Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-09-02
JESUS THE TRUE VINE.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Sunday, Sept. 5-Golden Text: 1T Am
the Vine, Ye Are the Branches"
John Nv, lie.
The language of this lesson is more than
usually familiar. Perhaps its meaning differs
somewhat from the common impression
Let us try to know it, and look for Gods bless
ing with it.
Some have supposed that the company
Jesus and the disciples-going down the
steep, outside the wall saw vine which sug
gested this figure. Others have imagined
vine on the wall and its branches by the win
dow bringing up this image; others think "the
fruit of the vinen suggested the figure, But
the far greater likelihood is that Jesus had in
mind the new dispenSation he was bringing
in, and was rather teaching his disciples what
they had to do in it than setting out the sim
pie and great truth regarding union with him
which is elsewhere taught. John xiv, 49,
Now the Hebrews were used to the vine q
description of their church and nation-"a
vine out of Egypt" in Ps. Xxx, s; "the.vin
yard of the Lord of hosts in Isa. V, Z; "a
noble vine," in Jer. ii, 81, Ezck. xix, 10, etc.
But D Israel was typical of Gods whole
church, with Jesus at the head. q Israel was,
according to Hos. K, 1, an empty vine,"
and so removed It is with reference to the
real fruit to be brought forth that Jesus says,
81 am the true vine" If he had simply meant
to show that soul must be in him to bear
fruit, as a branch in the tree, it would have
been enough to say, II am a vine" or like
vine. But "true" implies the reality as dis
tinguished from types and figures, just as we
may say, "Christ is the true paschal lamb"
(See John vi, 32.) He joins himself and the
church in one for reasons that will appear.
This is not surprising. 1t is only in another
form the truth of Christ the head, and the
whole body Joined to him, as in Eph. iv,
14-16. He is as such the true Israel, the true
"seed of Abraham" For the purpose of being
a blessing to all the world, he and his people
are one So he represents the Father as hus-
bandman to him, and his people as in him.
This, of course, is not of him as the Son of
God, but as one with his Church OF him by
himself God is not the husbandman. But he
cares for the mystical body of which he is the
head (See 1 Cor, iii, 81
This should be noted at the outset. The
need of soul being joined to Christ for sal
vation they had learned ". 81. He is now
teaching them concerning the church they
were to found. Jesus and his church make
one great tree, for which the Father cares
While the words include spiritual truths we
all need to know, they were meant first and
most for the men who were to represent him
after he was gone.
" l. "I am the true vine.n The Hebrew
economy was the shadow. The substance Is
now here God the Father in making the
covenant and giving His Son planted this
vine, and as "husbandman" wines were
what grain crops now are) cares for the vine
he planted, prunes it ". q, desires it to be
fruitful ". s., throws away the dead, useless
branches ". 9, does all that is for the good
of the tree ". q, and has credit when much
fruit is borne. So the Father ". 8 does with
his people.
v. 2. The "branch" may be a section of the
church, or family, or an individual If it
bear not fruit (see for "fruit" Heb xii, IL;
Gal. V, 1928, it is taken away. The candle
stick of fruitless church will be removed
REV ii, s.. Ungodly families like Jeroboam's
are broken off. Faithless individuals like
Judas, who had "gone out" and who was
probably in Christ's mind, go to destruction.
(See Matt vii, 81; Rev. iii, 1-3; Acts i, 17-2O)
So the question, Is such and such denomi-
nation a branch of the church? is not so
in the church, bearing no fruit, will be taken
away-lose its advantages. So dead pro-
fessor will be cast out
So also the fruit bearing branches are
purged, cleansed, as by trials, to make them
more fruitful (See as proofs and examples
Rev. iii, 10; Heb xii, IL; II Pet. i, 81 This
is the training we need.
v. s. The disciples had been trained
"clean"-so as to be fit for their place
through the teaching he had given them.
They were engrafted, had believed his word,
and been in part made good spiritual men by
it. (See Pet. i, 22)
V. T. That this is the meaning is clear from
v. 4, in connection with V. 2. keep believ-
ing what have told you; SO let me by my
words abide in you" This word from him
in them is counterpart of the union between
branch and. stem in the vine. Cut off the
branch and there is no fruit. Take Gods
word out of mems hearts and they obey self,
the world and the devil. See John iii, "a
and Gal. ii, 20.e
V. 5. emphasizes this and drops the figure,
"without me-" etc. See Hos. xiv, 8, from
me is thy fruit found" Take, as an example
of this, Paul in Phil. 1, II.
V. 6 expands the idea of v. 2, "taketh
away" They need not wonder at Judas
course. When a man, no matter what he
professed, no longer believes in Christ's word,
he no more does Christ's work. He is like
the withered, dead branches which men
gather and burn (See Matt iii, 10) On the
other hand
V. n, if they have his word in them, they
are of one mind with him and shall ask and
get what they viii. 1t is safe to give this
privilege to those who believe as God says.
1t is like leaving the keys with a son or true
servant. "He will do nothing but what I
would do" says the trusting parent or master.
" 8 is to be read thus: II have been glori-
flying my Father on the earth, but, as you
know, am going away. You remain here;
as you preach, live and work as l have done,
you glorify my Father, and will thus be seen
20 be my disciples-to be continuing what l
had in hand, under my teaching" (See Phil
l. II and John viii, 81 Then our Lord gives
instructions as to duty, privilege and encour-
agement in the place which he has shown
them they are to occupy.
V "The Father loved me, made me his
representative to men so 1 have loved you
and make you my representatives. Continue
ye in my love- (See Jude xx, 219 So good
father dying might say to his boys, "You
know how loved you, and what wished TO
have you be and do. Keep on that same line
always"
v. 10 expands this idea. The way to abide
in the Saviour's love is to do his will. So
Jesus, as Gods righteous servant" abode In
his love- He could look up and say, Not
my will but thine be done" 1.-THE cup that
my Father hath given me shall, 1 not drink
itp So are they to do
V. IL. He was going away. His presence
gave them joy, but if they kept His words in
their hearts and did them, His "joy"-the JOY
His presence gave them-would continue
theirs and be full. 1t made Stephens face
shine. 1t made Paul and Silas sing praises in
prison. 1t made saints glory in tribulation
"Joy in the Holy Ghost"-the same thing-is
the third element in the kingdom OF God
within men Rom. xiv, IN.
v. IL Branches in the same vine are some
thing to one another. So Gods servants