John 15: The Fruitless Branches

John 15.1-17 recounts a portion of Jesus' final discourse to the apostles. Therein, He speaks of Himself as the vine and them as branches, and He exhorts them to abide in him by love and thus bear much fruit. But He also speaks of branches in Himself who do not bear fruit. These are broken off, cast into the fire, and burned. Calvin in his Commentaries takes the branches that are cast off to be those who apparently within the vine, but are not so in reality. By contrast, Steve Wilkins asserts that the branches cast into the fire were people savingly united to Christ (in a covenantal sense) but who later apostasized.

This post will argue that Calvin's reading fits more nearly with the story that John tells. The branches that are broken off and burned are ones who, like Judas, were in Christ's circle but who never believed.

click to toggle John 15.1-17

John 15.1-17 (ESV):

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Calvin says of this passage,

As some men corrupt the grace of God, others suppress it maliciously, and others choke it by carelessness, Christ intends by these words to awaken anxious inquiry, by declaring that all the branches which shall be unfruitful will be cut off from the vine But here comes a question. Can any one who is engrafted into Christ be without fruit? I answer, many are supposed to be in the vine, according to the opinion of men, who actually have no root in the vine Thus, in the writings of the prophets, the Lord calls the people of Israel his vine, because, by outward profession, they had the name of The Church.

-- Calvin, Commentaries, John 15.1-6

However, in "The Federal Vision", Steve Wilkins explicates John 15 in this way:

Jesus here declares that He is the vine and His hearers are branches united to Him. He then exhorts them to continue abiding in Him so that they might bear fruit. If they refuse to abide in Him, they will be fruitless and incur the wrath of the Divine husbandman and, finally, will be cast into the fire. Here, then, we have those who are joined to Christ in a vital union (i.e., a union that could and should be fruitful) and yet who end up cursed and condemned.

Often this passage is interpreted along these lines: There are two kinds of branches. Some branches are not really in Christ "in a saving way," but only in an external sense -- whatever fruit they bear is not genuine and they will eventually be destroyed. Other branches are truly joined to Christ inwardly and savingly, and they bear more and more fruit as they are pruned and cultivated by the Father...

The Calvinist embraces this implausible interpretation because he (understandably) does not want to deny election, effectual calling, or the perseverance of the saints. The exegetical problems one must embrace with this position, however, are nearly insurmountable. If the branches are not truly joined to the vine, how can they be held accountable for their lack of fruit? The distinction of "external" and "internal" union seems to be invented and is not in the text. All can and should be fruitful. The pressure to preserve the Scriptural teaching of God's sovereignty in salvation ought not be allowed to push us to deny these obvious points. But in order to resist this pressure the text must be interpreted as it is intended to be interpreted -- i.e., covenantally.

-- Wilkins, "The Federal Vision", 62-63.

Wilkins' understanding rests in the belief that the phrase "in me" (v.2) refers to vital union with Christ, much as the Pauline phrase "in Christ." Because they have union with Christ, therefore all of the branches have, roughly speaking, equal access to the resources of Christ. It is possible for any of them to bear fruit. They have all been saved, at least in the historical, covenantal sense.

Let us consider now the gospel within which this passage sits. John's gospel is notable for its binary imagery. For John, there is light, and there is darkness (1.4-5,8-9; 3.19-21; ch. 9; 12.35,36,46). The two are at war, but darkness is unable to prevail over the light (1.5).[1]

Likewise, there are those who believe and those who do not believe. The ones who believe receive eternal life and become children of God (1.12, 3.1-21, 4.13-14, 5.24, etc.). Those who do not believe remain under God's wrath (3.36) and subsequently perish.

Further, belief itself is dictated by the decrees of God (6.35-40,44), so that no one can come except by the drawing of Father; and all who do come will not be cast out.

These categories are binary in that there is no middle ground, no third kingdom to which one may belong. We can see the binary categories at work in passages like John 8.31-59, in which Jesus excludes the middle, declaring that those who thought themselves children of Abraham are actually children of Satan as evidenced by the works they do.

But along with the binary categories, John also creates a certain amount of paradox. Jesus comes to "his own", but they do not receive him (1.11). Certain of the Jews "believe" in Jesus, yet they are of Satan (8.31ff.). And most significantly, Judas, one of Jesus' own chosen (6.70), is an unbeliever (6.64). These various paradoxes are resolved as the story develops. Those who were God's own according to the flesh reveal their nature as the Light shines on them. The supposed children of Abraham reveal their true father. Judas reveals himself at the Supper to be Christ's betrayer.

Now as we consider John 15, it is clear that Wilkins' reading is entirely out of place in John's story. Rather than understanding "in me" as synonymous with Paul's phrase, it makes much more sense to read those "in Jesus" as like those who are "his own", who "believe", who "are chosen" -- and yet, from the start, are of the darkness rather than the light.

Certain features within John 15 demand this reading also. The same binary pattern appears here. Branches broken off are branches who bear no fruit at all. By contrast, Jesus declares to the apostles that he has chosen and appointed them to bear fruit that will last. Hence, Jesus allows only two categories: the fruit-bearers and the fruitless. There is no mention of branches who bear some fruit, then cease bearing, as would be required by Wilkins' reading.

Most importantly, directly after the warning concerning branches broken off, Jesus declares, "you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." (v. 3) This declaration is a direct allusion to the evening's previous conversation in chapter 13. There, after Jesus has washed the disciples' feet, Peter asks Jesus to wash his entire body, understanding that the washing is symbolic of cleansing from sin. Jesus replies:

The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you. For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean." (13.10-11)

After this conversation, the Last Supper occurs, Judas departs, and then Jesus begins a dialogue in chapter 14 that continues into 15 and beyond.

Notable about 15.3 then, are these features:

(1) The juxtaposition of 15.2 and 15.3: "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you." Somehow, Jesus' declaration of cleanliness is intended to clarify or qualify the warning concerning branches.

(2) The linguistic connection between 15.2 and 15.3. The branches that are "pruned" in 15.2 are καθαιρει, cleansed or pruned, in order to become more fruitful. The apostles in 15.3 are declared already clean or pure, καθαροι.[2]

[Note 2007.12.09 -- the original post was incorrect, citing "καθαρει" (a verb that doesn't exist, AFAIK!). The verb καθαιρεω (to prune, clean) in v. 2 is not directly related in meaning to καθαριζω (to purify) which is the root in v. 3. However, the similarity in meaning and sound strongly suggests that Jesus is making a pun here. Hence, the general point still stands, but is not as strong as I previously believed.]

(3) The change from 13.11. With Judas departed from the scene, Jesus no longer qualifies that "not all of you are clean." By this shift in language, He confirms to them that the unclean one, the betrayer, was indeed the one who shared the morsel (13.30) and departed.[3]

(4) The living parable taking place as he speaks. Who is it that has failed to abide in Jesus, and is in the process of being cast away and burned? Judas.

Now, this is not to say that Jesus is speaking only of Judas; certainly, he is making a general pronouncement. But the purpose of that pronouncement is not to "hold them accountable" for bearing fruit. Rather, it is to "make their joy complete." (15.11) How? By encouraging them that they are already appointed to bear much fruit. By telling them how to bear fruit. And by declaring to them that, unlike the branch who failed to abide, they are already clean. Contrary to Wilkins' assertion that "if [his hearers] refuse to abide in Him, they will be fruitless" (62), Jesus has already begun the pruning process so that they will be even more fruitful.

At the same time, he is allowing that there are branches that are, apparently, in him, yet who are not clean. These branches are revealed over time because they fail to bear fruit. As with all of the other binary categories in John, these branches are unfruitful from the beginning.

So while Jesus is not speaking only of Judas, the branch he is using as an example is certainly Judas. And like Judas, the unfruitful branches are "in him", but are never of him.

Consider now the two exegetical questions raised by Steve Wilkins in his analysis:

If the branches are not truly joined to the vine, how can they be held accountable for their lack of fruit?

They are held accountable because they did not believe from the beginning, and the wrath of God remains on them. Must God give equal opportunities to all in order to hold all men accountable?

Contrariwise: If branches bear no fruit at all, how can we say that they have been "vitally joined" to Christ? And, if all branches have been vitally joined, what is the difference between the ones that do bear fruit and the ones who do not? This last question suggests that one must either stipulate a different type of joining for the fruitless branches, or else abandon monergism.

The distinction of "external" and "internal" union seems to be invented and is not in the text.

Granted: the terms "external" and "internal" are not in the text. But the concept that one belongs to God nominally, or to outward appearances, or according to the flesh, without actually being a child of God, is strewn liberally throughout John. Judas is his chief example.

Contrariwise: If Wilkins' exegesis is correct, then we are required to go back and re-read all of the passages in John promising that no believer will be lost or cast out or snatched away from Christ. These passages are no longer absolute, despite appearances. Rather, they are contingent on ... what, exactly? Our efforts? God's willingness to maintain us? The first would be Arminian; the second would accuse Christ of receiving people as His children and then deliberately losing them.

From these considerations, it is clear that Calvin's reading accords with the story that John is telling. His is a story of two kingdoms, a story of those who are saved by belief over against those who appear to believe but reveal their true natures through their fruit.

JRC

1 In John 1.5, "comprehend" is ambiguous both in English and Greek, but the ESV is probably correct here.
2 I am indebted to Jeff Moss for pointing out this connection.
3 In 13.30, the different themes converge: Judas finally reveals his true nature, the clean and the unclean are separated, and it is night.

For Further Reading:

Bob Mattes
Lane Keister -- This post contains a number of comments from John Barach and other FV folk; the approach is more nuanced than Wilkins'.
Rich Lusk
Mark Horne -- not on John 15, but a somewhat different take on obedience and assurance from Wilkins'. Read more...