vine; so neither can you, if you don’t remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. As long as you remain in me and I in you,
you bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown away, as they do with branches,
and they wither. Then they are gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you
may ask whatever you want, and it will be given to you. My Father is glorified when you bear much fruit: it is then that you become my disciples.
Reflection:
Jesus compares the relationship between himself
and a disciple to the relation between vine and the
branches. Why does he choose the example of vine? Well, he
ordinarily uses examples from the everyday living contexts
of his listeners so that they can easily understand his message.
Yet another possible reason is the unique relation vine has with
its branches. Unlike other plants or trees, there is no definable,
distinguishable break between vine and its branches. You never
know where the stem ends and the branch begins. The stem IS
the branch. Anyone who is in Christ is so: There is no definable
point in him or her where Christ ends and the other begins.
When we abide in him, it is Christ who abides in us all the way. This
is what impelled Paul to say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ
who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022