John 1:14-17 (WEL) The Word became flesh and lived [literally, tabernacled] among us. We looked at his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about him and shouted, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” 16 Out of his abundance, all of us received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
V14 The Word became flesh and lived [literally, tabernacled] among us. We looked at his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Word is Jesus. See the post on John 1:1. God the Son, Jesus Christ, has no beginning or ending. He is God eternal. He came in the likeness of human flesh (Philippians 2:7 and 1 Peter 2:21-22) which means He is 100% a human male but without sin (Hebrews 2:14 and Hebrews 4:15). John saw Jesus’s glory (Matthew 17:1-5). John testifies that the glory he saw is the glory only God has (Isaiah 42:6-8).
V15 John testified about him and shouted, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”
This John is John the Baptist, the forerunner of Messiah. He testifies that Jesus is God’s Son and the Messiah and that Jesus has more glory, honor, and rank than he.
Robertson Word Pictures: “He had always been (ēn imperfect) before John in his pre-incarnate state, but “after” John in time of the Incarnation, but always ahead of John in rank immediately on his Incarnation.”
V16 Out of his abundance, all of us received grace upon grace.
Jesus, as God, had everything in heaven and earth. Nevertheless, He came to Earth as a sinless man to be the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). To those who believe and trust in Him for salvation and forgiveness of sins, abundant grace was given. Grace is receiving what we do not deserve, such as all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
V17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The Mosaic Law was given in glorious array. See Exodus 19:15-20. The Law is unable to save (Hebrews 7:18-22). Jesus came and hid His glory assuming a humble fleshly body, a despised city, and a humble occupation (carpenter). Yet, what He brought and offered was grace and truth.
Grace was seen in the Law from the Law’s revealing of God’s standard and our inability to save ourselves. Yet, God did have those who believed after crying out for mercy and believing God.
Jesus is the perfection of grace. The Law exposes sin, bringing guilt; Jesus provides the salvation, forgiving sin and removing guilt.
We learn:
- The greatnesses of Jesus Christ.
- The superiority of His ministry and person compared to Moses.
Questions:
- How do you respond to the greatness of Jesus Christ?
- Which do you trust in—Mosaic Law or the Gospel of Jesus Christ?