FRUITLESS BRANCHES

The extended metaphor of the vine and the branches in John 15 deals with fruit bearing through abiding in Christ.  The word "fruit" (καρπος) is used 8 times in verses 1-16.  The word "abide" (μενω) is used 11 times in verses 1-16.  To "abide" means to remain or continue. Branches produce fruit by remaining connected to the vine.  The life flowing from Jesus (the Vine) produces the fruit in believers (the branches.).

Jesus is speaking about real believers. The Father is the gardener. Jesus is the vine and believers are the branches. Jesus says that the gardener will take action regarding "every branch in Me that does not bear fruit" (John 15:2). The branches, Jesus says, are "in Me" (εν εμοι). A branch is not a branch if it is not "in Me," Jesus says. He is speaking only about branches that are in union with Jesus. Every branch in the metaphor is connected to Christ. Jesus is not talking about branches from other vines.  These branches are all from His vine. Therefore, all branches in this metaphor are genuine believers.

Some branches, Jesus implies, are not bearing fruit (μη φερον καρπον). Bearing (φερον) is an attributive participle describing fruit (καρπον). An attributive participle is used to attribute a characteristic or an action to the noun it modifies (Blass Debrunner, Grammar, p.212). The resulting clause explains the branch. The branch Jesus is talking about is a "not bearing fruit" branch.  Since all branches are in Christ, this fruitless branch is a fruitless believer.

The participle "bearing" (φερον) is a present active participle.  The branch is not actively producing fruit, and the branch is not currently producing fruit. The time of the participle is connected to the time of the main verb. The main verb in this case is also a present tense verb (αιρει). Therefore, the time of the the participle is present time. The Christian in view is not presently bearing fruit. Jesus is not considering a person who has never borne fruit. A professing - not genuine - Christian would never have borne any fruit. Jesus is not talking about such a person here. He is talking about a believer who is not currently producing fruit not an unbeliever who pretended to produce fruit.

There are 3 conclusions we can draw from this opening clause in the metaphor. 1) All branches (believers) are united with Christ. 2) Jesus intends that every believer will bear fruit. 3) Believers, at times, become fruitless, and that  fruitlessness must be addressed by the gardener.  What the gardener does to address fruitlessness (vs. 2) will have to await the next blog post!