righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
—Psalm 97:2
And the Lord said, “...while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
—Exodus 33:21-23 (excerpt)
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
—Isaiah 55:10-11
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
—John 1:14
A beautiful poetic image in Isaiah compares the word of the Lord to rain. It comes down from above to give fruitfulness and life. The Word does the same, accomplishing what the Lord intended. Succeeding in His purpose.
The Law and Psalms and Prophets gave instructions and illustrations and reminders of the Lord's good will for —and towards—His people. And the unapproachable glory and thick darkness and clouds were a persistent reminder that humans could not do as Eve was tempted to do: to reach out and seize “be[ing] like God” and His knowledge.
Israel had to learn how to follow the Lord's instruction, rather than their own desires and impulses and temptations, so that they could survive His holy presence among them to lead them to something and somewhere better than they had or could imagine. The Law itself was an expression of the Father's grace, which had been present from the beginning.
But it wasn't the completion. John began his account of Jesus by showing Him as the Word in flesh and blood. And he puts humans in their proper perspective, as receivers of what the Lord has given. Receivers, not seizers.
Translators and commentators vary on exactly how to bring “grace upon grace” into English: “grace for grace”, “grace after grace”, or “grace in place of grace”, among others. In any case, John's very next sentence states what was received and through whom: the basics (Law) through Moses and the completion (grace and truth) through the Son.
That doesn't mean that the Law was devoid of grace! Grace cannot be known without knowing the difference between good and evil—on the Father's terms!
From the Beginning (part 3)
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
—Psalm 97:2
And the Lord said, “...while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
—Exodus 33:21-23 (excerpt)
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
—Isaiah 55:10-11
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth...
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
—John 1:14
A beautiful poetic image in Isaiah compares the word of the Lord to rain. It comes down from above to give fruitfulness and life. The Word does the same, accomplishing what the Lord intended. Succeeding in His purpose.
The Law and Psalms and Prophets gave instructions and illustrations and reminders of the Lord's good will for —and towards—His people. And the unapproachable glory and thick darkness and clouds were a persistent reminder that humans could not do as Eve was tempted to do: to reach out and seize “be[ing] like God” and His knowledge.
Israel had to learn how to follow the Lord's instruction, rather than their own desires and impulses and temptations, so that they could survive His holy presence among them to lead them to something and somewhere better than they had or could imagine. The Law itself was an expression of the Father's grace, which had been present from the beginning.
But it wasn't the completion. John began his account of Jesus by showing Him as the Word in flesh and blood. And he puts humans in their proper perspective, as receivers of what the Lord has given. Receivers, not seizers.
Translators and commentators vary on exactly how to bring “grace upon grace” into English: “grace for grace”, “grace after grace”, or “grace in place of grace”, among others. In any case, John's very next sentence states what was received and through whom: the basics (Law) through Moses and the completion (grace and truth) through the Son.
That doesn't mean that the Law was devoid of grace! Grace cannot be known without knowing the difference between good and evil—on the Father's terms!
And the truth has not changed from the beginning.