Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.
Our Saviour having in the former verses distinguished his disciples into two sorts; some that were members of his body the church, and branches of him the true vine, by outward shew and visible profession only: others that are spiritually ingrafted into him, and do bring forth much fruit: now in this third verse Christ tells his disciples which number they were of: Now (saith...
Verse 3. Now ye are clean. Still keeping up the figure (katharoi). It does not mean that they were perfect, but that they had been under a process of purifying by his instructions all the time he had been with them.
Christ compares Himself to a vine, humble, outwardly unremarkable, yet spreading to the ends of the earth and bearing fruit that honors God. He is the true vine, not a deceiver like the wild vine; in Him dwells all the excellency that creature vines merely shadow forth.
AI summary
Commenting on John 15:1-8