Presented by Julie Busteed

We don’t use the word abide very often today. Yet Jesus uses it eleven times in John 15. The scene is the Last Supper. He has just washed his disciples’ feet, and now he is teaching and praying for them—sharing his final words with them before the crucifixion. Because Jesus emphasizes this word so strongly, it’s worth pausing to understand what he meant. He says:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4–5, ESV).

The Greek word menō, translated “abide,” means to remain, stay, or dwell. It’s an active word—not passive—implying an ongoing, intentional relationship. Some Bible translations even use the word remain.

Matthew Henry, in his commentary, highlights the context well: Jesus was about to leave his disciples after being with them for three years. The disciples would soon face the temptation to drift from him, from each other, and from his teaching—perhaps even to return to the old patterns of the law. Jesus impresses on them the urgent importance of remaining in him and in community with one another. And he assures them that the helper, the Holy Spirit, would come to strengthen and sustain them.[1]

In this passage, Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches. Believers in Christ are the branches; he is the vine. A life of fruitfulness depends on staying connected to him.

To abide in Christ starts with a relationship. The first step is to come to him as Lord and Savior, recognizing your need for forgiveness and grace. But that’s only the beginning. As you follow him, the relationship grows deeper. You learn who he is, what he teaches, and how he calls each of us to live in obedience to him. To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Abiding is a lifelong journey of growing, obeying, and staying connected.

—

[1] Matthew Henry, “John 15,” Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, BibleGateway, n.d., https://www.biblegateway.com/.