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John 15:1-8
 | Reading the Text:
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| Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
 | The
Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto. |
| Comparative World Scriptures from United
Communities of Spirit:
The Living Presence. |
|
"Ask, Seek, Knock," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of
the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C.
Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation. |
|
XLVI.17-24;
Tatian's
Diatessaron
(c. 150-160). |
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I.8, Paedagogus,
Clement of Alexandria (c 200) |
|
Chapter
XXV, Against Praxeas,
Tertullian
(c. 213) |
|
I.23,
I.33, Commentary
on the Gospel of John,
Origen.
(c.228) |
|
X.21, Commentary
on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St.
Gregory Nazianzen],
Origen.
(c.230) |
|
Epistle LXII
--
Cyprian of Carthage (c.
253) |
|
XI.13, Commentary
on the Gospel of Matthew,
Origen. (c.247) |
| From Augustine's Tractates on John:
 |
Tractate 80
(15:1-3)
| "For as the vine and its branches are of one nature, therefore, His own
nature as God being different from ours, He became man, that in Him human nature might be
the vine, and we who also are men might become branches thereof." |
|
|
Tractate 81
(15:4-7)
| "And so their having Christ abiding in them, and abiding themselves in
Christ, are in both respects advantageous, not to Christ, but to the disciples. For when
the branch is cut off, another may spring up from the living root; but that which is cut
off cannot live apart from the root." |
|
|
Tractate 82
(14:8-10)
| "Love brings about the keeping of His commandments; but does the keeping of
His commandments bring about love?" |
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|
| From the Geneva Notes.
| "Whoever rests in Christ's doctrine abides in him, and therefore brings
forth good fruit, and the Father will not deny anything to such a person as
this." |
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| From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
| "From a vine we look for grapes, and from a Christian we look for a
Christian temper, disposition, and life." |
|
| From
Wesley's Notes.
| "If any one abide not in me - By living faith; not by Church communion
only." |
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| From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
| "As all spiritual fruitfulness had been ascribed to the mutual inhabitation,
and living, active interpenetration (so to speak) of Christ and His disciples, so
here the keeping up of this vital connection is made essential to continued
fruitfulness." |
|
| From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
| "On the table, from whence
they had just risen, was the 'fruit of the vine,' and the Lord had said he would never
drink it again upon the earth." |
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| Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
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Comments
(commentary) and
Clippings
(technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican
Diocese of Montreal. |
|
"First
Thoughts on Year B Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Easter 5,"
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
| "The image of the tree, vine
or plant is a rich source for spiritual reflection. It invites us to
sense the divine as beneath us, rising up, rather than above us
condescending." |
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|
Gospel Analysis,
Pastor Edward Markquart, Sermons from
Seattle, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. Detailed background and exegesis. |
|
Marginally Mark, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western
Australia. |
| Exegetical
Notes by Brian Stoffregen, at CrossMarks.
| "Faith is always changing.
Even though one is connected to the true vine. Even though one's
faith is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. Though the "root"
of one's faith never changes, but from year to year one's faith
needs pruning by God. Maybe some old habits or thoughts or attitudes
or behaviors need to die, so that, through the power of Jesus, even
more fruit will be produced in one's life." |
|
|
Exegesis,
Easter 5B,
by Richard Donovan at lectionary.org.
| "When asked to measure our
fruitfulness, we look to baptisms -- attendance at worship -- funds raised
for a new building -- or other statistics. True fruitfulness, however,
flows from our abiding relationship with Jesus and the Spirit whom Jesus
promises (v. 26)." |
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|
Sermon
Preparation Thoughts and Questions by Wesley White, 2006. |
|
"Your Purpose
in Life,"
Preacher's Magazine, 2006: Listening to the Text,
Engaging the Text, Preaching the Text. |
|
"Connection,"
Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This
Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's Story, Family Activity, Support
Materials.
| "Do you consider yourself a team player
or a loner? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of
person?" |
|
|
Wellspring of
the Gospel, Easter 5B, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn
Turner, Weekly Wellsprings.
| "Take a trip to a vineyard if you can
- or a garden centre - and learn about growing vines." |
|
|
"Mighty Maid," poetry on John 15:1-8, by Sr. Christine Schenk,
National Catholic Reporter, 1999. |
| John
15:1-8, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary's An
Exegetical Study of the Common Lectionary, coordinated by Prof.
John E. Alsup, features rough translation, disposition, immediate context,
broader context, hermeneutical bridge, and contemporary address. |
|
"Abiding Love," William Brosend, The Christian Century, 2000. At
Religion Online.
| "The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich
Nhat Hanh has helped me as much as anyone (except perhaps Brother
Lawrence) to understand what it means to practice the presence of God, to
abide with Christ." |
|
|
"Abide
in Me..." F. Dean Lueking, The Christian Century, 1998.
At Religion Online.
| "'To abide' has to do with
persevering, continuing, lasting, staying with it. No wonder the
term is rare. What it means is rare, in this or any time." |
|
|
"Abiding, Even Under the Knife," Walter Wink, The Christian Century,
1994.
| "WHAT DOES IT mean, 'to abide'? Deep
strata of memory are excavated by those words: a former piety, a
profound but now defunct Christ mysticism, prayer without ceasing,
attempts to implant myself in God and an entire libretto of frozen
feelings, from 'I tried that' to 'pious claptrap' to 'let's get on with
living in the real world.'" |
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|
Commentary
by Hall Harris at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
| "There are numerous Old Testament
passages which refer to Israel as a vine: Ps. 80:8-16, Isa. 5:1-7, Jer. 2:21, Ezek.
15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos. 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even
appeared on some coins issued by the Maccabees." |
|
| "Abiding
in Christ (John 15)," by Robert Deffinbaugh at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
| "The nature of the relationship
between Christ and His followers was to change from a physical one to that which was
spiritual, and the means of sustaining this kind of relationship are described for
us." |
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|
"Eating and Bearing Fruit," Dale
Fletcher, Faith and Health Connection. |
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| Articles & Background:
|
"Worship in
the Fourth Gospel: A Cultural Interpretation of John 14-17," Jerome H.
Neyrey, Biblical Theology Bulletin, 2006.
| "...the personnel of worship are
clearly defined: the Patron Father who bestows benefaction on his clients
by means of Jesus, the Broker. Jesus, in turn, brokers the concerns of the
clients to the Patron. Finally, the household with many rooms is not space
out of the world, but relationships brokered by Jesus." |
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| Reviews:
|
Review:
L. Scott Kellum, The Unity of the Farewell
Discourse: The Literary Integrity of John 13.31-16.33.
T&T Clark, 2004. Review by Joseph Matos in SBL's Review of Biblical
Literature. |
|
Review:
George L. Parsenios, Departure and Consolation: The Johannine Farewell
Discourse in Light of Greco-Roman Literature. Brill, 2005. Review by Jan
van der Watt, Review of Biblical Literature, 2007. |
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| Sermons:
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"Well-Connected Christians," the Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, Day 1,
2006. |
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"Much
Fruit," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Sermons from Seattle, 2006. |
|
"The Branches,"
Easter 5 - 14 May 2006,
Luke Bouman, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the
RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors. |
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"The Vine and the Branches," Dr N.T. Wright. A sermon at the Eucharist
on the Fifth Sunday of Easter, 2003, Westminster Abbey.
| "The contemporary quest for
spirituality can often appear very self-centred, with me and my religious
awareness, me and my spiritual interiority, taking centre stage. The image
of the vine, while inviting us to a depth of spirituality unmatched
elsewhere, sets that personal quest within the larger context of the
family of God, stretching through time from Abraham to the present day and
beyond, and through space from the Middle East in the first century to the
four corners of the earth today, and in the context of the vocation of
that family not merely to enjoy intimacy with the living God but to
discover that intimacy in the course of being obedient to an outgoing
vocation, to bear fruit for him in his world." |
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"The Key Ingredients for a Fine Wine," L.
Gregory Bloomquist, Saint Paul University, Ottawa. |
|
Father
Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and
Homily
|
| The Vine and its Fruit - John 15:1-11, Ray C. Stedman.
Text or
Real Audio. |
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| With Children:
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"A Branch on the Tree, or a Stick in the Mud?"
Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com. |
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"The Vine,"
"Jesus
the Vine," Fr. Max Bowers, Kids Church. |
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"The Mighty Oak Soccer Team,"
children's story by Larry Broding, word-sunday.com. |
|
"Jesus Is the
True Vine," Sunday School
Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc. |
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"The True Vine,"
children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian
Center. |
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| Drama: |
| Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
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Clip Art,
John 15:5, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators. |
| Clip Art Images:
John 15:1-8,
Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú. |
|
John 15:1-8, at
Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration.
Liberation emphasis. |
| Commercial Site:
The Work of the People - John 15:1-9 - Films/Visual Liturgy based on RCL
texts. |
|
John 15:1,
John 15:1,
John
15:1-17,
John
15:2,
John
15:8, Heartlight - Free Christian PowerPoint Backgrounds. |
|
Fruitful,
Reverend Fun Cartoon, gospelcom.net. Check for printing
permissions at right-hand side of destination page. |
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| Hymns and Music:
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"The True Vine," Linda Dickson and George Mann, SSAATB choir anthem,
United Methodist Church GBOD. |
|
Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate,
David MacGregor. |
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Hymns with Scripture
Allusions: John 15:4, 5. The Cyber Hymnal. |
|
Hymnal
Scripture References, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship. |
| At Digital Hymnal (midi files, guitar chords, karaoke
files, projection text):
|
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| Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's
Art Index: |
| Movies scenes with the following themes,
listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
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| Study Links and Resources for the
Book of John |
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