15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 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. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:15-18 KJV)
John the Baptist’s testimony
In these verses, the evangelist presents John the Baptist’s testimony about Christ (John 1:15). John had earlier said he came as a witness, and here he openly proclaims that testimony. He cried out publicly, in keeping with the prophecy that he would be a voice crying in the wilderness. His message was not whispered in secret but declared openly, for all to hear. He spoke with confidence and joy, just as he had leapt in his mother’s womb when Christ approached (Luke 1:41).
John pointed to Jesus as the one he had spoken about from the beginning of his ministry—the one who would come after him but was greater than him. He did not leave people to guess who the Messiah was; he clearly identified Jesus as the one he had prepared the way for. He said, “This was he of whom I spoke.” John never intended to gather followers for himself but to direct people to Christ.
He testified that though Jesus came after him in time, he was preferred before him because he existed before him. “He was before me” (John 1:15) speaks not just of seniority but of supremacy. Christ, though born after John, was before him in divine existence—before Abraham (John 8:58), before all things (Colossians 1:17). While John’s ministry began in time, Christ’s goings forth are from everlasting (Micah 5:2). This points to Christ’s divine nature and eternal existence, even though he came in the flesh after John. Christ is not only greater in time, but in rank—John called him his Lord and Master. He was sent to prepare the way for Christ, who is the eternal Word.
The evangelist then returns to speak of Christ in verse 16, linking it with verse 14 where he said Christ was full of grace and truth. Now he declares that from Christ’s fullness, “we have all received” (John 1:16). Christ is not only full, but overflowing, giving out of that fullness to all who believe. The apostles received grace to fulfill their calling, but all believers receive from him as well. No Christian can live without this supply, and none need live in lack, for Christ’s fullness is sufficient for all.
What have we received? “Grace for grace.” This phrase points to the richness and abundance of Christ’s grace. It is a gift so immense that it must be spoken with emphasis—grace piled upon grace. As one grace is given, another follows—just as wave follows wave on the sea. This could mean grace in return for grace: God’s goodwill toward us producing good works in us, which in turn invite further blessings. Or it could refer to grace in place of grace—New Testament grace replacing the grace of the Old Testament, now fulfilled in Christ. Under the old covenant, there was grace in types and shadows; now, there is grace in truth and reality.
This grace is also progressive—one grace leading to another. God does not give once and stop; he gives grace to sustain, strengthen, and perfect us. Believers grow from one degree of grace to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). When we receive grace, we receive it for more grace (James 4:6). It is also transforming. Grace for grace may describe the conformity of believers to Christ. The grace in us reflects the grace that is in him, just as wax bears the imprint of a seal. Believers are being made like Christ, conformed to his image (Romans 8:29).
Verse 17 makes a clear distinction: “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The law, though glorious, was limited. It revealed God’s will and holiness, but it also brought fear and condemnation. It could not give life (Hebrews 12:18-21). The gospel, however, reveals not only our duty but also God’s mercy. Grace reigns through Christ (Romans 5:21). The gospel brings love instead of terror, mercy instead of wrath. It is a law of grace, not a law of condemnation.
“Grace and truth” together mean the gospel is both kind and trustworthy. It reveals the greatest truths to the mind and offers the greatest mercy to the heart. The promises of grace are real and reliable. They are not empty offers but sincere invitations—grace and truth together. These terms also show the gospel’s connection to the Old Testament. Grace and truth fulfill the promises made long ago (Luke 1:72; 1 Kings 8:56). They also bring the substance of what the Old Testament types and shadows pointed to. Christ is the true Lamb, the true Manna, the true Scapegoat. Where the Old Testament offered pictures, Christ brings the person. Grace and truth “came”—the same word used in John 1:3 for creation—indicating that Christ is the source and sustainer of this new covenant just as he is of all creation.
Verse 18 emphasizes that Christ has revealed God to us. “No one has ever seen God,” but Christ, the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known. God is invisible, and no one can see him with physical eyes (1 Timothy 6:16). Before Christ came, the revelation of God was partial and limited. Even Moses, though he saw more than others, was told, “You cannot see my face” (Exodus 33:20). The prophets spoke for God, but none fully knew him. Christ alone is fully qualified to make God known.
He is the only begotten Son—unique and of the same nature as the Father. No one knows the Father like the Son (Matthew 11:27), and seeing the Son is seeing the Father (John 14:9). He is in the bosom of the Father, a place of deepest love and closest fellowship. Even when he walked on earth, he remained in the Father’s bosom, and after his ascension, he returned there in glory.
This expression also shows that Christ shares in the secret counsels of the Father. Just as a friend in your bosom knows your heart, Christ knows the Father’s will perfectly. He was not just a student at God’s feet like the prophets but one who lay in his bosom, sharing his mind and love from eternity.
Christ has “declared” the Father—made him known plainly and fully. The word used means a detailed explanation, not vague hints. Through Christ, we understand God’s character, will, and plan of salvation. This is the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ: a clear revelation of God, offered with mercy and power. In him, the invisible God is made known to us, not only that we may believe, but that we may also be transformed.