The uselessness of Jerusalem after it turned away from its calling is likened to the uselessness of a grapevine, which is suitable neither for building because of its fragility, nor for weaving mats, nor for feeding livestock. It is fit only to be thrown into the fire, yet even there the vine burns up quickly and produces no heat comparable with that of other kinds of fuel.

But if this is so, why, when saying farewell to His disciples, does Jesus compare Himself precisely to a grapevine? Was His self-abasement not manifested in this comparison as well?

Or perhaps, by likening Himself to a vine “worthless and good for nothing,” He wanted us to understand that in His eyes the things people are accustomed to rejecting—and still more, those whom society is accustomed to looking down upon for their unappealing appearance—also possess a value that escapes human perception?