“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39 NASB)
The Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1-18 is referred to as the Prologue, which means the introduction to John’s particular Gospel, which was written, most scholars will agree after the Synoptics—namely after the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke—around AD 85 after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
As we look at John 1:1-18 the introduction summarizes how the ‘Word’ which was with God in the very beginning came into the sphere of time and history—how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be beautifully and most perfectly and most truly displayed. God’s self-disclosure by the Word—an acronym for Jesus—was accomplished by our Lord becoming flesh, when He dwelt among us (1:14) and thereby revealed His glory. This man Jesus, the Word continues to this day to make God known (1:18) and attract people to His Kingdom.
1. The result of Jesus — the Word becoming a man — coming to earth
“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him” (John 1:9-10) We are introduced to the result of this gracious revelation of Jesus becoming man—which enjoins John’s purpose statement in His entire Gospel—certain people, while not others, become the children of God by believing on the name of Jesus: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (v. 12)
The rest of John’s Gospel—and his letters likewise—actually articulate exactly just who are the real children of God, in contrast to warnings as to who are not the true children of God. Paul referred to these people as the true children of Abraham. Apostle Paul, the great revealer of the mysteries hidden in the Old Testament, chosen by Jesus to unpack the mystery of the Gospel, tells us that “those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Rom 8:14), and he ties it into the Israelites believing in the arrival of their Messiah: “Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham” (Gal 3:7)
The following verse indicates that these people, who have received Christ are differentiated by one thing: they are born again and have received the Holy Spirit: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (v. 12-13) They are also noted as concomitantly receiving both Jesus and His Spirit: “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”—and an inner communion begins in the heart i.e. the mind. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8: 15-16)
What is the reason that many did not become Christians in John’s day? They simply did not receive Jesus as the Messiah and chose not to follow Jesus. “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (v. 9-11)
Christ is the “life” that is the “light of men.” In him God’s purpose and power are made available to men. He is their ultimate hope. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (v 4-5) The metaphorical contrast between light and darkness represents the powers of good and evil in the world—antithetical, opposing powers battle between good and evil. Metaphorically we have a preview of the triumph of light over darkness, which is later personified in Christ’s work on the Cross. Those among His own people—the Jews—did not receive him. They ultimately had Him crucified. John said: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19)
Just as there is a contrast between darkness and light, there is also a contrast between rejection and reception. Despite the historical witness of many rejecting our Lord in John’s day, just as many reject the Gospel today, but—just as there were also some who received him then, some receive Christ today—today is the day of salvation: “all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. The definition of “believe” equates with “receive.” When we accept a gift, we demonstrate our confidence in the generosity and trustworthiness from whom we receive it. We make Jesus our own possession—we become allegiant, loyal to Christ—we own His insignia and are marked as the book of Revelation tells us, with His church name—a name that the Jews then could understand—the “New Jerusalem”. Augustine referred to the New Jerusalem in his masterpiece—his book “The City of God”.
Jesus receives those into His Kingdom who receive him—gives them a right to membership in the family of God as His children. From a spiritual perspective, the New Jerusalem has no need of a temple, as the people of God indwelt by the Spirit are the temple—the building blocks of the church, Christ being the chief cornerstone. (see Eph 2:20) And the church of Jesus Christ is illuminated by the Light of the Lamb—a metaphor for Jesus Christ built into the book of Revelation’s symbolism of the New Jerusalem.
2. Decisions to follow Jesus are motivated by the manifest Glory of Jesus, full of Grace and Truth
John refers to Jesus as one coming to us as a man incarnate—to Jesus as the light, as the Word. He made this possible by willingly and purposefully leaving His Sovereign reign in heaven as our Creator-God at His incarnation when born as a man to His virgin mother Mary. As he grew up and became a man, He fleshed-out the Word—made the entire scriptures of the Old testament, the writings of the prophets and the law of Moses clear, so that His grace and truth could be seen by human beings lived out in a human being: “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14).
The glory of God manifest in the incarnate Word was full of grace and truth. John is reminding his readers of the writings of Moses in Exodus 33–34. Moses begged God, “Now show me your glory” (Ex. 33:18). The LORD replied, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Ex. 33:19). God’s glory, then, is His goodness revealed in our presence. So Moses stands on Mount Sinai—“the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Ex. 34:5–7) Note the cloud in this picture.
Now let’s look at the Gospel of Luke. During the Transfiguration we see an illustration of the glory of Jesus: “he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:28-31).
Peter and the disciples are sleeping. When they awake Peter says, “‘Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said”. He missed the point! The appearance of Jesus’ face alters, his clothes begin to glow dazzlingly white. Moses, the law-messenger is present with Jesus in glory. Elijah, the law reformer is present with Jesus in glory. What are they discussing? The cross—Jesus’ departure from this world. Peter begins to rashly talk, let’s build a shelter for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus! God says in effect, NO! “As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent” (vv. 34-36) The Father said NO—“this is my beloved son, LISTEN to HIM”. Can you say Amen? Seeing the Father in the life of Christ via the Word—the Bible—wakes us up and still moves men to follow Him, to receive Him by faith! We listen, believe and receive, only when we see Jesus.
His own people, the Jewish nation—referred to as his own “did not receive him” (1:11). Nothing blinds men from seeing the Gospel more than tradition, popularity among others who we’ve growth up with, or friends at the golf club who say Jesus, but don’t receive Him; or someone who had never read the bible becomes an expositor of the bible finding fault with it—a so-called academic genius and people believe this nonsense; or your 300 friends on Facebook, or 700 faithful followers on Twitter—some are even becoming more popular than Jesus—John Lennon started that notion. Or there’s the spouse who does not want to hear about “your Jesus”—it messes with his or her adulterous lifestyle; or the philosophical traditions of the world like theosophy—namely, The Law of Attraction, The Secret, and the like. What about multicultural shake and bake religion? Let’s meditate away our stress, or play the big drum and get entranced, and just know that the force is with you—live long and prosper. Jesus has a lot of competition with our little self-created gods—or does He?
Once you dig into the gospel of John, it is clear that people who were moved by the Holy Spirit recognized their Saviour-Messiah—the disciples eventually did. Didn’t Peter say “Where shall we go Lord, you alone have the Words of eternal Life”. This includes Pilate who said “I find no fault in Him”; Judas the betrayer who would say “I have betrayed innocent blood”; Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arithema, the centurion whose boy/servant was ill and cured from a distance—yes God is watching—the man born blind since birth; the thief on the cross; the centurion below the cross—the 120 in the upper room after the cross as tongues of fire danced across the room proclaiming Jesus as Lord in every language; the conversion of the Apostle Paul who challenged and killed Christ’s followers—Paul in a flash of atomic white light was impacted by the glory of Jesus! Men like Timothy, Barnabus, and Apollos––and converts like the Roman, Cornelius who opened their minds to the Spirit—he gathered his whole household to hear Peter. Women like Lydia, Eunice, and Priscilla all received Jesus. And what of the boy in the city of Nain, the only son of his widowed mother and Lazarus, both raised from the dead right before many eyewitnesses among the mourning people who began to praise God for sending Jesus to earth to reveal His glory?
Right now the demographic records show that this gospel has gone to the whole world—His church is now readying to meet Him is multi-millions strong worldwide! “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name”—“He gave the right to become children of God” (vv. 12-13)
3. The meaning of believing on the Name of Jesus
These people believed in his name. The name is more than Christ’s birth record in history; it is the character of His person, or even the person Himself. Faith in His name yields allegiance to the Word, frees oneself to trust the name of Jesus completely, acknowledges his claims and confess Him as Lord with gratitude. That is what it means to receive him.
Receiving Him does not come by entitlement, not by assuming you are of a Christian nation or family, not by getting married in a church in your old town, not because your grandma or uncle goes to such and such church. It does not come by being a good person, or believing philosophical ideas such as “the Secret” which has some gooey bible insinuations, which as I mentioned is the old deception of theosophy in disguise, which manifests itself in other formats even in the church: name it and claim it, brag it and bag it. No, becoming a child of God is simply by believing on His name. There is no other name under heaven whereby a man can be saved! No other. All true believers come to the Father, firstly by coming to me—by my name said Jesus.
To people who receive him, to those who display such faith, Jesus gives the right to become children of God. These people enjoy the privilege of becoming the covenant people of God, a privilege lost by the Messiah’s own people (1:11), those who had related to him by being born children of Abraham.
The grace of the old covenant was illustrated in shadow-types, given by the messenger Moses, protected by the reformers Elijah, Jeremiah and the prophets—because the law foretold of Christ and led men to Him. John, a Jew, was awaiting the coming Messiah when he was with John the Baptist at the Jordan warning the people to make straight the way of the Lord. John, a Jew, was awaiting the coming Messiah when he was with John the Baptist at the Jordan warning the people to make straight the way of the Lord—prepare for the Messiah’s arrival. Jesus told the disciples walking with Him on the road to Emmaus, that all the scriptures of the law and the prophets pointed to Him. John sees his history as a Jew laden with grace: “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses” (v 16-17)
4. The old law had symbolic messages of grace––Jesus introduces us to superseding true grace
To some, it appears that the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ replaces the law—most believe that the law itself is understood to be an earlier display of active progressive grace when you consider that the true and final manifestation of grace did not actually come via the law given by Moses. Is John speaking of the grace of Jesus and His message as replacing the progressive grace upon grace illustrated symbolically in the law?
Paul often contrasts grace and law, as a contradistinction. Paul also told us that the law is ‘holy’ and ‘good’ (Rom. 7:12, 16). Let’s see if we can unpack law versus grace.
Looking at verse 17: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” one may think—Moses/law versus Jesus/grace. As if the two are different, opposing each other. Law versus Grace! A preferred way of viewing this may be—the covenant of law was a gracious gift from God. It is now replaced by an ever-magnified further gracious undeserved gift: ‘grace and truth’ intertwined/embodied in Jesus Christ. —v.17 mentioned the full name of Jesus Christ—His full name enjoining the man Jesus plus the anointed Word-made-flesh—”Jesus Christ” our Lord’s full name is used, meaning God incarnate in man. It was in His life that the Light of Life was displayed, where mercy and love was demonstrated, people were forgiven, healed, undeservedly honoured—at least from our perspective and the crowds were humbled, awestruck, amazed how He loved us.
The Old Testament Scriptures are understood to point forward to Jesus—prophetically anticipate Him—and thus Jesus fulfilled them. “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John”—John the baptizer (Matt 11:13)—this timing arrived at the Jordan when John baptized Jesus—and now having come in the name of Christ, the law of the old covenant, must to a degree be displaced.
When reading your Bible, all the types that pointed to Christ such as the morning and evening sacrifices offered by the Levitical priesthood and the Day of Atonement officiated by the High Priest once per year, do not lose their historic validity as we look at the majestic scope of redemption. As Paul noted “Christ was crucified since the creation of the world”. As far as authority goes, law is bypassed by grace—that to which it announced has now arrived. The law, i.e. the law-covenant—the Old Covenant, was given by grace surely, as law anticipated the future salvation of mankind via the Creator, the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ—this prophecy and fulfillment reality underscores why the two displays of grace in time, are not precisely identical. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Mat 5:17–20) The Apostle Paul wrote of God’s grace being ‘made perfect’ in Christ (2 Cor. 12:9). Jesus accomplished what the law anticipated as our schoolmaster intended would later conclude—redemption at Calvary when He cried out “it is finished”.
Compare this with Christ’s numerous teachings of the New Covenant which He said would be realized in His blood, “after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant
in my blood” (1 Cor 11:25; cf. Luke 22:20, Matt 26:28, Mark 14:24). We simply must open our eyes to seeing all things in a new light apart from the law.
- He turned the Jewish water used for OT ritual cleansing into wine at the wedding feast. (see John 2:9)
- He said that new wine can not be put into old wine skins–meaning New Covenant thinking won’t be accepted if one is bound only to the Old Covenant ways. (see Matt 9:18, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:37)
- He said that new cloth cannot be sown into an old garment. (see Matt 9:16, Mark 2:21, Luke 5:30)
- The Alpha and Omega in Revelation is Christ and He said: “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev 21:5)
The Apostle Paul wrote of God’s grace being ‘made perfect’ in Christ (2 Cor. 12:9). Jesus accomplished what the law anticipated as our schoolmaster intended would later conclude—redemption at Calvary when He cried out “it is finished”. I like the scholar, D.A. Carson’s viewpoint:
In Judaism, the law became an end in itself, something that could be separated from Moses through whom it was given. The grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ can never be dissociated from Jesus—the law ‘was given’ (Greek edothē), grace and truth ‘came’ (Greek egeneto). We have received this new grace in Christ for all who share the same faith.
Paul supports this premise:
- But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it (Rom 3:21)
- For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Rom 3:28)
- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Eph 2:8)
“Grace and truth ‘came’; they were not ‘given’ like the law. No Giver used a human instrument and made grace and truth a gift. God did not merely tell us about grace and truth, so that he could have used another Moses or an array of prophets. Jesus himself was grace and truth” Lenski
Only the law’s symbolic sacrificial system was given to Moses in the Old Covenant. I’m driving home the idea that grace and truth “came” to actualization at the Jordan for the first time—coming into existence upon the arrival of Jesus Christ. The actual work of redemption in the thought of God was being conveyed to men by promise since Genesis 3:15—it was conveyed in the law using symbolic shadow-types of the final work of Jesus. Only Jesus himself was the reality show of grace and truth come to fruition—manifested before our eyes in word and deed! He alone came as grace and truth—He alone could present the true reality of His own redemptive work. The final lamb was slain as the old shadow system of types came to an abrupt end at the cross—behold the Lamb of God, God incarnate dying for His own creation to display the Father’s glory of forgiving man for ongoing disobedience to His laws based on love.
The contrast between law and grace as methods of God’s dealing with men is expressed here plainly in the above-noted Pauline writings. The law represented God’s standard of righteousness and reveals sin and man’s need of a propitiatory sacrifice when Christ arrived as the better sacrifice once and for all. Grace exhibited His attitude to failing, defeated human beings who found that they could not keep the law—could not save themselves so to speak. This attitude of grace was depicted in the person and life of Jesus. This contrast to law has a parallel in the argument of Hebrews 3:5–6: “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house.” Hebrews stresses the superiority of the Son to a servant––to administer the law correctly—the Son, who is the ruler of the house—He can act with ultimate authority that surpasses the authority of the servant-directed law seen so often in the scribes and Pharisees. This is seen in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said.… But I tell you” (Matt 5:21–22, 27–28, 22:33–34, 38–39, 43–44).
5. The Gospel of Grace actualized cannot be encumbered with the shadows of Law displaced
The principal reason that grace and truth is distinct from and trumps the Old Covenant Law is this: you must only focus on Jesus Christ—you must only see Him in the Word—you must only listen to Him if you are to comprehend the final Atonement of Jesus Christ achieved on Calvary once and for all for you. Apostle Paul was emphatic: “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Col 2:13-15) Christ disarmed the legal Pharisees and the lawyers who would leverage the Old Covenant law even trying to use it against the Law-giver—the Son of God—the rock that followed and protected the Israelites in the Sinai wilderness—Jesus disarmed the law of its wrath by taking on the wrath of God on the cross on your behalf by His grace and truth in action.
The word “grace,” so common in synoptic gospels and apostolic writings appears only here in the prologue of John four times and then disappears. Following the common understanding of the synoptic writings, John certainly was noting the generous work of God in sending his Son, which results in our salvation. Grace is found in God’s coming and working despite the hostility and rejection of the world. Grace is not merely an attribute of God. It is known when someone enjoys his goodness. It is the recipient who knows grace, not the pew-warmer or the academic who just has studied it. Thus in verse 1:16 John emphasizes our experience and reception of this grace as its chief merit. But you may reason in your mind that you are a good person and do not need a Saviour to die in your stead for legal redemption and forgiveness. Of the Jews who crucified Him, Jesus said “he who is forgiven little loves little” (Lk 7:47 NASB) You will not love Jesus Christ nor receive if you are self-righteous.
The epistle to the Galatians made this very clear, that you cannot preach law and grace out of both sides of your mouth. One must calibrate his or her teaching which affects believing and receiving Christ, so that we can joyfully proclaim Him—receive Him with gratitude for God’s supreme sacrifice of His Son—our Father’s excessive, and super-abounding love-gifting of His Son.
I recall when I first accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour, in a supernatural instant, I experienced liberation from destructive habits, fears—release from psychological and philosophical bondage. I did not process His grace logically in my mind—I was completely changed when I heard the Gospel for the first time. I experienced it in my heart! Grace offers Christ’s gift of unmerited favour—grace offered by simply believing in His love, His undeserved forgiveness, and His favor in your life, found in His name—His Sovereign God Persona. When you believe right about His grace you will believe in the name of the person—you will begin to live in the way of Christ.
In verse 17 both “grace and truth” are regarded together—the verb “came “is used in the singular. Grace and truth “came” united—grace in the truth of Jesus—one and the same thing. Grace is the truth that has the power to set you free from fear, guilt, and all addictions—Grace equals Jesus: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8: 32). It is the truth of grace—not of the law that brings you true freedom. Bondage to a curriculum of law is most discouraging within Christendom!
6. Children of God in Christ learn of a New Covenant Consciousness
Grace is not a doctrine. it is a person who has redeemed you from the curse-effect of the law. If the law is focused on too much beyond a historical typology/shadow of true grace, Satan will abuse you and those you preach to. Grace is Jesus Himself. “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1: 17).
The truth that has the power to fling wide open the prison doors of religious formalism in the knowledge of His grace. When you taste Jesus’ love and savor His loving-kindness and tender mercies, every wrong law-bound encumberment, morphs into grace, empowered by the glory of His love, forgiveness, and joy—empowered by Jesus who is alive and ministering His Spirit to us, as he advocates for us.
When God takes this initiative, new possibilities are born. Divine power is released into the broken world and broken lives like Zacchaeus, like Mary Magdalene, like me, like you—so that new life is possible.
The theological key that the world finds so foreign lies here: Transformation and hope cannot be the fruit of some human endeavor. Only God can take the initiative, and men and women must see, receive, and believe the work he desires to do—less the side-bar of the law—administering grace upon truth and grace. And when they do, they are reborn to become God’s children.
God discloses himself. God enters our world bearing truth and grace in order to transform whoever will receive him. Transformation is not an inspired human work—it is not law based obedience which is a self-deceptive tactic of trading our own “good” works for a self-reward of redemption to circumvent the divine strategy of God in the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross to save mankind from his downward spiral in sin. No—redmption is a divine work led by the Spirit of Christ in our heart.
Jesus, the father’s Son was “full of grace and truth”; that is, he proved a wonderful expression of His father running to us, like the prodigal father’s imagery—running to his world-worn son when he discerned his son coming home, who said “I have sinned against my father and heaven”. Are you ready to receive a complete, perfect expression of God’s covenant-keeping faithfulness? You are a child that He co-created with the Father. He knows you personally. Jesus redeems His own children who receive Him: Gen. 1:26, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” It was in our likeness that He came to reveal His glory as of the only begotten Son of God. As many as received Him He gives the right to become the children of God.
Glen R. Jackman
