The vine
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The words I am the true vine belong to a picture speech of Jesus ( Jn 15,1 EU ). It is the last of a series of seven “I am” words of Jesus that are recorded in the Gospel according to John .
content
The parable begins with the metaphorical self-comparison of Christ with the true vine and God the Father with the vine gardener:
It is subsequently interpreted that any branch on this vine that does not bear good fruit will be taken away. Those vines that bear fruit, on the other hand, are cleansed so that they bear more fruit. Then the picture is explicitly expanded to include the disciples who are asked to abide in Christ and bear fruit there. Just as a single vine is incapable of bearing fruit of its own accord, so the disciples are incapable of bearing fruit of itself. In the 5th verse the statements are summarized centrally:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him brings much fruit; because you can't do anything without me. "
In the following verses it is explained what the consequences are when a disciple turns away from Christ or remains in Christ. This is followed by a short explanation about love and a request to love one another.
interpretation
By using the image of the true vine , Jesus expresses the claim that in his person is fulfilled what the people of Israel according to Psalm 80 : 9-14 LU , Isaiah 5: 1-7 LU and Jeremiah 2.21 LU is should be. The image used here again reminds us to remain in a religious bond with Jesus. This connectedness is emphasized as the basis for fruiting and named as a condition for answering prayer. In this fruiting lies the real meaning of discipleship, since through it God the Father is glorified.
The aspect of judgment ("Every branch of me that bears no fruit he will take away; and each that bears fruit he will cleanse so that it should bear more fruit." Verse 2) is softened by the following word of consolation. Christ's followers are already clean, but owe their purity not to themselves but to the word of Jesus. The election was not made by the disciples, but by Christ (compare verse 16). The connection with Jesus, that is, faith, is the prerequisite for fruiting .
reception
Taking up verses from the parable, Heinrich Schütz created the six-part motet I am a right vine (No. 21; SWV 389) in the Geistliche Chormusik (1648 ).
In Johann Sebastian Bach's cantata Der Himmel laughs! The earth is jubilant (BWV 31) at Easter 1715 it says in the tenor recitative (No. 5): “The vine that is now in bloom does not bear dead branches! The tree of life lets its branches live! ” Salomon Franck wrote the text .
The song Ich bin der Weinstock by Hildegard Enders is also based on Joh 15,1–8.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Stuttgart Explanatory Bible. 2nd edition, German Bible Society, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-438-01121-2 , p. 1359.
- ↑ The Bible with Explanations. 3rd edition, Evangelische Haupt-Bibelgesellschaft, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-7461-0069-0 .
- ↑ Text of the cantata “Heaven laughs! the earth is jubilant "(BWV 31)
- ↑ Come on, take a deep breath - song book for the community, 2011, fourth edition, July 2012, ISBN 978-3-00-034877-8