ix. Verses 15-17 “John testifies concerning him. He cries out saying “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me’. From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” John the Baptist placed himself below Jesus in importance. He is saying a couple of things here: first, in terms of eternity, Jesus has always existed; second, John is saying that his place in ministry has ended and Jesus’ has begun.
The next concept in these verses is the fullness of Christ. The Daily Study Bible – The Gospel of John by William Barclay says that we have all drawn on the fullness of Christ. The word fullness in Greek is pleroma and it means the “sum total” of all that is God. We can go to Jesus with any need and have that need met. If it is knowledge that you seek, He is the supreme revelation. If it is love, forgiveness, or courage, all of these can be found in their ultimate expression in Jesus.
The Law came through Moses, but grace comes through Jesus. It changed the way we are to live. Instead of obeying a set of laws, we are now free to seek Him in love as sons and daughters.
QUESTION: Where have you experienced the fullness of God? Do you feel free in Christ or do you feel like you are supposed to follow a set of rules in life?
x. Verse 18 “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” Jesus is unique in that what was previously unseen is now seen and declared to the world. Jesus brings God to us and made the invisible visible and the unreachable within reach. God is no longer a distant stranger, but is a loving Father. Notice how he uses God to refer to God the Father and Jesus in the same verse.
Question: Have you ever really thought of Jesus as being the same as God? How do you picture them being the same, yet distinct? Does this change your feeling about what Jesus did for you?
WOW! That is a LOT. For next week read: John 1:19-51. Lots of verses, but two main themes and it should go a lot faster.
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