Matthew Poole and continuators on John 15:1

I Am the true vine , and my Father is the husbandman b.

Christ had but newly come from his last Supper, wherein he had sanctified the fruit of the Vine, by setting it apart, as one of the Elements in that holy Sacrament, and told them, ver. 18. of the 22d Chapter of Luke, That he would no more drink of the fruit of the Vine, until the Kingdom of God should c me. This (as some suppose) gave occasion to this Parable, or Discourse about the Vine: Others think, that in his passage from the Guest-chamber to the Mount Olivet, he saw a Vine, which gave occasion to this discourse, it being with him very ordinary to graft spiritual Discourses upon sensible Objects occasionally occurring, as Chap. 4 he raised a Discourse of living water upon the sight of the water at Iacob's Well, and the womans discourse about it; and Chap. 8. he founded another discourse concerning the bread of life, upon the Loaves that were multiplied. Whatever the occasion was (of which we can affirm nothing certainly), certain it is, that the Notion of a V[illegible: 2 letters]e, with respect to the Root and Body of it (for he calls his Disciples the Branches), excellently agreeth to Christ, whether in respect of his present low condition, and mean appearance to the World (as a Vine hath less beauty than most Plants); or in respect of its exceeding fruitfulness; or as it is the Basis and Foundation of the Branches, in which they are, and thrive, and are fruitful, which seemeth here to be chiefly intended As all the Branches are united to the Vine, in it they live, bud, bear fruit. There are Three principal things which our Saviour teacheth us by this Similitude, 1. That we have no ability to do good but from Christ. 2. That believers have a true and real Vnion with the Lord Iesus, which while they uphold by faith and holiness, they shall not want his influence upon them, nor his Father's care over them, in purging them, that they may bring forth much fruit. 3. That if any prefessing him, prove unfruitful, God will take them away; they shall wither, be cast into the fire, and burned He calls himself the true Vine, to shew them, that their fruit was not in themselves, but must be found in him; or that their fruit could not proceed from Moses, the Observance of the Ritual or Moral Law given them by him; but it must flow from their spiritual Union with him, and that influence of Grace which should flow from that Union. Or else true (as sometimes it doth in Scripture) may signifie excellent. As he compareth himself to the true Vine, by which he signifieth to us, that he is the true root and support of our spiritual life and fruit; so he compareth his Father to the Husbandman, to let us know, that his people are not onely under his, but under his Father's care, which he afterwards more particularly openeth. He also, ver. 2. compareth Believers, or Members of the Church, to Branches in a Vine.