Vine and branches; love unto death (John 15:1–15)
faith into him and the power from him no one can do anything—which the Father does not cultivate as needing no care, but the branches. And branches of Christ are the faithful united to him through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), who also receive care from the Father. And Christ as root holds the faithful together and makes them alive through the Holy Spirit; for salvation did not come from one person but from the divine Trinity.
The believer is a branch of the intelligible vine, which is Christ, and gains nothing from faith alone, but there is need also of virtuous works which come through cleansings.
Those who cling “to the Lord” and do not live worthily of him are punished, but the pious living bear much fruit. If we have faith but not works, he casts out as dead and fruitless branches, cutting. Or fruitless branches are the Jews.
He says these things about the trials they were going to endure, which made them more proven. Those living piously bear much fruit.
Even if someone is united to Christ through sanctification in the Spirit, still he needs also to hold to perfect love and follow him; for the one cut off from Christ through not having perfect sanctification and love cannot do any good.
Because fruit-bearing is impossible except for those fixed to him alone, he calls himself vine as those empowered by him
And he himself, not less than the Father, contributes to the disciples’ care.
That is: the Father rejoices when you remain in me. Through what you do the Father is praised.
This makes Christ’s disciples and bears much fruit: serving God spiritually, passing by the letter.
It is in us to love God; for he does not force our free will.
For one must not only believe but also do the commandments.
As teacher of the inhabited world Christ hands these things to them: that love is the sum of the virtues, his commandment is to die for friends and to love friends more than yourselves.
He shows that his departure was not of hatred but of love; for I die for you.
Through virtue, having surpassed the measure of slaves, they became friends. And he raises slaves up to glory beyond nature if they willingly do what is pleasing to God.
That is: as much as they needed to hear; and what he says enigmatically is this: that not as
Greek
τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ δυνάμεως οὐδὲν οὐδεὶς δύναται ποιῆσαι, ἣν ὁ πατὴρ οὐ γεωργεῖ ὡς μὴ χρῄζουσαν ἐπιμελείας, ἀλλὰ τὰ κλήματα. κλήματα δέ εἰσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὡς ἑνωθέντες αὐτῷ οἱ πιστοὶ διὰ τῆς ἐνοικήσεως τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ γεγονότες «θείας φύσεως κοινωνοί», οἳ καὶ ἐπιμελείας τυγχάνουσι παρὰ τοῦ πατρός. ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ὡς ῥίζα συνέχει τοὺς πιστοὺς καὶ ζωογονεῖ διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος· οὐ γὰρ ἀφ' ἑνὸς γέγονε προσώπου ἡ σωτηρία, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς θείας τριάδος. 510 {3Jο 15, 2}3Ὁ πιστὸς κλῆμά ἐστι τῆς νοητῆς ἀμπέλου, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς καὶ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖται ἐκ μόνης πίστεως, ἀλλὰ χρεία καὶ ἐναρέτων ἔργων ἅπερ γίνεται διὰ καθαρμῶν. 511 {3Jο 15, 2}3Οἱ κολλώμενοι «τῷ κυρίῳ» καὶ μὴ ἀξίως αὐτοῦ πολιτευόμενοι κολάζονται, οἱ δὲ εὐσεβεῖς ζῶντες πολὺν φέρουσι τὸν καρπόν. ἐὰν πίστιν ἔχωμεν, ἔργα δὲ μὴ ἔχωμεν, ὡς νεκρὰ καὶ ἄκαρπα κλήματα ἐκβάλλει ® κόπτων. ἤτοι κλήματα ἄκαρπά εἰσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι. 512 {3Jο 15, 2 3}3Ταῦτα λέγει περὶ ὧν ἔμελλον ὑπομένειν πειρασμῶν, οἵτινες αὐτοὺς ἐποίουν δοκιμωτέρους. οἱ εὐσεβῶς ζῶντες πολὺν φέρουσι καρπόν. 513 {3Jο 15, 4}3Κἂν ἑνωθῇ τις Χριστῷ διὰ τοῦ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγιασμοῦ, ἀλλὰ χρῄζει καὶ τῆς τελείας ἀγάπης ἔχεσθαι καὶ ἀκολουθεῖν αὐτῷ· ὁ γὰρ ἀποκοπεὶς ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν τέλειον τὸν ἁγιασμὸν καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην, οὐ δύναταί τι ποιῆσαι ἀγαθόν. 514 {3Jο 15, 4}3∆ιὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι καρποφορεῖν εἰ μὴ μόνους τοὺς προσηλωμένους αὐτῷ καλεῖ ἑαυτὸν ἄμπελον ὡς ἐξ αὐτοῦ δυναμουμένους. 515 {3Jο 15, 5}3Καὶ αὐτὸς οὐχ ἥττων τοῦ ® πατρὸς συντελεῖ πρὸς τὴν τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπι μέλειαν. 517 {3Jο 15, 7 8}3 517Ἀντὶ τοῦ χαίρει ὁ πατήρ, ὅταν ἐν ἐμοὶ μείνητε. δι' ὧν ποιεῖτε, εὐφημεῖ ται ὁ πατήρ. 518 {3Jο 15, 8}3Τοῦτο ποιεῖ Χριστοῦ μαθητὰς καὶ καρπὸν πολὺν φέρειν τὸ πνευματικῶς τῷ θεῷ δουλεύειν παρατρέχοντας τὸ γράμμα. 519 {3Jο 15, 9}3Ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀγαπῆσαι τὸν θεόν· οὐ γὰρ βιάζεται ἡμῶν τὸ αὐτεξούσιον. 5 {3Jο 15, 10}3Οὐ γὰρ μόνον δεῖ ® πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιεῖν τὰς ἐντολάς. 521 {3Jο 15, 12 13}3Ὡς διδάσκαλος τῆς οἰκουμένης παραδίδωσιν αὐτοῖς ταῦτα ὁ Χριστός, ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη κεφάλαιόν ἐστι τῶν ἀρετῶν, ἡ ἐντολὴ αὐτοῦ τὸ ὑπεραποθνῄσκειν τῶν φίλων καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοὺς ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς φίλους. 522 {3Jο 15, 13}3∆είκνυσιν, ὅτι ἡ ἀναχώρησις αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἦν μίσους, ἀλλ' ἀγάπης· ὑπὲρ γὰρ ὑμῶν ἀποθνῄσκω. 523 {3Jο 15, 14}3∆ιὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τὸ τῶν δούλων ὑπερβάντες μέτρον γεγόνασι φίλοι. ἀνακομίζει δὲ τοὺς δούλους ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ φύσιν δόξαν, ἐὰν ἑκουσίως ποιῶσι τὰ τῷ θεῷ ἀρεστά. 524 {3Jο 15, 15}3Ἀντὶ τοῦ ὅσα ἐχρῆν ἀκοῦσαι αὐτούς· ὃ δὲ λέγει αἰνιγματωδῶς, τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι οὐχ ὡς
About this text
Ammonius of Alexandria, Fragmenta in Joannem (Greek).
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 85 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.