Page 15 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

Another commentator has this observation. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son
from the Father… John is surely speaking here of Jesus’ transfiguration, that moment when, atop the mountain,
His heavenly glory was made manifest and the three disciples accompanying Him were dazzled. That time, Jesus’
light was real and visible, but the light of truth that He brought was displayed throughout His ministry.

Jesus manifested the same essential glory as the Father, because as God they possess the same nature (10:30).
Despite the claims of false teachers through the centuries, (only begotten) does not imply that Jesus was
created by God and thus not eternal. The term does not refer to a person's origin, but describes Him as unique,
the only one (monos) of His kind (genos). Jesus' unique relationship to the father is a major theme of John's
gospel. Jesus' manifestation of the divine attributes revealed His essential glory as God's Son, "for in Him and
fullness of deity dwells in bodily form" (Colossians 2:9). The two attributes most closely connected with
salvation are grace and truth. In a careful study of the Scriptures you will always find that grace precedes truth.
It is only by God's grace that we are able to experience the truth of God.

The Witnesses to the Incarnation

15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me
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has surpassed me, because He existed before me.) Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His
fullness,

Why did John the Baptist attract such attention? I believe it had to do with the fact that while ancient Israel
could boast a rich history of prophets sent from God, by John's day the office seemed to be just that – history.
The prophetic ministry had ceased with the last canonical prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, and for 400
years there had been no word from God. Then, suddenly, the office of prophet was renewed with this strange
and bizarre figure who came forth from the desert, the traditional meeting place between God and His
prophets, to begin a radical prophetic ministry. In a very short time, John the Baptist’s activity attracted
widespread attention.

I do not want to pass over verse 16 lightly. All mankind is a recipient of God’s grace upon grace. Matthew 5:45
says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
But those who have become His children can especially testify to the fact that they are recipients of grace after
grace from His fullness. His grace is abundant and free and can never be exhausted or diminish; grace will
continually follow grace in a limitless, never ending flow. Listen to those words again, from His fullness. Reflect
back upon verse three which taught us that all things were created by Him. The fountain of grace that flows
from the very throne of God is a limitless supply for all of us. Oh, that we would obey the command of Hebrews
4:16! “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help
in time of need.”

The Impact of the Incarnation

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17 for although the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has
ever seen God. The One and Only Son — the One who is at the Father’s side — He has revealed Him.

The law has given through Moses and saves no one (Galatians 2:16; 310 – 12) it merely convicts sinners of their
inability to keep perfectly God’s righteous standards and condemns them to eternal punishment. The law merely
serves as a tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). Therefore, John does
not intend to show that the grace of Christ stands at odds with the revelation of Moses.

Through Jesus God was made visible with a clarity never before seen or known. John will declare in later
chapters to his disciples "if you have seen me you have seen the father" (John 14:6 – 11). The Son of God
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