"No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine."
A sense of urgency intensifies inside the stuffy, crowded room. Jesus has just a few more hours to prepare his disciples for the tumult that lies ahead. These are his closest friends in the world, and he is about to leave them. What will happen to Jesus' little band after his departure? He foresees fierce opposition and hatred, beatings and executions. The disciples will face all these trials on his behalf, without his physical presence to protect them.
As he has done so often before, Jesus reaches for an allegory, a parable from nature, to drive home his point. Just outside Jerusalem rows of vineyards cover the hills- probably, he and his disciples have walked through them on their way to the city- and Jesus summons up two images from those vineyards.
First, he uses the image of lush, juicy grapes. Not long before, the disciples were drinking the product of those grapes while listening to Jesus' deeply symbolic words about the blood of the covenant. In order to bear fruit, Jesus says, one thing is essential: They must remain in intimate connection with the vine. Jesus also reminds the Twelve that he has handpicked them for a specific mission: "to go and bear fruit- fruit that will last."
Then Jesus mentions one more image: a pile of dead sticks at the edge of the vineyard. Somehow these branches have lost their connection with the vine, their sole source of nourishment. A farmer has cut them off and thrown them in a heap to be burned. They no longer have a useful function.
Most likely, Jesus' disciples do not understand everything this night. But the symbolism, with its abrupt contrast between juicy grapes and withered branches, will stay with them. The spectacular history of the early church- the fruit of Jesus' work- gives certain proof.
1 comment:
My connection to the Source of Life is the determining factor for growth in mine.
Post a Comment