which do not remain in me and end up in the fire. Jesus may have in mind the tragic case of Judas, who had appeared as a branch indistinguishable from the others, but the coming of the winter frosts of temptation exposed him as a withered and dead branch, fit only to be ‘thrown away’. Within every disciple community there are probably those who at the last will be exposed as dead branches. Let each one make his or her ‘calling and election sure’ (2 Pet. 1:10). The Father’s other, positive function