Our plans were to begin focusing today on each line/petition of the Lord’s Prayer. However, before we do that, let’s revisit John 15. On Wednesday, 9/29, we read John 15:1-11 and discussed :7 and :8 briefly. Today we want to go a little deeper.
ASSIGNMENT:
READ John 15:1-17
1. Thumb through the chapters before and after John 15. What is the timeframe?
2. How might the timing influence what Jesus is saying to His disciples?
Jesus begins this discourse in John 15:1 by saying I am the true vine…
Throughout the Old Testament, the vine has been a symbol of Israel.
Psalms 80:8ff describe Israel as a vine which was brought out of Egypt and planted in Cannan.
In Old Testament prophecy, the metaphor of the vine is most often used in a negative way. In Isaiah 5, a vineyard that only produces bad fruit is likened to Israel; and in Ezekiel 15, the vine is described as useless.
3. As Jesus says that He is the true vine, what are the implications here?
4. Read through these seventeen verses again and write down what you see as key words. Which one of these occurs the most?
