Just outside Nazareth where Jesus grew up you can see them on both sides of the road. They grow everywhere out of that dry, rocky soil. They are the grapevines mentioned in John 15.

When I stepped off the tourist bus to take pictures, I was amazed to see these short stumps of vines lying over close to the ground and propped up with a rock to keep them off the hot red soil.

I had pictured in my mind all these years, grape arbors like grandpa’s that ran from the house to the garage in the backyard and which were full of green leaves, shade, and blue grapes.

In Israel it’s different. The vine is pruned back drastically. That way it has a better chance of maturing and bearing the grapes.

Jesus grew up with those vines all around his little village. He knew how you had to cut the wood to get t…