16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Message: The Full and Final Revelation of God
Time: Jesus' disciple John, the brother of James, the son of Zebedee was one of the inner circle of Jesus' most trusted companions. It's most likely that John wrote his gospel while he was in Ephesus, and that he wrote it for an audience that lived outside Palestine, perhaps in Asia Minor. John appears to have had in mind members of a Jewish community who had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but who had continued to worship in the synagogue. John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: As I have been studying, John bore witness of Jesus and was His forerunner, preparing the way. We are all to be like John the Baptist and bear testimony of Him. In building off of the previous lesson, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory." Through Jesus or by way of Jesus we see the glory of God.
In verse 16, "For of His fullness we have all received." It parallels Paul's words in Colossians 2:9, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and ye are complete in Him (NKJV)." This is a remarkable statement that Jesus dwells all the fulness of the Godhead. Again, this is a clear declaration that Jesus possesses all that God possesses. And so in receiving Jesus (v. 12) we all receive God. What amazing words these are and what a clear connection there is here of God and Jesus.
I love reading from Alexander Maclaren's and his words on this passage are great:
- for this is the very centre and heart of Christianity, that in Him who is Christianity God is not merely made known, but given; not merely beheld, but possessed.
- Christ is more than all His gifts. All His gifts are treasured up in Him and inseparable from Him. We get Jesus Christ Himself.
John says that we all receive "grace upon grace." From Tabletalk, "Interestingly, this phrase may be better translated “grace instead of grace,” suggesting the exchange of one kind of “lesser” grace, for “greater” grace." The greater grace is the grace of the New Covenant. Grace was present in the old Covenant. In the sacrificial system of the altar of the burnt offerings there were repeated sacrifices and then annually through the atonement; thus, we received a substitute for our sins. This was a form of grace for even in the sacrifice grace was imparted to people through the suffering of another: an animal. Man even in that situation was made right with God through no part of his own. But now in Jesus the grace is greater because it is once and for all. It is complete and never has to be repeated. Thus, John is mentioning the promise and the sacrifice of Jesus which to this point has not occurred but had occurred at the time of John's writing.
What a wonderful statement and idea this is that I had not put together previously. Even the Mosaic Law had grace. It speaks to the consistency of scripture. The message of the Bible is the same from Old to New Covenant, Old to New Testament. Grace went form annual to everlasting. As stated in verse 17, "grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." What a powerful statement.
And even more clearly - "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained." In Jesus we know God. Only Jesus. Exodus 33:20, "But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” No one can see God and live and so with Jesus, in Jesus we see the fullness, the glory, all that God is.
Summary: All that we know of God we have in Christ. His grace is everlasting and greater than repeated annually.
Promise: Let us rejoice to be partakers of the new covenant and look to Christ for the fullest revelation of God.
Prayer: O Father God, you are glorious and your message is complete and penetrates my entire being. I have such reverence and fear of God and yet Jesus it clearly states in Your word that the fullness of God is found in You. Thank you for the consistency of your scripture and how grace is interwoven throughout the Bible. Lord, may the clarity of Your Word shine forth into people's lives. May you pull the blinders off of people and remove any obstacles. We want to behold You and You alone. All truth is complete in You.
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