ACC ~ John 15 v1a
THE VINE AS CHRIST’S ASSUMPTION OF FLESH
HILARY OF POITIERS: Jesus rises and hurries to complete the mystery of his bodily passion. But the next moment, he unfolds the mystery of his assumption of flesh. Through this assumption we are in him, as the branches are in the vine. And unless he had become the vine, we could have borne no good fruit. He encourages us to abide in him through faith in his assumed body, that, since the Word has been made flesh, we may be in the nature of his flesh, as the branches are in the vine. He separates the form of the Father’s majesty from the humiliation of the assumed flesh by calling himself the vine, the course of unity for all the branches. He calls the Father the careful husbandman who prunes away its useless and barren branches to be burned in the fire. ON THE TRINITY 9.55. [1]
[1] NPNF 2 9:174-75*; CCL 62A:434.
THE GRAPEVINE HANGING ON THE CROSS. AMBROSE: Jacob spoke of [our Lord as] a grape, [1] because Christ hung on the wood like a grape. He is the vine; he is the grape. He is the vine because he cleaves to the wood and the grape because, when his side was opened by the soldier’s lance, he sent forth water and blood [2] … water for baptism, blood for redemption. The water washed us; the blood redeemed us. [3] ON THE PATRIARCHS 4.24. [4]
[1] ESUS IS INFORMED THAT LAZARUS IS SICK | JOHN 11:1-5
[2] Jn 19:34.
[3] See also Ambrose On the Sacraments 5.14.
[4] FC 65:255-56; CSEL 32 2:138. See also Eusebius Proof of the Gospel 8.1.379.
THE TRUE VINE BEARS FRUIT
AUGUSTINE: When he says, “I am the true vine,” it is no doubt to distinguish himself from that [vine] to which the words are addressed, “How are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine to me?” [1] For how could that be a true vine that was expected to bring forth grapes and brought forth thorns? [2] TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 80.1. [3]
[1] Jer 2:21.
[2] Is 5:4.
[3] NPNF 1 7:344**.
THE HOLY VINE OF DAVID
DIDACHE: Now, concerning the Eucharist, give thanks as follows.
First, concerning the cup:
We give you thanks, our Father,
for the holy vine of David your servant,
which you have made known to us
through Jesus, your servant;
to you be the glory forever.
DIDACHE 9.1-2. [1]
[1] AF 259-61.
THE WINEPRESS OF THE CROSS
GAUDENTIUS OF BRESCIA: The wine of his blood, gathered from the many grapes of the vine planted by him, is pressed out in the winepress of the cross, and of its own power it begins to ferment in the capacious vessels of those who receive it with faithful heart. TWO TRACTATES ON EXODUS. [1]
[1] MFC 7:93; CSEL 68:32.
WINE OF THE VINE, BLOOD OF THE WORD
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: The vine produces wine as the Word produces blood, and both are drunk for the health of men and women—wine for the body, blood for the spirit. CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 1.5. [1]
[1] ANF 2:213.
THE VINE AS ANTIDOTE TO GRIEF
THEOPHILUS OF ALEXANDRIA: I am the true vine. Drink my joy, the wine I have mixed for you. For my cup is intoxicating for me, [1] intoxicating like the most powerful antidote—like joy against the grief that sprouted in Adam. … I have given you a table, life-giving and joy-creating, that offers in exchange for distress unspeakable joy before those who have envied you. Eat the bread that renews your nature. Drink the wine, the exultation of immortality. Eat the bread that purges away the old bitterness, and drink the wine that eases the pain of the wound. This is the healing of your nature; this is the punishment of the one who did the injury. … I became the true vine in your race, that in me you might bear sweet-smelling fruit. SERMON ON THE MYSTICAL SUPPER. [2]
[1] Ps 23:5 (22:5 LXX).
[2] MFC 7:152. See also Origen Commentary on John 1.205-6 (FC 80:74-75).
ATTACHED TO THE VINE THROUGH THE SPIRIT
CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: He wants to show us how important it is to love, to hold fast to our love toward him and how much we gain from our union with him. This is why he says that he is the vine, by way of illustration. Those united, anchored and rooted in him, who are already partakers in his nature through their participation in the Holy Spirit, are branches. For it is his Holy Spirit who has united us with the Savior Christ since connection with the vine produces a choice of those things that belong to it. And our connection [1] with the vine holds us fast. From a firm resolve in goodness we proceed onward by faith and we become his people, obtaining from him the dignity of sonship. … He says that he is a vine, the mother and nourisher, as it were, of its branches. For we are begotten of him and in him, in the Spirit, to produce the fruits of life. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 10.2. [2]
[1] Achieved through the Spirit.
[2] LF 48:363**.
Jn