What does John 1:17 mean ?

Question

What does it mean when it is said,
"for the law was given by Moses ?"

What does it mean when it says,
"but grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ ?

Answer 1

To me it means that the law, as given by Moses, was NOT the same as the grace and truth, as given by Jesus Christ.

An atheist

Answer 2

King David was told that the promised Seed would come through his royal line. In 29 C.E., that Seed appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. In contrast with faithless Adam, “the last Adam,” Jesus Christ, was exemplary in displaying faith. (1 Corinthians 15:45) He lived a life of devoted service to Jehovah and fulfilled the many prophecies foretelling the Messiah. Jesus thus made the truth about the promised Seed clearer and put the things foreshadowed by the Mosaic Law into the realm of reality. It could therefore be said that “the truth came to be through Jesus Christ.”

Jesus Christ is “full of undeserved kindness and truth.” (Joh 1:14) While on earth, he always spoke the truth as he had received it from his Father. “He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth.” (1Pe 2:22) Jesus represented things as they really were. Besides being ‘full of truth,’ Jesus was himself “the truth,” and truth came through him. He declared: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (Joh 14:6) And the apostle John wrote: “The Law was given through Moses, the undeserved kindness and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ.” Joh 1:17.

John’s words do not mean that the Law given through Moses was erroneous. It, too, was truth, conforming to God’s standard of holiness, righteousness, and goodness. However, the Law served as a tutor leading to Christ .

Answer 3

This is in the notes of one of my Bibles. This is from "The Nelson Study Bible", NKJV

"Throughout the New Testament, grace is God's favor expressed to sinful humankind apart from any human works or worth. Though there was abudant grace and truth expressed by God through the Law He gave Moses, it is in the PERSON of Jesus Christ that grace and truth are realized to the fullest."

Notes from another book, "The People's New Testament With Notes, Vol I"

"The Law was given by Moses. It was not a system of grace, nor could it make men perfect; in contrast with it the system of grace and truth (see verse 14) was given by Jesus Christ."

The Law of Moses was there to guide men and help them be better people ~ if they followed the law.

Salvation through Christ can cleanse us and make us whole again, purifying us from the sins we have commited by being immersed in baptism and living a faithful life until we die (Rev 2:10).

Answer 4

When Moses led the Isralites into the desert, they were happy and wanted to go.
Soon they regretted their decision and wanted to go back. When you want what is bad instead of the good thing God has given you, that is sin.
After a while they were saying just to give us a set of rules and we will follow them. So God sent Moses up the mountain and gave him the 10 Commandments.
That is the law that was given by Moses.
Too bad no one can follow them. Everyone has broken them. So all have sinned.

When Jesus was on earth, He told how everyone can get to heaven by just believing that He was God and asking Him to come and live in your heart.
When Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose on the third day, He showed that he was God and that He died for you and all of your sins are forgiven because you believe what He did.
That is how grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.

Answer 5

It means that Moses gave the Israelites the Law, but Jesus gives us actual God on Earth, which equals grace and truth about the Law Moses gave.

Answer 6

John is talking to men who were by and large originally Jews who believed that they could be saved by observing the Law of Moses. We know that Paul said that the Law of Moses was a "school master" that prepared men for a higher gospel and that it taught that no man could obey all the laws perfectly and save himself.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
( John 1:16 - 17)

Truth here is the fullness of the Gospel, as taught by Christ, that He is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE "No man cometh unto the Father but by me." And He is the only WAY.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
(John 14:6)

Answer 7

John was introducing Jesus and he started by reminding them that God gave us the Law (ten commandments) through Moses. But, with Jesus those laws are abolished and grace and Truth is part of what it takes to get saved. (this is just a small explanation. You can get more from reading the entire new Testament, but the books of Acts & Romans are terrific.) Good luck. Good question.

Answer 8

God gave the people the law by Moses.

The grace of God comes not by the law but by the sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. This is the TRUTH that sets men free.

Answer 9

It means just what it says, I suppose. In the Old Testament Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land. In the desert at Mount Sinai he was given the Ten Commandments by God and delivered them to the Israelites. The Ten Commandments are the law. It is impossible for any person not to break God's law, and by the time Jesus came that was painfully clear. Jesus came to fulfill the law, introduce the grace and mercy of God, and take all of our wrongdoings on himself so that he could pay the price for it in our place. He stands as a substitute to take our punishment, and in fact it has already been done. All that's left is for us to accept or reject it.

Answer 10

GOD gave moses the law that GODs people should live by. Grace and Truth through CHRIST is the fact that GOD loves us no matter how we disobey.