Sermon Tone Analysis

The Vineyard of the Lord

The Vineyard of the Lord

From the Upper Room to the Garden- Location of the discourse

The last words of are “Rise, let us go from here”, so between departure from the table in the upper room, to the crossing of the Brook Kidron into the garden (about 45 min walk), we are not told where or in what setting Jesus spoke .

Acknowledging that the setting cannot be known with certainty, I think that as the evidence is considered, I think it is possible to determine what possibility is plausible and which are doubtful, and that it is very helpful to understanding the scene.

One theory is that this discourse took place as they travelled through the network of tunnels beneath Jerusalem on their way to Olivet, and while it is possible, it is hard to imagine that such an intense, intimate, and important discourse and prayer took place as they journeyed through the tunnels or the narrow winding streets, likely populated by other pilgrims.

My opinion is that Jesus lead the disciples through the city, and into the courts of the temple complex, which would have been open because of the feast and preparation of sacrifices.

This would have provided an ideal setting for such discourse and prayer

There would be privacy, since the nighttime would have left the courts mostly emptied under the dark sky, and the could have stayed a while at the benches, columns, and colonnades

The walls and golden features of the temple would have glowed in the light of the moon, stars, and lamps in the temple courts

One of the most famous features of the temple would have been clearly visible in the light the burning torches, the massive entrance into the temple, covered with a golden vine on all sides.

Here we find a very fitting context for Jesus’ words

“That gate which was at this end of the first part of the house was, as we have already observed, all over covered with gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also golden vines above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man’s height”

that gate which was at this end of the first part of the house was, as we have already observed, all over covered with gold, as was its whole wall about it; it had also golden vines above it, from which clusters of grapes hung as tall as a man’s height

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 707.

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 707.

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 707.

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 707.

Why was there a massive vine in the temple?

because Israel is referred to as a vine or a vineyard throughout the Hebrew scriptures.

Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: John, Acts., vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 144.

Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: John, Acts., vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 144.

The temple would also seem the most fitting setting for the great High Priestly Prayer of 7.

The Vine and the Branches

The Vine and the Branches

The vine and vineyard of the Lord

The Old Testament presents Israel as a vineyard many times throughout the prophets and the psalms (; ; ; ; ; ; ; ), and the Vine at the entrance to the sanctuary behind the alter of sacrifice stood as a reminder of Israel’s identity before God.

Turn again, O God of hosts!

zLook down from heaven, and see;

have regard for this vine,

15  the stock that your right hand planted,

and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.

Turn again, O God of hosts!

zLook down from heaven, and see;

have regard for this vine,

15  the stock that your right hand planted,

and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.

He is the true vine come into the world, and unless someone bore fruit (cf. the ministry of John the Baptist and the charge to bear the fruit of repentance []) and was joined to Him by faith through this new covenant, they would be cast out and thrown into the fire (cf.

and the unquenchable fire of judgment reserved for those who did not bear fruit).

Just two days earlier Jesus told a parable about this vineyard.

And this parable was also referencing and and other similar passages on purpose.

God came to the vineyard looking for fruit, but found none, then sent his prophets to the vineyard, and they did not listen, then sent His Son, and they killed him.

Jesus is coming back to this same image once again.

Lets look again at our text in

Do you see the consistent image (motif)?

Vine branches bearing fruit, Vineyards bearing fruit, Fig trees withering because they are not bearing fruit, John the baptist preaching in the wilderness seeking the fruits of repentance warning that being physical descendants of Abraham is insufficient to secure right relation to God, the axe being laid at the root of the tree so that every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire, branches without fruit being cut off and thrown into the fire, the chaff separated from the wheat to be thrown into the fire.

Here Jesus says I am the Vine, every branch that does not bear fruit is taken away or cut off, but every one that does He prunes so that it bears more fruit.

Jesus is the true vine come into the world, looking for fruit of repentance [] warning that those not joined to Him by faith through this new covenant would be cast out and thrown into the fire of judgement.

and was joined to Him by faith through this new covenant, they would be cast out and thrown into the fire (cf.

and the unquenchable fire of judgment reserved for those who did not bear fruit).

Jesus was clarifying that one’s identification with national or ethnic Israel, or even their presence in the Temple, did not assure that they were the planting of the LORD that belonged to the vinedresser.

This was because He was the Seed promised to Abraham, and through union to Him alone could one partake of the promises that formed the substance of Israel’s hope.

This does not mean that Israel’s ethnic identity was not important or significant or special and unique.

That does not mean that the ethnic identity was not tied to certain blessings and promises and privileges.

Neither is Jesus that Jewishness or that the covenants are no longer made with the Jews.

Jesus was Jewish and everyone with Him when he introduced it were all Jewish, two of the gospels take great attention to include genealogies to make his Jewishness clear.

Jesus was THE singular seed of Abraham, and unless you are joined to Him, your ethnicity is insufficient to guarantee that you are in the vineyard of the Lord and that you would be spared the judgement of fire

Would the covenant be extended to the gentiles?

YES, but Jesus was establishing a New Covenant with the Jewish people with the remnant of Israel that responded rightly to Him, saying that you must be Joined to me now, if you want to bear fruit and be part of the vineyard, and those who don’t will be cast out.

Application

Does this mean that this passage is not about thinking of Jesus as being the vine to you in devotional quiet time.

Kind of, although that is certainly not a bad thing.

In Context Jesus is a Jewish man who also happens be YHWH (the God of Israel) and Messiah, speaking to 11 other Jewish men, probably in the temple in the temple in Israel, 2000 years ago, referencing the language of scripture which calls nation of Israel the vine and planting of the Lord.

It is much more corporate in application than individual, as is the issue of corporate election in Christ (referenced also in this passage).

Thus, the great charge to the disciples was to abide in Him and His word, through which they would find life abundant and joy to its full.

Though the world would lash out at them in hatred and the time would come when killing them would be considered service to God, by remaining in Him they would find all they needed and inherit the everlasting life promised to the seed of Abraham.