• Man, without the grace of God, through Christ, empowering him, can no more bring forth action pleasing to God than the dry and withered branch can put forth the rich and ruddy cluster. 

- D.D. Whedon, Commentary, p. 366
• We have as necessary and constant a dependence upon the grace of the Mediator for all the actions of the spiritual and divine life as we have upon the providence of the Creator for all the actions of the natural life;  for, as to both, it is in the divine power that we live, move, and have our being.

- Matthew Henry, Commentary, p. 1124
• The true believers are pruned through the Word and their experience of union with the vine.

- A.J. Macleod, New Bible Commentary, p. 890
• [This great assertion of Jesus] needs to be considered against the OT concept of Israel as a vine or vineyard (cf. Isaiah 5:1-7;  Ezekiel 15:1-6 & 19:10-14;  Psalm 80:8-16).

- Donald Guthrie, New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 959
• Jesus is the true Israel, in whose stem are incorporated the branches of the people of God, who find their fulfillment and life in him.

- Massey H. Shepherd, Jr.,  Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary, p. 724
• Our Lord in this whole passage speaks of no branches but such as are, or at least were once, united to him by living faith.

- John Wesley, Notes Upon the New Testament
• The equation of Christ with the vine was doubtless suggested by the language of the Eucharist, such as "I am the bread of life," while the extension of the allegory to include the disciples as branches is reminiscent of the Pauline doctrine of the Church as the body of Christ.

- Reginald H. Fuller, Preaching the Lectionary, p. 267
• He speaks not of the power of God, but of the responsibility of man-a responsibility which man will certainly not be able to meet without grace; but which has nevertheless that character of personal responsibility here. 

- John Darby, Synopsis of  the New Testament
• The branch, he says, beareth not fruit of itself; and, therefore, he not only extols the aid of his co-operating

grace, but deprives us entirely of all power but what he imparts to us. 
- John Calvin, Commentary
• In order that we may live and be fruitful, we must first be grafted into Christ, as it were into a vine, by the Father's hand: and then be daily moulded with a continual meditation of the word, and the cross.

- Geneva Study Bible
• The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Isaiah 5:1, &c.). 

- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
• The same bringeth forth much fruit; in the exercise of grace, and performance of good works; and continues to do so as long as he lives, not by virtue of his own free will, power, and strength, but by grace continually received from Christ. 

- John Gill,  Exposition of the Bible
• Observe that, not denominations, but church members, are the branches.

- Johnson, B.W., People's New Testament

Hymns
Bob VanWyk, Lectionary Hymn Reviewer
 
 

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See also:  220.7 - Bible Commentaries; 251 - Homiletics;  252 - Sermon Texts

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