JOHN—NOTE ON John 15:4 Abide in me means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with Jesus characterized by trust, prayer, obedience, and joy. (See note on 1 John 2:6.) And I in you probably means, “See that I abide in you.” The preposition “in” recalls OT texts regarding a future new covenant (see Exodus 25:8; Exodus 29:45; Leviticus 26:11; Ezekiel 43:9). The repeated references to fruit bearing (also John 15:5, John 15:8) reflect God’s primary purpose in creation (Genesis 1:11, Genesis 1:22, Genesis 1:28) and in redemption (John 15:8, John 15:16). The OT prophets envisioned a time when God’s people would “blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit” (Isaiah 27:6; compare Hosea 14:4).

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