Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15
    Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15
    Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15
    Ebook65 pages44 minutes

    Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15

    By Ken Lenz

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Excellent Book --- Offered FREE for a Limited Time ---

    “I Am”––two short words, yet immortal in meaning. John 8:58 quotes Jesus as having said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was [born], I am” (ESV). The Apostle John recorded seven “I Am” statements made by Christ as He spoke metaphorically of His relationship to mankind, and more specifically of His relationship to those who would trust in Him. The focus of this essay is on the seventh (i.e., last) metaphorical statement, as Jesus told His disciples: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). A key to understanding this passage is based on knowing whom the branches represent and what their relationship is to the Vine. Many teachers and commentators are inconsistent: claiming that the branches represent unbelievers in verse 2a, but then believers in verses 4 and 5. This leads us to consider two other words that are vital to understanding this passage––and its key phrase, “Abide in me” (v. 4)

    “In Me”––again, two short words, yet immense in meaning. And again, many teachers and commentators are inconsistent in their interpretation of who it is that is characterized as being “in the Vine.” Thus, a fresh look at John 15:1–6 is greatly needed. This book is based on word studies from the original Greek text, and it compares related passages in Scripture to the words and phrases in John 15, with the intention of arriving at the “ABC’s” of interpretation: being accurate, biblical, and consistent. It was approached without bias or preconceived conclusions, being bathed in prayer and meditation on God’s Word.

    Following after the commentary on John 15:1–6, an appendix chapter is offered with a brief commentary on a passage that uses an analogy regarding a vineyard (Matt. 20:1–16). A sequel e-book is also available, entitled “The Bread of Life: A Consistent Sense of John 6.” It focuses on the first of the “I Am” statements of Christ. That e-book is highly recommended; however, it was evident that a longer commentary was needed on the seventh “I Am” statement––particularly as most other commentaries are brief and inconsistent in their interpretation of certain phrases. Thus the subtitle of this essay / commentary: “A Fresh Look at John 15.” Thank you for considering this more extensive and revealing commentary.

    The commentary on John 15, in this book, is also included and expanded upon in the more comprehensive book on the seven "I Am" metaphorical statements, entitled "Christ, the I Am"––now available both in print and as an e-book.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKen Lenz
    Release dateJan 26, 2020
    ISBN9780463728680
    Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15
    Author

    Ken Lenz

    Dr. Kenneth P. Lenz has served for over twenty-five years in church ministries and as a chaplain. He has also served on the religion faculty and Bible/theology faculty of several colleges. Courses Ken has taught include “Understandings of Religion,” “History of Christian Thought,” "Survey of the New Testament," and “New Testament Epistles,” among others. He has also taught “writing intensive” courses to help students in their writing skills. His earned Ph.D. included an emphasis in Eastern Orthodox Church history and liturgy, and he excels in the area of hermeneutics (biblical interpretation). Ken and his wife, Helen, have three grown children: Carrie, Evan, and Bryce.Books by this author include a trilogy published by Xlibris (offered in print and as e-books), which include:- Water Baptism and Spirit Baptism: As Taught in the Scriptures (398 pages)- Confession and Communion: As Taught in the Scriptures (108 pages)- God’s Son “Forsaken,” His Sacrifice “Finished!” (136 pages)E-books by this author published through Smashwords, include:- The Orthodox Church: An Evangelical Perspective- Water Baptism and Spirit Baptism: Expanded Edition- Branches of the Vine: A Fresh Look at John 15- The Bread of Life: A Consistent Sense of John 6- Christ, the "I Am" (in both English and Hindi)- Lordship Salvation: An Evangelical Perspective- Biblical SalvationFor more information, visit www.KenLenz.com

    Read more from Ken Lenz

    Related to Branches of the Vine

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      How to Spread the Gospel Like Wildfire

      Aug 19, 2019

      The Gospel spread like wildfire in the early church. For example, a single speech from Peter converted 3000 people (Acts 2:41), and after he gave a second speech, the number of believers totalled 5000 (Acts 4:4). In only a few decades, the Good News

      5 min read

    • Article

      Remember the Sabbath

      Jun 24, 2022

      Remember the Sabbath
      3 min read

    • Article

      Josh & Tara McCauley On A REDEMPTIVE Mission

      Sep 4, 2020

      Whilst his friends were out playing cops and robbers, a young Joshua would sit in the front row of church listening to the sermons of his dad (Rhema Church founder, Pastor Ray McCauley) blissfully unaware that one day he too would be standing behind

      10 min read

    • Article

      Commentary on Matthew 19:14

      Aug 26, 2022

      Commentary on Matthew 19:14
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Kingdom In The Marketplace

      Apr 13, 2020

      There are so many Christians in the marketplace who remain hidden or silent, despite so much teaching available from the church, internet, TV, and other media. Why are these believers and their faith so hidden? Here are a few pointers to assist you i

      1 min read

    • Article

      Joshua

      Sep 24, 2021

      Joshua
      3 min read

    • Article

      How Should We Respond To Celebrities Coming To Christ?

      Dec 30, 2019

      If you’ve been following the news lately, you will have noticed a significant wave of celebrities who are turning to Christ. In what is referred to as a massive spiritual movement, the sinful city of Hollywood is turning more and more stars away from

      5 min read

    • Article

      Work is Worship

      Dec 30, 2019

      Work is Worship
      1 min read

    • Article

      7 Quirky ‘Doctrines’ DEBUNKED

      Oct 28, 2022

      Jesus said that the truth sets us free. But the opposite is also true: Lies put us in bondage—even if the lies are spoken from a pulpit by a sincere minister or a Christian celebrity. In my international travels, I’ve sat in countless meetings and he

      3 min read

    • Article

      Let’s Talk PRAYER

      Jun 24, 2022

      We pray for a variety of reasons: it is a form of serving God (Luke 2:36-38) and obeying Him (Phil 4:6-7). We pray to demonstrate our faith in God, but most importantly, because Jesus did it. Prayers not prayed will be prayers unanswered. If the Syri

      7 min read

    • Article

      Bible Fun

      Feb 10, 2023

      Bible Fun
      3 min read

    • Article

      Getting to Know God Jesus is God

      Nov 27, 2020

      The doctrine of the Trinity is what makes Christianity’s monotheism unique. Last month we began a three-part series on the Trinity. We noted how the Bible’s monotheism differs from the monotheism of Islam and Judaism. This month, as we continue to ex

      3 min read

    • Article

      Getting to Know God The Personhood & Deity of the Holy Spirit

      Jan 1, 2021

      In examining the biblical revelation concerning God, we come upon an apparent contradiction. The Bible teaches that there is only one God, but it also teaches that Jesus is God. And what do we make of situations where God the Son is speaking to God t

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Branches of the Vine

    5/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Branches of the Vine - Ken Lenz

      Branches of the Vine

      A Fresh Look at John 15

      Plus a Commentary on Matthew 20:1–16

      The Parable of the First and Last

      Kenneth P. Lenz

      Author of Christ, the I Am

      This e-book is a sequel to the e-book

      The Bread of Life:

      A Consistent Sense of John 6

      Agape Book Ministries

      Racine, Wisconsin

      Copyright 2015 by Kenneth P. Lenz, Ph.D.

      ISBN – 9780463728680

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or

      by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

      recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

      without permission in writing from the copyright owner

      ( Kenneth_Lenz@yahoo.com ).

      Brief portions may be quoted within the context intended,

      in accordance with standard, ethical writing practices,

      as long as the author and this source are properly cited.

      Author’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Name: Lenz, Ken, author.

      Title: Branches of the Vine : a fresh look at John 15 / Ken Lenz.

      Description: e-book edition. | Agape Book Ministries, 2019.

      Identifier: ISBN – 9780463728680

      Subject: LCSH: Jesus Christ.

      BISAC: Religion / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth.

      Classification: LCC BT203 (ebook) | DDC 232-dc23

      Smashwords License Statement

      This book is distributed by Smashwords

      and is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

      This book may not be resold or given away to other people.

      If you would like to share this book with another person,

      please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

      If you're reading this book and did not purchase it,

      or it was not purchased for your use only, then please

      visit your favorite e-book retailer to purchase your own copy.

      Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Scriptural quotations in this book are taken from the

      English Standard Version.

      Copyright 2001 by Crossway, in Wheaton, Illinois.

      Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Italicized emphases are often added by this author.

      The cover image by Lexhappyman was purchased from

      Dreamstime and reproduced with licensed permission.

      Cover design by Bryce Lenz.

      Table of Contents

      (hyperlinked to the individual chapters)

      Introduction

      Branches of the Vine – A Commentary on John 15:1–6

      1. I Am the True Vine

      2. Every Branch in Me

      3. He Lifts Up

      4. He Purges by Pruning

      5. Clean Because of the Word

      6. Abide in Me

      7. Thrown into the Fire

      8. Summary and Conclusion (followed by three discussion questions)

      Endnotes

      Appendix: The Parable of the First and Last (from Matthew 20)

      Brief Author Biography

      Introduction

      "I Am"––two short words, yet immortal in meaning. John 8:58 quotes Jesus as having said, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was [born], I am (ESV ).¹ How interesting that in reference to the ancient time of Abraham, Jesus referred to Himself in the present tense, rather than the past tense. This is because Jesus, as a member of the eternal Trinity, has always existed, and always will. In that same sense, God had used that name (I Am) in reference to Himself when speaking to Moses (Exod. 3:14), and Jesus’ intention to identify Himself as being eternal, immortal God in the flesh was surely understood by those He was speaking to, since they then picked up stones with which to stone Him to death––for blasphemy!

      In addition to recording this account of Christ referring to Himself as the immortal I Am, the Apostle John also recorded seven I Am statements made by Christ as He spoke metaphorically of His relationship to mankind, and more specifically of His relationship to those who would trust in Him. The Endnotes contain a list of these statements in the order revealed by John (with cross-references cited).²

      The

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1