Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 1:17

"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." — John 1:17 (ASV)

The contrast between law and grace as methods of God’s dealing with humans is expressed here as plainly as in the Pauline writings (Ephesians 2:8). The law represented God’s standard of righteousness; grace exhibited his attitude to human beings who found that they could not keep the law. Compare this verse with the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said.... But I tell you” (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28, 33–34, 30– 39, 43–44).