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I can find the phrase ‘wild vine’ in just two places in Modern Bibles
RSV - 2 Kings 4:39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of pottage, not knowing what they were.
Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?
ESV - 2 Kings 4:39 One of them went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were.
Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?
The phrase ‘wild vine’ occurs once in the King James Version.
KJV - 2 Kings 4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary:
wild vine — literally, "the vine of the field," supposed to be the colocynth, a cucumber, which, in its leaves, tendrils, and fruit, bears a strong resemblance to the wild vine. The "gourds," or fruit, are of the color and size of an orange bitter to the taste, causing colic, and exciting the nerves, eaten freely they would occasion such a derangement of the stomach and bowels as to be followed by death. The meal which Elisha poured into the pot was a symbolic sign that the noxious quality of the herbs was removed.
In Jeremiah 2:21 ‘wild vine’ is translated (more correctly) as ‘strange vine’; the Hebrew ‘nokriy’ translated ‘strange’ – means ‘foreign’ rather than ‘wild’.
Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
Israel is described as a vineyard planted by God. The nation turned from him as prophesied in Deuteronomy 32. The people turned to idolatry and are described as the vine of Sodom.
Deuteronomy 32:28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them... 32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
In Isaiah 5 they are said to have brought forth ‘wild grapes’ and in consequence would be removed from the land.
Isaiah 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?... 13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
The Jews were taken into captivity to Babylon and returned after 70 years. After the rejection of their Messiah they were completely dispersed among the nations by the Romans. Jesus prophesies of this in a parable:
Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country... 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Jesus is the true vine from the stock of Israel.
Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into him become branches of the true vine and are to bring forth fruit acceptable to God.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
In Christ, nationality no longer applies.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Israel was ‘cast off’ because they became a ‘strange vine’ but they have not been cast off forever. Today we see the nation back in the land. There is still the time of Jacob’s trouble to come.
Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
This is prophesied in some detail in Ezekiel 39 and 40, and Zechariah 12 to 14. Christ will return to save Israel. They will recognise him as their Messiah and turn to God in truth.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
The kingdom of God will be the restored kingdom of David upon the earth. Christ is the king who will reign forever on his throne.
Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
In conclusion,Israel became a wild vine in disobeying God. Christians who have obeyed the gospel become part of the true vine.
I hope you have found this helpful.
God bless you,
Glenn
