The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-05-04

The ' ne and the Branches
here is another example of how
Jesus loved His disciples to the end.
He was within an hour of his betrayal.
but His thoughts were upon His fol-
lowers, not upon Himself. He knows
how soon and cruelty His enemies will
close in upon Himself, but He uses
the last hour to confirm His apOs-
ties. The parable of the Vine is one
means. 1t is the affirmation of per-
petual and close union, in spite of i'm
pending and violent separation.
There are some who believe that
after the supper and before the agony
in the garden, Jesus spent some hours
of the night with His disciples in the
temple. If so, the igure of the vine
may have been suggested by the gol-
den vine which Herod the Great had
placed there above the golden gate;
or some vineyard on the road may
have given the hint. 1t is not neces-
sary, however, to imagine any imme-
diate suggestion, as the vine was the
national emblem, woven everywhere
into prophecy, song, and other liter
ature of Israel. 1t was also one of
the most familiar and beautiful of ma
tural objects, the king of fruits in
Palestine, source of wealth, joy, and
strength to the people. In every re-
spect it was worthy of the dignified
and emblematic use Jesus made of it
on this occasion.
Jesus opened His parable with a
majestic ego, 81 am the Vine, ye are
the branches" 1t is as if He had said,
LAS you surround Me now and hang
upon Me, so shall it be and much
more so, even when | am bodily
absent from you" But His language
has much wider sweep than that
which would embrace the little com
pany OF His disciples then present.
In this figure of speech, asserts in
the strongest possible manner His
fundamental relation to humanity.
He is sole Source of spiritual life and
fruitfulness. Abiding in the stock
Jesus and pIuned by the husband
man (the Father, the branches Cthe
disciples liye and bear fruit. Verse.
H. Apart from the stool, the branches
wither. Verse ), g. The words of
Jesus are the instrument by means of
which the branch ispruned. His eX-
ample and ideals of character and
duty apprehended, admired, and real
lied make genuine disciples, whose
lives honor and commend the God
they serve Verse s. He whose de-
liberate and perpetual choice is to
maintain a vital union with Christ,
and who to this end treasures His
words in memory, is in the way of Sc
curing the things that are needfu for
his growth, comfort, and usefuln ess.
Verse o. The love of Christ for His
disciples in analogous in greatness,
fervency, and consistency to the love
which the Father has for the Son. \
measurement SItdI DeS OlI dll iHlLS
comprehension. Verse 10.D In con
clusion Jesus defines His object in
speaking these words to His disciples.
1t is that His JOY may remain i'll them.
As the fellowship of the Son with the
Father gives Him infinite delight, so
the conscious union of the disciple
with the Master is source of blissful
content. Up to the measurement of
the disciples capacity it can fill him
with joy. Verse H.
1t wonld be difficult to conceive of
tiguratiye language used more skill
fully or powerfully. The figure is eX-
tended in every possible way. The
analogy being drawn out at every
practicable point The substance of
it is the assertion of the spiritual
oneness of Jesus and His followers,
and His relation to them as Source of
spiritual life and fruitfulness.
The Teachers Lantern.
At the very moment of impending
separation, Jesus speaks to His dlsci-
pies of a union which they might
maintain with Him as intimate and
persistent as that which maintains
between branches and vine. 1t was
another way of saying to them, Let
not your heart be troubled"
y = = = =
Men are joined to Christ, not as
branches which shoot from the vine,
but as those which are grated into
it. Crafts must be so joined to the
stock as to make a vital union. Mere
mechanical union is insufficient. In
nature good scions are grated into
poorer stocks. In grace the poor, sin
full scions are grated into Christ, the
true and'good stock.
- &
No one must be contented with be-
ing merely grated into Christ. There
must be the ambition for abundant
fruitfulness. Failure in this point