Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THE TRUE VINE

This entry was posted on 09-24-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

"I am the true vine..." (John 15:1).

What is the significance of Jesus claiming to be the true vine? Bear with me on this. In the O.T., the nation of Israel was pictured as the vine or vineyard of God. "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel" (Isa. 5:7). "I (God) planted you (Israel) as a noble vine" (Jer. 2:21). "You (God) have brought a vine out of Egypt" (Psa. 80:8). That would be Israel in the Exodus. But the symbol of Israel as a vine in the O.T. is nearly always used in a negative sense (see Isa. 5:1-7). The vine ran wild and produced inferior fruit. When Jesus says, "I am the true vine" He is implying that Judaism had failed to accomplish what the Father wanted to accomplished.

So along comes Jesus who claims that He is the "true vine." Where Israel had failed, He would succeed. The Jews who entered the Temple in Jesus' day saw a beautiful carving of a lush vine, the visible symbol of Israel, on its very gates. Connect the dots. Jesus walks through those gates and declares that He, Jesus of Nazareth, is the true vine. One could say, "The Divine Vine." How audacious for Jesus to say the he was the "true vine" if He was not! But He was. And is. Christ is the divine vine from whom all spiritual sustenance flows, empowering the branches to bear much fruit!

Hymn: "'I am the vine and ye are the branches,' Bear precious fruit for Jesus today; Branches in Him no fruit ever bearing, Jesus hath said, 'He taketh away.'" (Knowles Shaw)

Prayer: