John 1:16

John 1:16. Because out of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace. In order to understand this verse, and especially the very difficult word ‘because,' with which the true read ing of the verse begins, we must look at the structure of the whole passage. Along with John 1:17-18, this verse is parallel to John 1:9-13; and John 1:14, as we have seen, answers to John 1:1-5. The last verse in like manner stands related to John 1:6-8; and, as these verses are introduced between John 1:5 and John 1:9, which might be read continuously, the subject remaining the same, so is John 1:15 almost parenthetical, bringing in (as in the earlier verses) the witness of John before the statement of the results following the manifestation of the Word. The words ‘we all received' and ‘His fulness' are sufficient to show that the verse is a continuation of the thought of John 1:14, and belongs to the Evangelist, not to the Baptist. If, then, John 1:15 is parenthetical, the present verse is naturally introduced by the word ‘because.' We have here an illustration of the extreme importance which John attaches to Christian experience. In John 1:9 we have had the fact of what the Word bestows. Here we have more. We have the answer of Christian experience to the fact. We have not merely the light lightening, but the light appropriated, its value appreciated, its power felt. John 1:14 had not described Christian experience. The word ‘beheld' there used had only assumed it (see the comment), and had mentioned the witness which it gave. Now we have the description itself: hence the ‘because.' We beheld the glory of the Word become flesh, and are able to speak of that glory, ‘ because out of His fulness,' etc. The last stage of the Prologue is thus reached, because the highest point of thought is attained. No more can be said when the appropriation of the Word is complete.

The fulness spoken of is that of grace and truth, which so reside in the Incarnate Word that nothing more can be added. It is an absolute, not a comparative fulness, a proof again that no part of that fulness is to be won back in the progress of the Messianic work. That fulness resides in the ‘Word become flesh,' as such. ‘Out of' it ‘we all' believers, who beheld His glory, among whom He set His tabernacle received. The thing is past. We received Him (John 1:12). When we received Him, He communicated Himself to us. His fulness, so far as we could receive it, was made ours. Hence it is not said what we received; because it was not a gift bestowed by His fulness, but the measure of that fulness itself which we were capable of receiving.

We are thus led also to the clear meaning of the last clause of the verse, ‘and grace for grace.' Not exactly ‘grace upon grace,' as if the meaning were successive measures of grace, one added to another; but grace given in fresh measure as each preceding measure has been improved, the ‘fulness' constantly more and more made ours until we ‘are fulfilled unto all the fulness of God' (Ephesians 3:19). It is Christian experience again.