IN the allegory of the vine and its fruitful branches set forth so appealingly in John's Gospel, Jesus made plain that he was the true vine, while they, his devout followers, were the branches, watched and tended by the Father, the divine husbandman; and he revealed the impelling fact that, since he was the true vine, whosoever should abide in him would bring forth much fruit; and, conversely, he taught that a branch which, shut off from its divine source, did not abide in him would be cast forth and withered, ultimately to be burned. And he closed his message with a statement of the reasons why he had spoken to his beloved disciples in such terms. "These things have I spoken unto you," he asserted, "that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Out of the fullness of his own joy he was imparting to those he loved his priceless message, to insure that they too should share the exaltation which was his in so large a measure.
What was the joy which the Master so earnestly desired might be theirs? What was its source? How could it be acquired? The preceding verses of the chapter leave no dubiety as to the source of his joy and its nature. In the allegory of the vine he had declared himself the offspring of God, over whom as husbandman the Father tenderly watched. And as a true vine, he bore fruit: that is, in proportion as he purged himself of all unlike God—as he cut off the fruitless branches, the false material beliefs which, as they have besought all who have passed through this earthly experience, constantly pressed him for recognition—he would demonstrate the divine qualities. Jesus was not lacking in knowledge of the truth about these illusions; he perfectly understood their unreality. Being conscious of the divine presence, and of the perfection of God's creation, Jesus utterly refused to give life or reality to that which possesses neither. He cut off the fruitless branches, which were not only fruitless then, but would always be barren.
Can we doubt the character of the joy with which Jesus beheld God's perfect creation? What greater exaltation could one experience than that which results from contemplation of the incomparable fact of God's infinite goodness; of perfect Love, all-creative, all-pervasive, all-inclusive Love, as ever present; and of man, as perfect in a degree as God Himself, and possessed of no quality underived from that divine Love which knows only man's perfection. Surely, there could be no greater cause for joy than such a state of realization. And, moreover, how could he, in view of the fullness of his vision, fail to desire that this priceless truth might be shared by those who as his faithful disciples had partaken of the joy and sorrow, the victories and hardships, which he had encountered during his holy ministry. Jesus entertained no doubt that they too could partake of the same spiritual joy in all its fullness. The vision which brought him so exalted a state of consciousness was equally possible to them, and his heart's desire was to share it with them.
