John, having introduced the things we need to know about Jesus as the Word/Memra of God, now explains to his readers that the living Word of God was concentrated into one Person who was truly human and fully flesh (despite also being truly Divine according to his earlier words). The word for flesh in Greek, "sarx," describes flesh in all its rawness and physicality and it expresses mortality, too. Despite this, the Word who is made flesh is filled up with both grace (favor and lovingkindness) and truth.
The word that is used for “dwelt” can also be read as “tabernacled.” I especially like the “tabernacled” translation because it brings to mind the Tabernacle of God that traveled with the Children of Israel. If you have read those passages or learned about the Tabernacle before, you know that the Tabernacle was the skin-covered tent that housed God’s Presence. At the center of the Tabernacle was the Glory of God (concentrated Presence) over the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Word of God in the form of the Ten Commandments. The parallels between Jesus and the Tabernacle that traveled with the people of the Book are obvious and made to stand out by the words John uses here. The word “tabernacle” also brings to mind the Feast of Tabernacles, the last feast of God in the biblical calendar. Some people take this as a hint that Jesus might have been born around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles in the Fall.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
John the Baptist was fully convinced that, even though he was 6 months older than Jesus, Jesus actually existed before him.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
We just learned in verse 14 that Jesus was full of both grace and truth. We receive these from him if we belong to him. The word for grace here is “charis” and this is the root of the English word "charity." Isn’t that an excellent description of his love for us? Any person can receive the ultimate form of charity from Jesus Christ in the form of salvation by faith in him.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
There is one word in this verse that is not in the original Greek, and that word is “but.” We can keep the comma in the middle of the verse, but the two halves of the verse are not set up against each other. This verse does not pit Moses the Servant of God against Jesus the Son of God! Rather, it establishes that Jesus was the “Prophet like Moses” that was spoken of in the Book of Deuteronomy and that what he has to offer is even greater than the revelation to Moses.
Deuteronomy 18:18-19 says, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
Note: it is commanded in the Law to listen to and obey the Prophet like Moses!
This way of comparing Moses with another Jewish rabbi actually has a place within Judaism. It might be said that Moses gave the Law, and my rabbi explained it or made it real to me. In this case, John the Apostle is saying that Moses gave Israel the Words of God found in the Law, Jesus lived and explained the Law truly and perfectly and offered grace and charity to all who could not keep it perfectly like me, you and every person who has ever existed.
Prayer:
Lord, I am so grateful that you took on flesh and tabernacled among fallen human beings here on earth to reveal the truth and grant us your grace. You existed before me, before every thing that was created, and yet you care enough for me to give me life and the ultimate act of charity: giving your life for my life. I will listen to you and obey you, because you want the best for me and you have the words of life and truth, the manual for my life as a human being.
Amen
“For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” – Proverbs 8:11
All Bible Verses are from the KJV Unless Otherwise Noted
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