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TRACTATE 81 On John 15.4–7 esus said that he was the vine and his disciples the branches and the Father the cultivator,1 and our discussion of this, in accord with our capabilities, has already taken place.2 Now in this reading, while he was still speaking about himself, who is the vine, and about his branches, that is, the disciples, “Abide,” he says, “in me, and I in you.” Not they in him in such a way as he in them; but each way is beneficial, not to him, but to them. For indeed the branches are in the vine in such a way that they do not supply [anything] to the vine but receive from it the means whereby they live; at the same time the vine is in the branches in such a way that it furnishes life-giving nourishment to them; it does not take [anything] from them. And for this reason each way is beneficial to the disciples, not to Christ: both to have Christ abiding in them and to abide in Christ. For when a branch has been cut off, another can sprout from the living root; but one that has been cut off cannot live without the root. 2. Next he adds and says, “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abide in the vine, so neither [can] you unless you abide in me.” A grand commendation of grace, my brothers. It instructs the hearts of the humble, it stops up the mouths of the proud.3 Look, here is he to whom, if they dare, they may respond, they who, not knowing the justice of God and wishing to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the justice of God.4 Look, here is he to whom 1. Cf. Jn 15.1–2. 2. In Tractate 80. 3. Cf. Jas 4.6 and 1 Pt 5.5, both citing Prv 3.34. 4. Cf. Rom 10.3. 120 TRACTATE 81 121 they may respond, they, pleasing to themselves and not considering God as necessary for them for doing good works. (2) Do they not resist this truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobates concerning the faith,5 who respond and speak iniquity , saying, “We have it from God that we are men, but from our own selves that we are just”? What are you saying, you who deceive your own selves, not protecting but jettisoning free will,6 from the height of haughtiness through empty expanses of presumption into the depths of a drowning deep [in the sea]? For without doubt it is your pronouncement that man of himself does justice. This is the height of your haughtiness. But Truth speaks the opposite and says, “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine.” Go now over the steep cliffs and, having no place to hold onto, propel yourself by means of your wind-filled garrulity. These are the empty expanses of your presumption . But see what follows behind you, and if you have any sensibility, shudder. For he who supposes that he has any fruit of himself is not in the vine. He who is not in the vine is not in Christ. He who is not in Christ is not a Christian. These are the depths of your drowning deep [in the sea]. 3. Reflect again and again upon what, in addition to this, the Truth adds and says. “I am,” he says, “the vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, this one bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” That no one might think that a branch can bear at least some little fruit of itself, when he had said, “This one bears much fruit,” he did not say, “For without me you can do a little ,” but “You can do nothing.” Whether a little, therefore, or much, it cannot be done without him without whom nothing can be done. For even if a branch produces a little, the cultivator cleanses it that it may produce more;7 yet unless it remains in the vine and lives from the root, it cannot bear even a slight amount of fruit of itself. (2) Moreover, although Christ would not be the vine if he 5. Cf. 2 Tm 3.8. 6. They are, of course, the Pelagians. 7. Cf. Jn 15.2. [3.12.161.77] Project MUSE (2024-04-26...

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