_, to the end that you may
love one another. Others as Mald. and Patriz. take the meaning to be the
same as in verse 11: this is what I command you, namely, that you love one
another. The use of ταῦτα (haec) and not τοῦτο (hoc) is rather against the
latter view, but it is replied that the plural demonstrative followed by
the single precept is intended to signify that charity is the fulfilment
of the whole law.
18. Si mundus vos odit, 18. If the world hate you,
scitote quia me priorem vobis know you that it hath hated me
odio habuit. before you.
18. Having exhorted them to mutual love, He now fortifies them against the
hatred of the world and the persecutions that awaited them. The world, as
is plain, is the wicked world, and in being hated by it they shall only be
treading in the footsteps of their Master.
*It hath hated.* The Greek perfect implies not merely a passing
manifestation of hatred, but an abiding and persistent feeling.
19. Si de mundo fuissetis, 19. If you had been of the
mundus quod suum erat world, the world would love
diligeret: quia vero de mundo its own: but because you are
non estis, sed ego elegi vos not of the world, but I have
de mundo propterea odit vos chosen you out of the world,
mundus. therefore the world hateth
you.
19. *If you had been*, ought rather to be: if you were. The five‐fold
repetition of “the world” in this verse brings vividly before us this
great antagonist of Christ.
20. Mementote sermonis mei, 20. Remember my word that I
quem ego dixi vobis: Non est said to you: The servant is
servus maior domino suo. Si me not greater than his master.
persecuti sunt, et vos If they have persecuted me,
persequentur: si sermonem meum they will also persecute you:
servaverunt, et vestrum if they have kept my word,
servabunt. they will keep yours also.
20. He now reminds them of what He had told them before (xiii. 16) that:
“a servant is not greater than his master,” and from this He goes on to
signify what they must expect to meet with from the world.
*If they have kept my word.* Some think there is reference to those who
having been of the world came out from it to follow Christ and keep His
word. But it appears more probable that He speaks of those who are still
of the world, and leaves it to be supplied that since they had not kept
His word, so neither would they keep that of the Apostles. By the word of
the Apostles is meant the word of Christ as preached by them.
21. Sed haec omnia facient 21. But all these things they
vobis propter nomen meum: quia will do to you for my name’s
nesciunt eum qui misit me. sake: because they know not
him that sent me.
21. But remember that you shall suffer in a glorious cause; namely, on My
account; for they will persecute you because you are My followers, and
this because through culpable ignorance they will not recognise God as My
Father, nor Me as the Son of God.
22. Si non venissem, et 22. If I had not come, and
locutus fuissem eis, peccatum spoken to them, they would not
non haberent: nunc autem have sin: but now they have no
excusationem non habent de excuse for their sin.
peccato suo.
23. Qui me odit et Patrem meum 23. He that hateth me, hateth
odit. my Father also.
22, 23. That this ignorance is culpable, He now proves from the fact that
He had Himself declared to them His relations with the Father. The sin
(_peccatum_) is that of incredulity, and in remaining incredulous and
hating Christ, they thereby showed that they hated the Father who sent
Him.
24. Si opera non fecissem in 24. If I had not done among
eis quae nemo alius fecit, them the works that no other
peccatum non haberent: nunc man hath done, they would not
autem et viderunt, et oderunt have sin: but now they have
et me, et Patrum meum. both seen and hated both me
and my Father.
24. Not only His words (verse 22), but also His unparalleled miracles
deprived them of all excuse for their unbelief. See above on iii. 2. But
now they have seen, or ought to have seen, the Father in Me (see above on
xiv. 9); and they have seen Me, and they have hated Us both.
25. Sed ut adimpleatur sermo 25. But that the word may be
qui in lege eorum scriptus fulfilled which is written in
est: Quia odio habuerunt me their law: _They have hated me
gratis. without cause_.
25. Yet, He continues, it is only what their own Scriptures (Ps. xxxiv.
19) foretold, that they would hate Him without cause. Thus this hatred of
the world, so far from weakening the faith of the Apostles in Christ as
the Messias, should confirm it, since the Messias was to be hated by the
world. In this verse ἵνα has its usual _telic_ force, and the sense is:
but this has come to pass _in order that_ the Scripture might be
fulfilled. See above on xii. 37‐40. The passage of the Psalm referred to
is probably Messianic in its literal sense.
26. Cum autem venerit 26. But when the Paraclete
Paraclitus, quem ego mittam cometh, whom I will send you
vobis a Patre, spiritum from the Father, the Spirit of
veritatis, qui a Patre truth, who proceedeth from the
procedit, ille testimonium Father, he shall give
perhibebit de me: testimony of me.
27. Et vos testimonium 27. And you shall give
perhibebitis, quia ab initio testimony, because you are
mecum estis. with me from the beginning.
26, 27. The connection with the preceding is: though the world hate
Christ, yet the Holy Ghost and the Apostles shall bear witness to Him.
Here again, in verse 26, we have distinct mention of the Three Persons of
the Blessed Trinity. See xiv. 16, 26. Though the Holy Ghost is not here
said to proceed from the Son as well as from the Father (“ex Patre
Filioque”), yet this is implied in His being sent by the Son (see above on
xiv. 26), and can be clearly proved against the schismatical Greeks from
other parts of Scripture, as from John xvi. 13, 14. The Greek rendered
*you shall give testimony*, is ambiguous, and may be either an imperative
or an indicative. However, as Christ seems to be speaking of the witnesses
who will maintain His cause against the world, and not to be prescribing
the duty of the Apostles, the indicative is preferable.