Jesus assured His disciples that they were indeed already clean. The Father"s treatment of them was not to make them clean. Jesus again used the figure for possessing eternal life that He had used earlier when He had washed these disciples" feet ( John 13:10). Divine care and discipline follow the granting of eternal life. Jesus did not want the Eleven to conclude, as many people do, that the absence of fruit or the presence of difficulties indicates the absence of salvation. [source][source][source]
"The ancients spoke of pruning as a "cleansing" of the branches, just as we speak of "cleansing" the land." [1][source]
Context Summary
John 15:1-9 - The Condition Of Fruitfulness
The vine is not able to do its work in the world without its branches; they stretch far from the root, to bear its strength and sweetness to those who stand outside the wall, Genesis 49:22. We need the Lord Jesus, but He also needs us. Without us He cannot bless men as He would. What a sublime thought is here-that Jesus needs something which I can yield Him! Service to God and man is possible only through abiding union in Him. Let us yield ourselves to be pruned by the Word, that we may not need the pruning of awful sorrows. It is said that three out of five of the vine-berries are cut off that the remainder may attain their full size. How many of our own promptings have to be excised in order that our best fruit may be yielded!
We cannot be severed from Christ, our covenant head, when once we are truly united to Him for salvation; but we may cease to abide in Him for the supply of grace and power in ministry. Abide in me, says the vine to the branch. Do not allow the aperture to become choked, and I will cause the sap to pulsate through thee. Abide in me, says the Lord, and I will be in thee strength in thy weakness, love in thy lovelessness, grace and beauty in thy uncomeliness. "From me is thy fruit found," Hosea 14:8. [source]
Chapter Summary: John 15
1The union of Jesus and his members shown under the parable of a vine 18The hatred of the world 26The office of the Holy Spirit
Greek Commentary for John 15:3
Already ye are clean [ηδη υμεις καταροι εστε] Potentially cleansed (Westcott) as in John 13:10 which see and John 17:19. [source]
Clean [καθαίρει] Etymologically akin to καθαίρει , purgeth. The Rev. indicates this by rendering καθαίρει , cleanseth. [source]
John 13:10He that is bathed [ο λελουμενος] Perfect passive articular participle of λουω louō to bathe the whole body (Acts 9:37). Save to wash his feet Aleph and some old Latin MSS. have only νιπσασται nipsasthai but the other words are genuine and are really involved by the use of νιπσασται nipsasthai (first aorist middle infinitive of νιπτω niptō to wash parts of the body) instead of λουσασται lousasthai to bathe the whole body (just used before). The guest was supposed to bathe Because of the bath. For καταρος katharos meaning external cleanliness see Matthew 23:26; Matthew 27:59; but in John 15:3 it is used for spiritual purity as here in “ye are clean” Every whit All of the body because of the bath. For this same predicate use of ολος holos see John 9:34. But not all Strongly put exception Plain hint of the treachery of Judas who is reclining at the table after having made the bargain with the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:11). A year ago Jesus knew that Judas was a devil and said to the apostles: “One of you is a devil” (John 6:64,John 6:70). But it did not hurt them then nor did they suspect each other then or now. It is far-fetched to make Jesus here refer to the cleansing power of his blood or to baptism as some do. [source]
John 15:2Branch [κλημα] Old word from κλαω klaō to break, common in lxx for offshoots of the vine, in N.T. only here (John 15:2-6), elsewhere in N.T. κλαδος klados (Mark 4:32, etc.), also from κλαω klaō both words meaning tender and easily broken parts. In me Two kinds of connexion with Christ as the vine (the merely cosmic which bears no fruit, the spiritual and vital which bears fruit). The fruitless (not bearing fruit, μη περον καρπον mē pheron karpon) the vine-dresser “takes away” Present active indicative of old verb καταιρω kathairō (clean) as in John 15:3, only use in N.T., common in the inscriptions for ceremonial cleansing, though καταριζω katharizō is more frequent (Hebrews 10:2). That it may bear more fruit Purpose clause with ινα hina and present active subjunctive of περω pherō “that it may keep on bearing more fruit” (more and more). A good test for modern Christians and church members. [source]
John 6:57The living Father [ο ζων πατηρ] Nowhere else in the N.T., but see John 5:26 and “the living God” (Matthew 16:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16). The Father is the source of life and so “I live because of the Father” He that eateth me Still bolder putting of the mystical appropriation of Christ (John 6:51,John 6:53,John 6:54,John 6:56). Because of me The same idea appears in John 14:19: “Because I live ye shall live also.” See John 11:25. Jesus Christ is our ground of hope and guarantee of immortality. Life is in Christ. There is no real difficulty in this use of δια dia with the accusative as with δια τον πατερα dia ton patera just before. It occurs also in John 15:3. As the Father is the fount of life to Christ, so Christ is the fount of life to us. See 1 John 4:9 where δια dia is used with the genitive (δι αυτου di' autou) as the intermediate agent, not the ground or reason as here. [source]
Ephesians 5:26By the word [ἐν ῥήματι] Rev., correctly, with the word. To be connected with having cleansed it by the laver of water: not with might sanctify, nor with the laver of water alone, as a descriptive epithet. With the word describes that which accompanies the rite and which is the peculiar element of baptismal purification. Compare John 15:3. Augustine says: “Take away the word, and what is the water but water?” [source]
What do the individual words in John 15:3 mean?
Alreadyyoucleanareby reason ofthewordthatI have spokento you
Greek Commentary for John 15:3
Potentially cleansed (Westcott) as in John 13:10 which see and John 17:19. [source]
Etymologically akin to καθαίρει , purgeth. The Rev. indicates this by rendering καθαίρει , cleanseth. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 15:3
Compare thy word ( λόγον ), John 17:6. That signified the gospel message in its entirety. This, the message considered in its constituent parts. See on Luke 1:37. Compare John 5:38, John 5:47; John 6:60, John 6:63, John 6:68; John 8:43, John 8:47, John 8:51; John 12:47, John 12:48; John 15:3, John 15:7. [source]
Perfect passive articular participle of λουω louō to bathe the whole body (Acts 9:37). Save to wash his feet Aleph and some old Latin MSS. have only νιπσασται nipsasthai but the other words are genuine and are really involved by the use of νιπσασται nipsasthai (first aorist middle infinitive of νιπτω niptō to wash parts of the body) instead of λουσασται lousasthai to bathe the whole body (just used before). The guest was supposed to bathe Because of the bath. For καταρος katharos meaning external cleanliness see Matthew 23:26; Matthew 27:59; but in John 15:3 it is used for spiritual purity as here in “ye are clean” Every whit All of the body because of the bath. For this same predicate use of ολος holos see John 9:34. But not all Strongly put exception Plain hint of the treachery of Judas who is reclining at the table after having made the bargain with the Sanhedrin (Mark 14:11). A year ago Jesus knew that Judas was a devil and said to the apostles: “One of you is a devil” (John 6:64, John 6:70). But it did not hurt them then nor did they suspect each other then or now. It is far-fetched to make Jesus here refer to the cleansing power of his blood or to baptism as some do. [source]
Old word from κλαω klaō to break, common in lxx for offshoots of the vine, in N.T. only here (John 15:2-6), elsewhere in N.T. κλαδος klados (Mark 4:32, etc.), also from κλαω klaō both words meaning tender and easily broken parts. In me Two kinds of connexion with Christ as the vine (the merely cosmic which bears no fruit, the spiritual and vital which bears fruit). The fruitless (not bearing fruit, μη περον καρπον mē pheron karpon) the vine-dresser “takes away” Present active indicative of old verb καταιρω kathairō (clean) as in John 15:3, only use in N.T., common in the inscriptions for ceremonial cleansing, though καταριζω katharizō is more frequent (Hebrews 10:2). That it may bear more fruit Purpose clause with ινα hina and present active subjunctive of περω pherō “that it may keep on bearing more fruit” (more and more). A good test for modern Christians and church members. [source]
“And yet” as in John 1:10 and John 5:40 below. His word abiding in you But God‘s word had come to them through the centuries by the prophets. For the phrase see John 10:35; John 15:3; John 17:6; 1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:14. Him ye believe not “This one” Jesus has given them God‘s word, but they reject both Jesus and God‘s word (John 14:9). [source]
Nowhere else in the N.T., but see John 5:26 and “the living God” (Matthew 16:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16). The Father is the source of life and so “I live because of the Father” He that eateth me Still bolder putting of the mystical appropriation of Christ (John 6:51, John 6:53, John 6:54, John 6:56). Because of me The same idea appears in John 14:19: “Because I live ye shall live also.” See John 11:25. Jesus Christ is our ground of hope and guarantee of immortality. Life is in Christ. There is no real difficulty in this use of δια dia with the accusative as with δια τον πατερα dia ton patera just before. It occurs also in John 15:3. As the Father is the fount of life to Christ, so Christ is the fount of life to us. See 1 John 4:9 where δια dia is used with the genitive (δι αυτου di' autou) as the intermediate agent, not the ground or reason as here. [source]
Rev., correctly, with the word. To be connected with having cleansed it by the laver of water: not with might sanctify, nor with the laver of water alone, as a descriptive epithet. With the word describes that which accompanies the rite and which is the peculiar element of baptismal purification. Compare John 15:3. Augustine says: “Take away the word, and what is the water but water?” [source]