Observation 2: How the Father Is the Husbandman

As Christ is thus a vine, so his Father is the husbandman, and as strange a husbandman as Christ a vine.

For first, he is the very root of the vine itself, which no husbandman is to any vine; therefore he that is the vine calls the husbandman his Father, 'My Father is the husbandman.' This vine springs out of his bosom by eternal generation, for this is the derivation of our offspring (John 14:20): 'I am in my Father, and you in me.' And John 5:26: 'The Father has life (original) in himself, and gives it to the Son, and the Son to us, and thence spring living fruits, the fruits of righteousness.'

2. He is the grafter, and planter of all the branches into this vine. Isaiah 60:21 he calls them his righteous people, 'the branch of my planting,' the work of my hands. Other husbandmen do but expect what branches their vines will of themselves bring forth, but God appoints who, and how many shall be the branches, and gives them to, and grafts them into his Son.

3. He appoints what fruit, and what store of fruit these branches shall bring forth, and accordingly gives the increase, which other husbandmen cannot do: 'Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God only gives the increase' (1 Corinthians 3:7). Though Christ merited, yet the Father decreed every man's measure of fruitfulness.

4. He is the most diligent husbandman that ever was; for he knows, and daily views, and takes notice of every branch, and of all their fruit: for says the text, 'Every branch that brings not forth fruit, he takes away,' etc., therefore he knows who bears fruit, and who does not. He knows their persons, who are his, and who are not (2 Timothy 2:19), not so much as one man could come in without a wedding garment, but he spies him out.

5. The most careful he is daily to purge his vine: so says the second verse. And of all possessions, says Cato, 'No possession requires more labor' — vineyards need as much care, and more than any other. The corn, when it is sown, comes up, and grows alone, and ripens, and comes to perfection, the husbandman sleeping and waking, he knows not how, says Christ: but vines must be dressed, supported, sheltered, pruned, well-nigh every day.

And of all trees God has most care of his vines, and regards them more than all the rest in the world.

This is to honor the Father in all the works tending to our salvation, as much as we honor the Son: if Christ be the vine, his Father means to be the husbandman: and indeed it may teach us to honor all the three persons in every work that is saving, for in all, they bear a distinct office; the Father has not only a hand in election, but also in sanctification, concerning which this parable was made. If Christ be the root that affords us sap, from where all fruit buds, the Father is the husbandman that waters the vine, gives the increase, purges the branches, and is the root of that life which Christ affords to us: and then the Spirit also comes in to have a work and influence therein also; for he is the sap, though not here mentioned, yet which is implied, which lies hid in this parable of the vine, and appears in all the fruits that are brought forth, therefore called the 'Fruits of the Spirit' (Galatians 5). None of the three persons will be left out in any relation, or in any work, that is for our salvation. That ever three so great persons should have a joint care of our salvation and sanctification, and we ourselves neglect it! That they should be so careful, we so negligent and unfruitful! If they do all so much for us, what should not we endeavor to do for ourselves?

Be careful of your words, thoughts, ways, affections, desires, all which are the fruits of your souls; for God takes notice of all, he walks in this his garden every day, and spies out how many raw, unripe, undigested performances, as prayers, etc., hang on such or such a branch, what gum of pride, what leaves, what luxuriant sprigs, what are rotten boughs, and which are sound, and goes up and down with his pruning knife in his hand, and cuts and slashes where he sees things amiss; he turns up all your leaves, sees what fruit is under; and deals with men accordingly.

When the church is in any distress or misery, go to him that is the husbandman; such is the usual condition of this his vine, spread over the face of the earth. Complain as they, Psalm 80:12: 'Why have you broken down her hedges, so as all they which pass by do pluck her?', 'the boar out of the wood does waste it.' Complain to him that the hogs are in his vineyard, and do much havoc and spoil therein; and tell him that he is the husbandman, who should take care for it. So they go on to pray, 'Return, we beseech you O God of hosts, look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine, and the vineyard which your right hand has planted' (Psalm 80:14-15).

Just as Christ is a vine, so His Father is the husbandman — and as remarkable a husbandman as Christ is a vine.

First, the Father is the very root of the vine itself — which no human husbandman is to any vine he tends. This is why the one who is the vine calls the husbandman His Father: 'My Father is the husbandman.' This vine springs from the Father's own being by eternal generation, for as John 14:20 traces our origin: 'I am in My Father, and you in Me.' And John 5:26: 'The Father has life — original life — in Himself, and gives it to the Son, and the Son to us.' From there spring living fruits, the fruits of righteousness.

2. He is the one who grafts and plants all the branches into this vine. In Isaiah 60:21 He calls them His righteous people, 'the branch of My planting,' the work of My hands. Other husbandmen simply wait to see what branches their vines naturally produce, but God appoints who and how many shall be the branches, and gives them to His Son and grafts them into Him.

3. He appoints what fruit, and how much fruit these branches shall bear, and accordingly gives the increase — something no ordinary husbandman can do. 'Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God alone gives the increase' (1 Corinthians 3:7). Though Christ merited it, the Father decreed each person's measure of fruitfulness.

4. He is the most diligent husbandman who ever lived, for He knows and daily observes every branch and all their fruit. As the text says, 'Every branch that brings not forth fruit, He takes away' — therefore He knows who bears fruit and who does not. He knows His own people personally (2 Timothy 2:19); not one person could slip in without a wedding garment without being noticed by Him.

5. He is the most careful — daily pruning His vine, as the second verse says. As Cato observed, 'No possession requires more labor' — vineyards need as much care as any other crop, and more. Grain, once sown, grows, ripens, and reaches perfection on its own, with the farmer sleeping or waking, knowing not how, as Christ says. But vines must be tended, supported, sheltered, and pruned nearly every day.

Of all trees, God gives the most care to His vines, and regards them more than all the rest of the world.

This is meant to lead us to honor the Father in all the works of our salvation as much as we honor the Son. If Christ is the vine, His Father means to be the husbandman. It also teaches us to honor all three persons in every saving work, for in each of them they hold a distinct office. The Father has a hand not only in election but also in sanctification, which is what this parable is about. If Christ is the root that supplies the sap from which all fruit grows, the Father is the husbandman who waters the vine, gives the increase, prunes the branches, and is the source of the life that Christ channels to us. Then the Spirit also has His own work and influence — He is the sap itself. Though He is not explicitly named in this parable of the vine, He is implied, and He appears in all the fruits that are brought forth, which are therefore called 'the fruits of the Spirit' (Galatians 5). None of the three persons will be left out of any relationship or any work that is for our salvation. What an astonishing thing — that three such great persons should have a joint care for our salvation and sanctification, while we ourselves neglect it! That they should be so devoted, while we are so negligent and unfruitful! If they do so much for us, what should we not be doing for ourselves?

Be careful about your words, thoughts, ways, affections, and desires — all of which are the fruit of your souls. God takes notice of everything. He walks through His garden every day and looks closely to see how many raw, unripe, halfhearted performances hang on each branch — how many prayers and the like. He observes what gum of pride, what mere leaves, what excessive shoots are present, which are rotten boughs and which are sound. He goes up and down with His pruning knife in hand, cutting and trimming where He sees things amiss. He lifts up all your leaves and sees what fruit is underneath, and He deals with each person accordingly.

When the church is in distress or suffering, go to Him who is the husbandman, for such is the usual condition of this vine spread across the face of the earth. Complain as they do in Psalm 80:12: 'Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by may pluck her?' — 'the boar out of the wood does waste it.' Tell Him that the hogs are in His vineyard and are doing great damage and destruction. Remind Him that He is the husbandman, who should be caring for it. So they go on to pray, 'Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts, look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine, and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted' (Psalm 80:14-15).