The Story of Judas Iscariot in John 15:1-11

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Section One

Introduction

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:1

As we consider John 15, we must keep in mind that Jesus has been preparing His disciples for His death on the cross the next day. Jesus focused upon (1) theology; and (2) the emotions of the disciples. Specifically, Jesus revealed to His disciples how the things would change after His death. The disciples would learn more about prayer and the various ministries of the Holy Spirit that would follow the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ to heaven. Please consider that Judas Iscariot was no longer a part of the group of disciples with Jesus as He spoke in John 15 and John 16. In John 13, Jesus identified Judas Iscariot to the entire group of twelve disciples as the one who was in the process of betraying Jesus. Judas Iscariot left the group of disciples and Jesus so that he could betray Jesus shortly. The eleven disciples had questions for Jesus because they did not grasp what He had been telling them about events about to take place within a matter of hours. In my mind, the absence of Judas Iscariot required an explanation about the absence of Judas Iscariot. Jesus then provided an explanation of the theological implications of betraying Jesus and the underling theology about some people appearing to be true disciples, but turn out to be imposters in the sense they had never been born again by faith in Jesus. In John 15:1-11, Jesus explained the theology of unbelievers pretending to be disciples, like Judas Iscariot. He used the illustration of the Vine, the Vinedresser and the branches. I will summarize below several theological points about the relationship of Judas Iscariot and God which help us understand the theology of only pretending to be (1) a born-again believer; (2) hanging out with real believers; and (3) one of the group of true disciples.

Section Two

The Vine and Vinedresser

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:2

Jesus started His theological revelation by identifying Himself as the true Vine and His Father as the Vinedresser. Therefore, this illustration reveals the substance and activity of God the Son and God the Father. Please keep in mind that the Father as the Vinedresser takes action while the Vine provides life and benefits from the actions of the Father as Vinedresser (John 15:1). Judas Iscariot was a branch of the Vine, but Jesus will address that relationship between branch and Vine in more detail in the following verses. Remember that the other disciples will have noticed the absence of Judas Iscariot and they likely had questions in their minds about Judas Iscariot and his absence from the group. Using the illustration of the Vine, Vinedresser and the branches, Jesus had laid the groundwork of the relationship between Judas Iscariot, Jesus as the Vine and the Father as the Vinedresser. Judas did not bear fruit and so was taken away. The Father did not prune Judas Iscariot because he never bore fruit. In fact, Judas Iscariot was a thief who pilfered money from the money box of Jesus and His disciples (John 12:6). Even when Jesus chose Judas Iscariot to be a disciple, Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot was the son of destruction (John 17:12; see also John 13:11).

Section Three

The Cleansing Word

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 15:3

Jesus described the eleven disciples with Him as already clean. They became clean because of the word which He had spoken to them. Jesus spoke the words of life, so that anyone who believed them, would have eternal life and be eternally clean in the eyes of God (John 6:68; John 13:10-11; see also Romans 10:17). Judas Iscariot was not present when Jesus spoke the words of John 15 to the eleven disciples. You may recall that Jesus had already informed the twelve disciples (with Judas Iscariot present) that not all of them were clean (John 13:10-11). Therefore, Judas Iscariot aptly illustrates that no one fools Jesus about salvation. He always knew that Judas Iscariot was not clean and never was saved. Yet, Jesus called Judas Iscariot to be one of the twelve disciples. Also Judas Iscariot was described as a branch connected to the Vine in John 15. Judas Iscariot pretended to be born again, but he never bore fruit as a branch in Jesus. Therefore, we know that (1) some branches are unclean because they rejected Jesus and His word; and (2) some branches are clean because of the word Jesus spoke to them.

Section Four

Bearing Fruit Basics

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
John 15:4

Jesus then issued a simple command: Abide in Me, and I in you. Judas Iscariot never abided in Jesus and Jesus never abided in him. Of course, Jesus was talking about spiritual life brought about through being cleansed by the word Jesus spoke to people who believed in Him. At the moment of salvation, that branch began truly to abide in Jesus. For the first time, the power of the Vine took hold in that saved branch. The reason Judas Iscariot could not bear fruit was clear: Judas Iscariot was unable to bear fruit because he never abided in the Vine (Jesus).

Section Five

Bearing Much Fruit Basics

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

In contrast to the saved branches who bore much fruit for God, Judas Iscariot never bore fruit. Jesus promised that every branch with saving faith abides in Jesus and Jesus abides in that branch. Because those saved branches abide in Jesus, they bear much fruit. Apart from Jesus, they can do nothing. In this case, nothing means doing nothing to bear fruit for God. Judas Iscariot walked with Jesus every day as His disciple, but Judas Iscariot spiritually remained apart from Jesus. He was never cleansed by the word of Jesus and never abided in Jesus and Jesus never abided in Judas Iscariot. Therefore, we know people by the fruit they bear in their lives (Matthew 7:16). Like Judas Iscariot, they may be a branch connected to the Vine, but they have never been cleansed by the word of Jesus and they never abided in Jesus. Yet, they look outwardly like the other branches, except they never bear fruit for God.

Section Six

Not Bearing Fruit

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
John 15:6

Jesus then presented a simple test regarding branches. If a person (branch) does not abide in Jesus, that person will be thrown away as a branch and dries up. Then, those branches thrown way will be gathered and cast into the fire and they will be burned. Applying this simple test to Judas Iscariot, he never abided in Jesus. Do not be confused, not all branches are abiding in the Vine. Every branch that does not abide in Jesus will dry up. Then that branch that does not abide in Jesus will be thrown away as a branch and will dry up. Judas Iscariot perfectly fits the picture of a branch that does not abide in Jesus the Vine. Judas Iscariot then will be thrown away as a branch and will dry up. Finally, they are thrown into the fire and they are burned. Applying that theology to Judas Iscariot, he was a branch of the Vine (Jesus), but was never saved. Judas Iscariot looked like the saved branches at first, but he never bore fruit because he never abided in Jesus and Jesus never abided in him. Judas Iscariot did not lose his salvation, because he never bore fruit and was never saved by faith in the word of Jesus preached to him. Outwardly a person may appear to be a branch truly connected to the Vine, so that it looks like Jesus abides in them and they abide in Jesus. Outward appearance may be very deceiving, at least for a while. Time will tell whether Jesus abides in a particular branch or not. If the branch bears fruit, then they abide in Jesus and Jesus abides in them. If the branch does not bear fruit, then that branch was never cleansed and saved by the word Jesus proclaimed to them. Then everyone will know that branch never abided in Jesus and Jesus never abided in them. That branch, like Judas Iscariot, never lost salvation, because they never had salvation. Conversely, every branch that was cleansed by Jesus continues to bear fruit and then bears much fruit due to the pruning and cleansing activity of the Father as the Vinedresser. Jesus never indicated that a branch bearing fruit stopped bearing fruit. Therefore, this passage shows that Jesus teaches eternal security for believers and eternal punishment for unbelievers.

Section Seven

Abiding and Asking

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 15:7

Jesus then presented a conditional statement (if) about abiding in Him. Jesus used the plural “you” in John 15:7, meaning all the branches abiding in Him and He in them. Jesus taught that if the branches abide in Him, and His words abide in the branches, then the branches have special prayer privileges. In fact, the branches abiding in Jesus (the Vine) can ask whatever the branches may wish, and it will be done for those branches. Of course, Jesus meant that the abiding presence of Jesus in a branch will lead that branch to pray for appropriate things (see Jesus’ teaching about asking for things in His Name (see John 16:23). Therefore, we know that Judas Iscariot never abided in Jesus and Judas Iscariot never asked according to the will of Jesus.

Section Eight

Bearing Much Fruit

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
John 15:8

Jesus explained how the branches abiding in Him will bear much fruit and so glorify the Father of Jesus. This verse acts in tandem with the preceding verses. If the branches abiding in Jesus ask anything in His Name, then God will give it to them. Furthermore, now we know from John 15:8 that the Father will be glorified when the branches bear much fruit. Likewise, the Father Himself is the Vinedresser who cleanses and prunes the branches so that they bear more fruit. Please keep in mind that only the branches already cleansed by Jesus will bear fruit. All other branches that have never abided in Jesus will not bear fruit, unless Jesus first cleansed them and they abide in Jesus and Jesus abides in them. Only after being cleansed by Jesus will any branch bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. As some branches bear much fruit, they prove to be true disciples of Jesus. In contrast to those branches bearing fruit and much fruit, branches like Judas Iscariot never bear fruit and never bear more fruit. By never bearing fruit, they prove they have never been branches cleansed by the word of Jesus.

Section Nine

Abide in My Love

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
John 15:9

Jesus the Vine loves the branches. Jesus also revealed that the Father has loved Jesus. In other words, Jesus left heaven and took human flesh to live as the God-Man on earth, all according to the will of God the Father. Because Jesus kept all the commands of His Father, His Father loved Jesus. The love of God dominates this passage in many ways. In this verse, Jesus commanded the branches to abide in His love. Jesus has already told them the consequences of not abiding in Jesus. Then Jesus added that the branches must abide in His love. To abide as a branch means that the branch must abide in the love of Jesus. Furthermore, by abiding in the love of Jesus, the branch also abides in the love of the Father who has loved Jesus. In fact, Jesus loved the branches just as the Father loved Him. In this case Jesus loved Judas Iscariot, but Judas Iscariot never abided in the love of Jesus because Judas Iscariot was never cleansed by the word of Jesus. Judas Iscariot experienced the daily love of Jesus, but never was cleansed by the word of Jesus by faith. Many people today feel some connection to Jesus and His love, but they actually have never been cleansed by the word of Jesus and they know it. They follow in the footsteps of Judas Iscariot by knowing the love of Jesus, but they reject the cleansing of the word of Jesus.

Section Ten

My Commandment and My Love

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:10

Jesus used another conditional phrase here with the word “if.” In this case, Jesus provided guidance to the branches about keeping His commandments. He did not assert with certainty that all branches would keep His commandments. Instead, Jesus focused upon the results of every branch keeping the commandments of Jesus. Every branch keeping the commandments of Jesus will certainly abide in the love of Jesus the Vine. Just like Jesus kept the commandments of His Father and continually abides in the love of the Father, so also will all the branches keeping the commandments of Jesus abide in His love. Therefore, every branch will be known by its obedience to the commandments of Jesus. Every branch keeping the commands of Jesus will abide in the love of Jesus. Every branch that never received cleansing from Jesus and never kept His commandments will not abide in His love. Therefore, we know that Judas Iscariot never kept the commandments of Jesus and never abided in the love of Jesus. While Jesus and His Father loved all the branches, and the rain of God fell upon the Godly and unGodly branches (Matthew 5:45), Jesus also explained that people like Judas Iscariot never kept the commandments of Jesus and never abided in the love of Jesus. In one sense, we all experience the love of Jesus for the entire world by His giving the branches their food every day and opening His hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145:15-16). In another sense, spiritually people experience the general love of God for mankind, but that does not mean the people who reject the cleansing brought about by faith in Jesus and His word for salvation will not experience the full wrath of God one day. Branches like Judas Iscariot felt and saw the love of God on a daily basis as they walked with Jesus. Yet, Judas Iscariot rejected the love of God in Jesus and Judas Iscariot rejected the offer of God’s salvation by grace through faith alone. The branch Judas Iscariot never produced fruit and so was finally burned up with the other branches never bearing fruit. They all rejected the commandments of Jesus and never abided in His love as a fruitful branch.

Section Eleven

Your Joy Made Full

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:11

Jesus consistently cared for the emotional life of His disciples. He talked about surpassing peace, experiencing trouble, fear, loneliness and joy, among other emotions. Jesus tied His words to His joy. He disclosed His plan that the words He spoke to the branches would cause His joy to be in the branches. Jesus revealed that His words produce joy in the branches abiding in Him. He also revealed that His words would cause the joy of the branches abiding in Him to be made full. Jesus loved the branches and intended for His words to produce full joy in the branches abiding in Him. In summary, Jesus intended for His words to produce His joy in the branches abiding in Him. Then Jesus described how His joy would be in the branches, because of the things He spoke to them. Next, He disclosed His intention that the things He spoke to them would also make full the joy of the branches abiding in Him. Therefore, Jesus cares about the feelings of the branches abiding in Him. Jesus used His words to produce His joy in the branches abiding in Him and to make the joy of the branches abiding in Him to be made full. Please keep in mind that joy never exists in an emotional vacuum, but always ties back to the works and words of Jesus which produce His emotions in the branches abiding in Him. He imparts His life and His emotions to the branches abiding in Him. Judas Iscariot never experienced in himself the joy of Jesus because he never abided in the Vine as a cleansed branch.

Section Twelve

Conclusion

Jesus abided in the love of His Father because He kept the commandments of His Father. In contrast, Judas Iscariot never believed the words of Jesus and never experienced the cleansing of the words of Jesus for salvation. Jesus called Judas Iscariot to be one of His disciples, knowing all along that Judas Iscariot was the son of destruction and to destruction he would go after his evil work on earth was done. In John 15:1-11, Judas Iscariot serves a perfect example of a branch that bore no fruit for God and so was cast into the fire. If any branch does not abide in Jesus, that branch will be cast into the fire and burned up. Please understand that some branches received and believed the cleansing words of Jesus for salvation, but other branches rejected Jesus and His words of salvation. Therefore, the Vine included both saved branches and unsaved branches. We will know the branches by the fruit they bear and the lack of fruit bearing in their lives. Many people today hang out with believers and go to church buildings, but they never have been born again by the word of Jesus cleaning them from sin by faith alone. I urge you to have faith in Jesus for salvation. You will then experience His surpassing joy, peace, comfort and so many other blessings imparted to every branch in Him producing fruit.