葡萄樹枝子的省思（結15章）

耶和華的話臨到我說：「人子阿，葡萄樹比別樣樹有甚麼強處？葡萄枝比眾樹枝有甚麼好處？其上可以取木料作甚麼工用？可以取來作釘子掛甚麼器皿麼？」（結 15：1-3）

本章是神在提醒以色列選民，他們的本質就是葡萄樹的枝子，不是在一般的樹上。葡萄樹，生存目的就是為了結果，若不能結果子，就沒什麼意義，因為沒有其他功能。然而這時的以色列選民，就像葡萄樹枝一樣，不結果，加上因為悖逆神，神讓他們被焚燒。已經燃燒起來的葡萄樹枝，結局就是焚毀，更加一點用途也沒有。

看哪！已經拋在火中當作柴燒，火既燒了兩頭，中間也被燒了，還有益於工用麼？完全的時候尚且不合乎甚麼工用，何況被火燒壞，還能合乎甚麼工用麼？（結 15：4-5）

今天我們做神兒女的，本質也是葡萄樹枝子，主耶穌就是葡萄樹的樹身。我們活著的任務，就是結出果子，也就是要有榮神益人的好行為。結果子的人，才是「門徒」。只有門徒能進天國，若只是信徒，則不一定能進天國。

你們多結果子，我父就因此得榮耀。你們也就是我的門徒了。（約 15：8）

我們是葡萄樹的枝子，就不能離開葡萄樹。教會就是基督的身體，所以我們身為肢體的每一位弟兄姊妹，就不可以離開教會，也就是基督的身體。離開教會，只想獨善其身、孤芳自賞的信徒，將因沒有養分、不能結果，結局就是焚燒。

我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裏面的，我也常在他裏面，這人就多結果子。因為離了我，你們就不能作甚麼。人若不常在我裏面，就像枝子丟在外面枯乾，人拾起來，扔在火裏燒了。（約 15：5-6）

我們是葡萄樹的枝子，就要有這樣的自我認知，也就是分別為聖。這樣的認知就是：「我是神的兒女，是不同於其他世人的。」所以別人或許能做的事，我們因主的緣故就不一定能做，這就是要「分別為聖」。

如同本章這節經文說的：「其上可以取木料作甚麼功用？可以取來作釘子掛甚麼器皿麼？」是的，當別人在貪愛世界、追逐名利，真正屬神的人難免心動，但卻常會覺得「為何我都追不到、得不到？」這是因為，「你是葡萄樹枝子」，只能有榮耀神的品德言行，結出神所喜悅的果子，不是要用來做其他世俗的功用的。其他的世俗、污穢、罪惡的用途，都不適合屬神的子民，因為我們是分別為聖的，我們天生就是準備要結果的葡萄樹枝子。

天生是葡萄樹的枝子，是被神所預定的，也是無法改變的。

若身為葡萄樹的枝子，卻不結果，又注定無法像世人那樣追求罪中之樂，那將比不信的人更加可憐。

我們若靠基督，只在今生有指望，就算比眾人更可憐。（林前 15：19）

By Isaiah Kao

Reflections on the Branches of the Vine (Ezekiel 15)

September 7, 2026

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest? Can wood be taken from it to make anything? Or can people take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel?” (Ezekiel 15:1–3)

In this chapter, God reminds His chosen people of Israel that, by their very nature, they are like branches of the vine, different from ordinary trees. The purpose of a vine is to bear fruit. If it cannot bear fruit, it has little meaning, because it has no other useful function. At that time, however, the chosen people of Israel were like branches of the vine that bore no fruit. Because of their rebellion against God, God allowed them to be burned by fire. Once a vine branch has begun to burn, its end is destruction. It becomes even more useless than before.

“Behold, it is thrown into the fire for fuel. The fire has devoured both ends of it, and its middle is burned. Is it useful for any work? Indeed, when it was whole, it was not suitable for any work. How much less will it be useful for any work when the fire has devoured it and it is burned?” (Ezekiel 15:4–5)

Today, as children of God, our nature is also that of branches of the vine, while the Lord Jesus Himself is the vine. The purpose of our lives is to bear fruit—that is, to have good conduct that glorifies God and benefits others.

Those who bear fruit are true “disciples.” Only disciples can enter the kingdom of heaven; merely being a believer does not necessarily mean that one will enter the kingdom of heaven.

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

Since we are 

branches of the vine, we cannot be separated from the vine. The church is the body of Christ. Therefore, every brother and sister, as a member of that body, should not leave the church—that is, the body of Christ. Believers who leave the church and merely seek to preserve themselves or admire themselves in isolation will have no spiritual nourishment and will be unable to bear fruit. Their end will be to be thrown into the fire.

“I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” (John 15:5–6)

Since we are branches of the vine, we must have this kind of self-understanding—that is, we must be set apart as holy.

This understanding is: “I am a child of God, and I am different from the people of this world.”

Therefore, there may be things that others can do, but because we belong to the Lord, they are not necessarily things that we can do. This is what it means to be set apart as holy.

As the verse in this chapter says:

“Can wood be taken from it to make anything? Or can people take a peg from it on which to hang any vessel?”

Yes, when others are greedily loving the world and pursuing fame and wealth, those who truly belong to God may inevitably feel tempted. Yet they may often wonder, “Why can’t I catch up with them? Why can’t I obtain these things?”

The reason is that "you are a branch of the vine".You are meant only to have character and conduct that glorify God and to bear fruit that is pleasing to Him. You are not meant to be used for other worldly purposes.

All worldly, defiled, and sinful purposes are unsuitable for God's people, because we are set apart as holy. By nature, we are branches of the vine, prepared to bear fruit.

To be a branch of the vine by nature is something ordained by God, and it cannot be changed.

If we are branches of the vine but do not bear fruit, while at the same time being unable to pursue the pleasures of sin as people of the world do, then we would be even more miserable than unbelievers.

“If we have hoped in Christ only in this life, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)

By Isaiah Kao