ACC ~ John 15 v1b

THE VINE NOURISHES, THE VINEDRESSER TENDS THE SOIL

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: For it is the function of the vine to nourish the branches, and of the tiller of the soil to tend them. And if we think about this in the right way, we will see that neither the one function if performed apart from the Father, nor the other function if performed apart from the Son or Holy Spirit, could sustain the whole. For everything proceeds from the Father by the Son in the Spirit. And so it is only appropriate now that the Savior called the Father a vinedresser so that no one might think that the Only Begotten is the only one who exercised care over us. [1] This is why he represents God the Father as cooperating with him, calling himself the vine that enlivens his own branches with life and the power to produce, and the Father as the vinedresser, thereby teaching us that providential care over us is a sort of distinct activity of the divine substance. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 10.2. [2]

[1] In Athanasius’s account of the vine and the vinedresser, he records Dionysius of Alexandria’s distinction between vine and vinedresser as akin to the distinction between Father and Son (NPNF 2 4:180-81). This passage occasioned much discussion in Cyril concerning how the analogy cannot be pressed too far, however, in equating the relationship among the vine, vinedresser and branches with the relationship between Father, Son and us, especially in an ontological sense.

[2] LF 48:365**.

GOD IS THE TILLER OF THE FIELD, THE CHURCH

AUGUSTINE: Not only is the church a field, but God is the tiller of the field. Listen to the Lord himself: “I am the vine, you the twigs, and my Father is the vinedresser.” Toiling in this field as a laborer and hoping for an eternal reward, the apostle claims no credit for himself, except a laborer’s due. “I planted,” he says, “Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. And so neither the one who plants is anything, nor the one who waters, but God who gives the increase.” [1] SERMON 4.26. [2]

[1] 1 Cor 3:6-7.

[2] WSA 3 1:199; CCL 41:39.

GOD CULTIVATES US

AUGUSTINE: For we [through praise] cultivate God, and God cultivates us. But our cultivating of God does not make him better: our cultivating is that of adoration, not of plowing. … His cultivating of us makes us better. … His cultivating consists in getting rid of all the seeds of wickedness from our hearts, in opening our heart to the plow, as it were, of his word, in sowing in us the seeds of his commandments, and in waiting for the fruits of godliness. SERMON 87.1. [1]

[1] PL 38:530-31.