Thomas Aquinas

In this discourse the Lord intended especially to strengthen the minds of the disciples against two things: namely, against one thing that was imminent in the present, which was his Passion; and another that was feared for the future, namely the tribulation that was to come upon them. Hence against these two things he had said to them, "let not your heart be troubled," as to the first, "nor let it be afraid," as to the second. Therefore, after he had strengthened them concerning his departure, here he strengthens them against the tribulations that were to come upon them, and first he sets before them a certain likeness; second, from that likeness he proceeds to his intended point, at "now you are clean." Now the likeness is of the vine and the husbandman. Hence he first sets forth the vine; second he introduces the husbandman; third he commends the husbandman's care concerning the branches.

But the vine is he himself; hence he says by way of a certain likeness, "I am the vine," because just as the vine, although it may seem lowly, nevertheless surpasses all other trees in the sweetness of its fruit, so Christ, even though he seemed lowly to the world—because he was poor and seemed of no repute and bore reproach—nevertheless brought forth the sweetest fruits; according to that word of the Song of Songs 2:3: "his fruit is sweet to my throat." And therefore Christ is the vine bringing forth wine that inebriates within, which is the wine of compunction; Psalm 59:5: "you have given us to drink the wine of compunction." Again, a wine that strengthens, namely of our refreshment; above, John 6:56: "my blood is drink indeed." For so above he compared himself to a grain of wheat, because his flesh is truly food.

This is that vine of which it is said in Genesis 40:9: "I saw before me a vine having three branches"—that is, Christ, in whom there are three substances, namely body and soul and divinity. This is also the vine of which Jacob speaks in Genesis (the second-to-last chapter), 49:11: "you shall bind your ass, my son, to the vine"—that is, the Church.

But this vine is true. Here it must be known that "true" is sometimes distinguished against the merely apparent, as a true man is distinguished from a painted man; sometimes against the corrupted, as vinegar is distinguished from wine, because it is corrupted wine. This, then, which is said, "I am the true vine," is taken in the second way, so that he may distinguish himself from the corrupted vine, namely from the people of the Jews, of whom it is said in Jeremiah 2:21: "how have you been turned into the bitterness of a strange vine?" And this is so because it did not produce grapes but wild grapes; Isaiah 5:4: "I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes."

But it must be noted that in Christ there is a twofold nature, namely divine and human: and according to the human nature he agrees with us, and is less than the Father; according to the divine nature he agrees with God, and is above us. He is, therefore, the true vine according to this, that he, the man Christ Jesus, is the head of the Church. And this he intimates by introducing the husbandman, who is the Father; hence he says, "and my Father is the husbandman." For if he were the vine according to the divine nature, the Father would be a vine just as the Son is; but since it is according to the human nature that he is the vine, therefore the Father stands to him as a husbandman to a vine. He himself also, insofar as he is God, is the husbandman.

Now one is called a "husbandman" from cultivation; hence also the vinedresser, insofar as he cultivates, is a husbandman. But since to cultivate is to devote care, we cultivate something in two ways. Either so that what we cultivate may be improved: and in this way we cultivate a field, or something of that sort. In another way, so that we ourselves may be improved through it; and in this way a man cultivates wisdom. God, therefore, cultivates us so that we may be made better by his work, insofar as he uproots the bad seeds from our hearts. He opens our heart with the plough of his word; he plants the seeds of the precepts; he gathers the fruit of piety, as Augustine says. We, however, cultivate him so that we may be made better through him, but this by worshiping, not by ploughing; above, John 9:31: "if any man be a worshiper of God ... him he hears."

The Father, then, is the husbandman of this vine for the good of another. For he himself plants it; Jeremiah 2:21: "I planted you a chosen vineyard, all true seed." He himself gives the increase; 1 Corinthians 3:6: "I planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase," because God alone increases inwardly and makes fruitful: however much man may cooperate outwardly, it is he who guards and preserves; in Matthew 21:33 and Isaiah 5:2 it is said that he built a tower in the vineyard and surrounded it with a hedge.

Now the husbandman's care is directed to two things: to the vine and to the branches. But the vine of which we speak here was perfect, not needing the husbandman's care; hence the whole of the husbandman's care was to be devoted to the branches, and therefore he says, "every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he will take it away." Now the branches are of the nature of the vine: hence those who cleave to Christ are the branches of this vine; Ezekiel 17:6: "it became a vine in spreading branches."

Concerning this, then, he does two things. First he sets down this husbandman's care concerning the bad branches; second, concerning the good branches. Now his care concerning the bad ones is that they be cut off from the vine; hence he says "every branch"—that is, every believer—"not bearing fruit," namely on the vine, "in me," without whom nothing can bear fruit, "he will take it away," namely from the vine. From which it appears that some are cut off from Christ not only because they do evil things, but also because they neglect to do good things; 2 Corinthians 6:1: "we exhort you that you receive not the grace of God in vain." Hence the Apostle said of himself, 1 Corinthians 15:10: "by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace in me has not been void." And in Matthew 25:28 it is said that the talent was taken away from him who did not make fruit from it, but hid it; in Luke 13:7 the lord commanded the barren fig tree to be cut down.

Now his care concerning the good branches is that they be fostered so as to bear more fruit; hence he says, "and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit." For literally, in a natural vine it happens that a branch having many shoots bears less fruit because the moisture is diffused among all of them, and therefore cultivators, so that it may bear more fruit, purge it of the superfluous shoots. So it is in man. For if a man well disposed and joined to God inclines his affection to diverse things, his power is diminished, and he becomes less effective for acting well. And hence it is that God, so that he may bear fruit well, frequently cuts away such impediments beforehand and purges him, sending in tribulations and temptations, by which he may become stronger for acting. And therefore he says "he will purge it," even if it already exists pure: because no one in this life is so pure that he does not need to be purged more and more; 1 John 1:8: "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." And this so that it may bring forth more fruit, that is, that he may grow in virtue, so that the more purified they are, the more fruitful they may be; Apocalypse (the last chapter), 22:11: "he that is just, let him be justified still, and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still"; Colossians 1:6: "the word of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit and groweth"; Psalm 83:8: "they shall go from virtue to virtue."

Here from the likeness he pursues his intended point. Now two things were touched upon in the aforesaid likeness in the comparison of the branches to the vine. One is the adherence of the branches to the vine; the second is the purging of the branches. First, therefore, he deals with the adherence; second, with the purging, at "if the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated me before you." Concerning the first, he first admonishes the disciples to adhere to the vine; second, he adduces reasons for adherence, at "as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself," etc.; third, he assigns the manner of adherence, at "as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you."

Concerning the first he does two things. First he calls to their remembrance the benefit they have received; second he admonishes them to remain in him, at "abide in me, and I in you." They have received the benefits of cleansing, hence he says, "now you are clean"; as if to say: I have said such things about the branches; but you are branches already prepared, purged, for bearing fruit, and this on account of the word which I have spoken to you.

For the word of Christ cleanses, first indeed, from errors, by instructing; Titus 1:9: "embracing that faithful word which is according to doctrine, that he may be able to exhort in sound doctrine, and to convince the gainsayers." And this because in the words of God no falsehood is found; Proverbs 8:9: "my words are right." He says, therefore, "you are clean," from Jewish errors.

Second, it cleanses hearts from earthly affections, by inflaming them toward heavenly things. For the word of God, by its power, shakes the heart of man which is weighed down toward earthly things, and from this it is set aflame; Jeremiah 23:29: "are not my words as it were a fire?"

Third, the word of God cleanses from sins, when invoked in Baptism. For men are cleansed in Baptism because the word cleanses in the water; because, as Augustine says: "take away the word, what is water but water? The word is added to the element, and it becomes a sacrament." The word, then, causes the water to touch the body, and to wash the heart. The word, I say, not because it is spoken, but because it is believed. For this word of faith avails so much in the Church that it even cleanses little infants themselves, although they are not able to believe, by the faith of those who believe, who offer, who bless, and who touch them as it is uttered; Matthew (the last chapter), 28:19: "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Fourth, it cleanses through the power of faith; Acts 15:9: "purifying their hearts by faith." He says therefore to them, "you," now instructed, now moved, now baptized, now confirmed in faith, "are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." Above, in the same Gospel: "you are clean, but not all."

But since he had said above that it is the office of the husbandman to purge, by calling his own word purgative he plainly shows himself to be the husbandman. And truly he himself, insofar as he is God, is the cleanser of the branches, and the husbandman.

Here he leads them on to perseverance; as if he were to say: because you are clean, and have received so great a benefit, you ought to persevere in it. Hence he says, "abide in me," through charity—1 John 4:16: "he that abideth in charity abideth in God"—and through participation in the sacraments—above, John 6:57: "he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me." He says, therefore, "abide in me," by receiving grace, "and I in you," by my helping you.

Accordingly, when he says, "as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me," he adduces reasons for adherence, which are four. The first is taken from the sanctification of those who adhere; the second from the punishment of those who do not adhere, at "if any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth"; the third from the attainment of the will of those who adhere, at "if you abide in me ... whatsoever you will, you shall ask, and it shall be done unto you"; the fourth from the glorification of God, at "in this is my Father glorified," and so on.

Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows that adherence to Christ is necessary for bearing fruit; second, that it is effective, at "he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit." Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the likeness; second he shows it to be fitting.

He says, therefore, as to the first: I say that you ought to abide in me in order that you may bear fruit, because, just as the branch—literally, the material branch—cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, from whose root the sap rises for the nourishing of the branches, so too you—understand: you cannot bear fruit unless you abide in me. Abiding in Christ, then, is the reason for fruit-bearing. Hence, of those who do not abide in Christ it is said, Romans 6:21: "what fruit therefore had you then in those things of which you are now ashamed?" Job 15:34: "the congregation of hypocrites is barren."

Now this likeness is fitting: "because I am the vine, and you the branches," as if he were to say: such is your relation to me, as that of branches to the vine. Of these branches it is said in Psalm 79:12: "she stretched forth her branches unto the sea."

Here he shows that abiding in Christ is efficacious, and first he shows its efficacy; second he adds the cause of that efficacy.

He says, therefore, first: I say that not only is man's abiding in me necessary for him to bear fruit, but it is also efficacious; because "he that abideth in me"—by believing, obeying, persevering—"and I in him"—by enlightening, helping, giving perseverance—"the same," and no other, "beareth much fruit." He bears, I say, a threefold fruit in this life. The first is to abstain from sins; Isaiah 27:9: "this is all the fruit, that sin should be taken away." The second is to devote oneself to works of holiness; Romans 6:22: "you have your fruit unto sanctification," and so on. The third fruit is to devote oneself to the edification of others; Psalm 103:13: "the earth shall be filled with the fruit of thy works." He also bears a fourth fruit in eternal life; above, John 4:36: "he gathereth fruit unto life everlasting." This is the last and perfect fruit of our labors; Wisdom 3:15: "glorious is the fruit of good labors."

Now the reason for this efficacy is that "without me you can do nothing." In this he both instructs the hearts of the humble, and stops the mouths of the proud, and especially of the Pelagians, who say that the good works of the virtues and of the law can be done by men of themselves, without the help of God: in which, while they wish to assert free will, they cast it down all the more. For behold, the Lord here says that without him we can do not only great things, but not even the smallest things—indeed, nothing at all. Nor is this strange, since not even God does anything without him; above, John 1:3: "without him was made nothing."

For our works are either by the power of nature, or from divine grace. If by the power of nature, since all the motions of nature are from the Word of God himself, no nature can be moved to do anything without him. But if by the power of grace: since he himself is the author of grace—because "grace and truth were made through Jesus Christ," as is said above, John 1:17—it is manifest that no meritorious work can be done without him; 2 Corinthians 3:5: "not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God." If, then, we cannot even think except from God, much less can we do other things.

Here is set down the second reason for adherence, which is taken from the threat of punishment; because unless we abide in him, we shall not escape punishment. And he sets down five things which aggravate that punishment: of which one pertains to the punishment of loss, namely expulsion from glory; hence he says, "he shall be cast forth." But we sometimes see that in a material vine some branch remains by an outward connection, but not by a participation in the sap: so too some remain in Christ only through faith, yet do not participate in the sap of the vine, because they are not in charity. Hence such will be cast forth, that is, they will be separated from the fellowship of the good; Ezekiel 34: "I will stand, and will separate," and so on.

The second punishment of loss is withering; hence he says, "and shall wither." Hence whatever it had from the root, it will lose, stripped of its help and life. For bad Christians seem to have some greenness; but when they are separated from the saints and from Christ, their dryness will appear; Psalm 21:16: "my strength is dried up like a potsherd."

The third punishment is their association with the wicked; hence he says, "and they shall gather it up," namely the reaping angels, to the wicked; and this indeed is the greatest punishment. For if to be with the wicked even for an hour is a great punishment, how much more to be perpetually with the worst of men and with demons? Isaiah 24:22: "they shall be gathered together as in the gathering of one bundle into the pit"; Matthew 13:30: "gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn."

The fourth punishment is of sense; hence he says, "and cast into the fire," namely the eternal fire; Ezekiel 15:2, 4: "what shall be done with the wood of the vine? ... behold, it is given to the fire for fuel." For pieces of wood, if they do not remain on the vine, are more contemptible than other wood; but if they remain on the vine, they are more glorious. Hence Augustine says: "one of two things befits the branch, either the vine or the fire: if it is not in the vine, it will be in the fire." Matthew 25:41: "depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."

The fifth punishment is the perpetual experience of fire; hence he adds, "and it burneth," forever; Matthew 25:46: "these shall go into everlasting punishment."

Here is set down the third reason for adherence, which is taken from the efficacy of obtaining what one asks, as if he were to say: if you abide in me, you will attain this fruit, namely, "whatsoever you will, you shall ask, and it shall be done unto you." But it must be noted that above, in the admonition to adherence, he set down two things, which he here resumes. The first, namely "abide in me," which he resumes here by saying "if you abide in me." The second, "and I in you"; and in place of this he says, "and my words abide in you." Because Christ is the Word of the Father, all the words of wisdom are from him; Ecclesiasticus 1:5: "the word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom." It is manifest, then, that Christ is in us when the words of his wisdom are in us; above, John 5:38: "you have not the word of God abiding in you."

Therefore he says, "and my words abide in you," namely in a fourfold manner: by loving, by believing, by meditating, and by fulfilling; Proverbs 4:20: "my son, hearken to my words"—that is, by believing—"and incline thy ear to my sayings"—that is, by obeying, or fulfilling—"let them not depart from thy eyes"—by meditating—"keep them in the midst of thy heart"—by loving; Jeremiah 15:16: "thy words were found, and I did eat them." The words of Christ, then, are in us when we do what he has commanded, and love what he has promised. And from this it follows that we are instructed as to what we ought to ask; Romans 8:26: "we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings." Hence he also taught us to pray with his own words, Matthew 6:9 and Luke 11:2. Thus, then, the words of God believed and meditated upon instruct us to ask for what is necessary for us unto salvation. But the words of God loved and fulfilled help us to merit; and therefore he adds, "whatsoever you will, you shall ask"—discreetly, perseveringly—"and it shall be done unto you"; below, John 16:23: "if you ask the Father any thing in my name, he will give it you."

Here is set down the fourth reason for adherence, which is taken from the glory of the Father. We ought to refer all our works to the glory of God; Psalm 113:1: "not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give glory"; 1 Corinthians 10:31: "whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God." The Lord shows, therefore, that we are in Christ, because from this we bear fruit, and from our fruit-bearing the Father is glorified; hence he says, "in this is my Father glorified," that is, it redounds to the glory of the Father, "that you bring forth very much fruit."

He sets down here three things, in reverse order, which follow upon one another. One pertains to adherence, namely "that you become my disciples," which is the same as "abide in me." And from this follows the second, namely that "you bring forth very much fruit." And from this "my Father is glorified": as if he were to say: it is to the glory of the Father that you bring forth very much fruit, and you bring forth very much fruit from this, that you are my disciples. First indeed by living well; Matthew 5:16: "that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father"; and by teaching well, from which likewise God is glorified, Isaiah 24:15: "glorify God in doctrines," and 43:7: "every one that calleth upon my name, I have created him for my praise and my glory."

The apostles, then, are that ground which brought forth much fruit, as is said below in this chapter, verse 8: "and may be made my disciples"—through adherence and the fervor of charity. For these are the signs of discipleship to Christ, namely adherence to Christ; above, John 8:31: "if you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed." And from this they are made fit to bear the fruit of doctrine. Second, the observance of charity; above, John 13:35: "by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another," and so on. And from this they are made fit to bring forth the fruit of good works; 1 Corinthians 13:2: "if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge," etc., because there it is set down that without charity these are worth nothing.