Jesus was the source of grace upon grace

JESUS WAS THE SOURCE OF GRACE UPON GRACE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 1:16 For of His fullness we have all received, and
grace upon grace.
16 Out of his fullness we have all receivedgrace in
place of grace alreadygiven. NIV
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Inference From The Human To The Divine
John 1:14
J.R. Thomson
The parenthesis in this verse is remarkable as written in the first person.
There must be a reasonfor the evangelist's departure from his ordinary
practice of writing in the narrative style. It seems that John was so impressed
by the solemnity and value of the witness he was bearing, that he was
constrainedto break his own rule, and. to speak explicitly of what he himself
had actually seen, and of what he himself had come firmly to believe.
Regarding this parenthesis only, we find here the recordof personal
observation, and, in closestconnectiontherewith, the declarationof personal
conviction.
I. THE STATEMENTOF THE WITNESS. "We beheldhis glory."
1. John and his fellow apostles knew Christ in his humanity - in the "flesh" as
the expressionis in this passage.

2. They knew him as he "tabernacled" among them. John and Andrew, when
the Baptistdirected their attention to Jesus, inquired of him, "Where dwellest
thou?" and at his invitation visited him and abode with him. The writer of this
Gospelenjoyed peculiar opportunities of acquaintance, nay, of intimacy, with
the Prophet of Nazareth, whose beloveddisciple he became. If one human
being ever knew another, John knew Jesus;he not only was constantlywith
him, his disposition and characterrenderedhim speciallyfit for judging and
appreciating him.
3. John and his colleaguesbore witness that they recognizedtheir Master's
"glory." Why is such language used? Why his "glory"? He was a peasant
woman's Son, and remained in the condition of life to which he was born.
There was nothing in his garb, his appearance, his associations,the outward
circumstances ofhis lot, which, in the view of men generally, could justify
such an expression. These men must have had their own conceptionof
"glory." As spiritual Hebrews, they had a noble idea of the majesty, the
righteousness, the purity of God, and also of the moral splendour of the Divine
Law. Thus it came to pass that, enlightened by the Spirit, they discernedglory
where to the eyes of others there was only humiliation. They saw the moral
glory of purity and benevolence in the Lord's Personand character, in the
"grace"whichhe displayed in dealing with suppliants and penitents, in the
"truth" which he uttered and embodied. They could not fail to remark the
glory of his miracles, of his transfiguration, of his victory overdeath, of the
manner in which he quitted the earth in which he had sojourned. All this, as
intelligent and sympathetic witnesses, Johnand his companions beheld, and to
this they testified.
II. THE INFERENCEOF THE CHRISTIAN. The glory was "ofthe Only
Begottenofthe Father." They knew well that the world to which Jesus came
needed a Divine Saviour. Such a Saviour they were encouragedby the word of
prophecy to expect. And their familiarity with the characterand the mission

of Jesus led them to hail the Sonof man as Son of God. If Jesus were notthe
Only Begottenof the Father, how could they accountfor the facts of his
ministry, for the authority he wielded, the claims he made? He had called
himself the Son of God; he had lived like the Son of God; he had wrought the
works of God. He had been addressedas the Son of the living God, and had
acceptedthe appellation. Were the disciples to forget all this; to persuade
themselves that they had been in a mist of bewilderment; to give up their
deepestconvictions, their purest and most ennobling beliefs? If not, then they
must needs asserttheir belief that the glory they had seenwas that of the Only
Begottenofthe Father. The same inference is binding upon us. To deny of
Jesus whatJohn here affirms of him is to leave the Church without a
foundation, the heart without a refuge, the world without a hope. If Christ be
not what John represents him as being, then the world can never know and
rejoice in a full and personalrevelation of the supreme mind and heart and
will. It may be said that this is the misfortune of humanity, and that it must be
acceptedas inevitable. But the text points out to us a better way. The sincere
and impressive language ofJohn encouragesus first to realize to ourselves the
unique moral majesty of Jesus, and then to draw from this the inference
which he and other witnessesofJesus'characterand life drew so firmly and
conclusively- the inference, namely, that he was none other than the Son of
God, deserving of human reverence and faith, love and devotion. The witness
of Christ's companions we cannotreject. Their convictions concerning their
Masterand Friend we are abundantly justified in sharing. If we have a heart
capable of appreciating the Saviour's moral glory, we shall not be without
guidance in estimating the justice of his claim to superhuman dignity - to
Divine authority. - T.
Biblical Illustrator
Of His fulness have all we received.
John 1:16

The fulness of Christ
W. Bridge, M. A.
The word "fulness" is given to vessels thatare brimful of liquor, and so is
metaphorically applied to Christ, who is brimful of grace.
I. Take graceforLOVE, so there is a fulness of love in Christ.
1. Of pardoning love (Luke 23:24). When on earth He did not pardon once,
but againand again, and that without upbraiding.
2. Of compassionating love (Matthew 5:3-4). When poor souls could not come
to Him He went to them.
3. Of speciallove to His disciples (Matthew 12:47-50).
II. Take grace forHOLINESS, and there is a fulness of holiness in Him. Holy
things, the law, priests, temple, were only types of Him. If there were not a
fulness of holiness in Him —
1. How is it possible that God and man could be brought so near who were so
far apart?
2. How should He be anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows
(Ephesians 1:23). The saint's fulness is only particular, His is universal
(Colossians1:19). Their's ebbs and flows and is often empty.

III. Take grace forGIFTS, and there is a fulness of excellencyin Christ.
1. Kingly (Hebrews 1:3, 8).
2. Prophetical(ver. 17).
3. Priestly (John 16:7, 10).
4. In general(Haggai2:7; Colossians 1:11).
IV. WHAT IS OUR DUTY FLOWING FROM HENCE? If there be such a
fulness then —
1. Let all men come to Him. All have wants.
2. Let us trust to Him.
3. Leg us draw forth from Him.
(1)By a serious, frequent considerationof His fulness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
(2)By resting upon it in time of temptation.

(3)By giving forth of it, as the conduit receives more waterby letting out.
4. Let us labour to be like Him, full of grace.
5. Let us take heed how we do anything that may rob Christ of the glory of
His fulness.
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
The communication of Christ's fulness
W. Bridge, M. A.
There is a dealing out of His fulness.
I. BY THE UNION THERE IS BETWEENCHRIST AND A BELIEVER.
Union is the cause of communion or communication. Breadis united to a man
by his eating of it.
II. BY THE OVERFLOW OF HIS INFINITE GRACE HE IS ABLE —
1. To succourand supply those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
2. Whatevergrace Christ hath receivedHe hath receivednot for Himself but
for others (Ephesians 4:8; John 17:19;Isaiah 61:1, 2).

3. There is an infinite willingness in Him to communicate this grace (Hebrews
3:2; Psalm16:2; Job 4:24).
4. As He is willing nothing can hinder Him (Isaiah 43:13; Titus 2:14).
III. WHY THEN ARE BELIEVERS SO EMPTYOF GRACE?
1. The fulness of grace in a believer is many times hid from the world and
from Himself.
2. Sometimes the avenues of grace in a believer are chokedor broken.
3. This grace is communicated in proportion. What is your want? go to Christ
and getthat supplied.
IV. APPLICATION:
1. See the transcendentexcellencyof the saints.
2. What an encouragementthere is here to come to Christ and partake of His
fulness.
3. Acting upon this believers are firm against all temptations,
discouragements,afflictions.

4. Then believers should labour to strengthentheir assurance ofunion with
Christ.
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
The receptionof Christ's fulness
W. Bridge, M. A.
Whatevergrace the saints have they have it all in the way of receiving.
1. The grace and mercy of justification and remissionof sins (Romans 5:11).
2. Of adoption (Galatians 4:5).
3. Of sanctification(Galatians 3:2).
4. Of the gifts of the Spirit (Acts 10:46, 47).
5. In generalall is by way of receiving (Colossians2:6; 1 Corinthians 4:7).
This will appear—
I. FROM MAN'S NATURAL INABILITY —
1. To overcome sin, be it never so small (1 Corinthians 15:57).

2. To rise againafter falling. Petermust have a look from Christ before he
could repent.
3. To stand and continue.
4. To prepare himself unto what is good(Ephesians 2:1, 5; John 6:44).
II. FROM THE SUPERNATURALITYOF GRACE. (Ephesians 2:10)
III. FROM THE SHORTNESSOF THE MEANS OF GRACE. The means as
it is in itself, without God's appointment, is utterly inefficient.
IV. FROM THE WORK AND NATURE OF FAITH There is no grace that
the Scripture puts more upon than faith — in the Old Testamentall victories,
in the New all cures. Yea, the same works thai are given to Christ are given to
faith: sanctification, justification, salvation. Why? Becausefaith is a receiving
grace (ver. 12). So believing is nothing but receiving the grace of God.
V. FROM THE POSTURE AND TRUE BEHAVIOUR OF PRAYER. Prayer
is the soul's begging. A beggarholds forth his hand noting his willingness to
receive (Job 11:13). In conclusion —
1. You saythat this cuts off all endeavour. Notso (see Philippians 2:12).

2. Why is all this?
(1)That all boasting and self-confidence may be taken away(Romans 4:1
Corinthians 4:7).
(2)That Christ may be fully honoured.
(3)That the children of God may live by faith.
3. This doctrine is full of spiritual use.(1)Behold what infinite care God hath
of believers. If a mother would not let her child eat bread but of her own
cutting, or drink waterbut of her own drawing, what carefulness ofher child
that would argue.(2)What comfortable lives believers live — even their
troubles are from God who makes them minister to their good and helps them
in them.
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
The abundance of grace the saints receive from Christ
W. Bridge, M. A.
I. AN ABUNDANCE OF GRACE. "Grace forgrace " like "skinfor skin"
(Job 2:4). All his skins. This suits
(1)the word "and" or "even;"
(2)the attribute of Christ, "fulness;"

(3)the scope of the place where Christ is setabove Moses.
(4)Other Scriptures (Romans 5:15, 17, etc.)
1. Abundance of grace discovered.(1)It will appear if you considerthe several
advances grace hath made from the beginning till now (Genesis 3:15), the
Abrahamic covenant(Genesis 12:3), the Mosaic,the prophecies, Christ, the
preaching of the gospel.(2)The manifestations of grace under the Old
Testamentwere under a veil; that veil is now removed (2 Corinthians 3:18).(3)
There were many doctrines of grace communicatedto the Jews, yetthey were
so tempered by the law that the very gospelseemedlaw unto them. Now the
law is so tempered by the gospelas to seemgospel.(4)Grace was manifested
under the old dispensationby drops and at intervals (Hebrews 1:1), under the
New Wholesale.
2. Abundance of grace exhibited and communicated.Is it not a greatmatter —
1. Foran ungodly man to be justified For a man to be a child of God.
2. To have the image of Christ drawn on a filthy soul.
3. Fora man to be in heaven before he comes there (John 17:3).
4. But we do not see this abundance, objectors say. But —

(1)Though little in quantity it may be great in quality.
(2)Though it be small as a possessionit is greatas an earnest(Colossians
1:12).
II. APPLICATION:
1. Why should any of God's people vilify and degrade the gift of Godwhereby
they are enriched?
2. Beholdwhat great sinners inconsistentprofessors are!
3. What a mighty encouragementthere is here to come to Jesus Christand be
filled!
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
Whatsoevergrace the saints have they have it from Jesus Christ
W. Bridge, M. A.
Grace is sometimes takenfor —
1. The favour of God;
2. God's assistance;

3. Holiness;
4. Gifts;
5. An office in the Church.But whicheverit is it comes from Christ. This will
appear if you consider —
I. THE INSUFFICIENCYOF NATURE (1 Corinthians 3:5; ver. 13).
II. THE ALL-SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST (Revelation1:17; Romans 8:29;
John 14:6).
1. There are three greatdoors which must ordinarily be openedbefore
converting grace cangetinto the soulof man.
(1)A powerful ministry (1 Corinthians 16:9);
(2)The door of the heart (Acts 16:14);
(3)The door of the ear (Job 33:16).
2. Christ has the opening of these doors (Revelation1:18; Revelation3:7).

3. The names which Christ bears witness to, His all-sufficiency, Sun of
Righteousness, Morning Star, Raiment, Breadof Life, Door, GoodShepherd,
etc., are given to Christ to show that He is all they signify to the soul. And they
are not barely given to Him; He is "Good" Shepherd, Bread"of Life," etc.
Therefore, as the apostle says, "He is all in all."
(W. Bridge, M. A.).
The answerablenessofgrace in every Christian to the grace ofChrist
W. Bridge, M. A.
We have receivedgrace in abundance from Christ, but whatevergrace there
is in Him there is somewhatin the saints answerable thereunto, as the
impression answers to the stamp.
1. Take graceas the favour of God: Both Christ and believers are God's
beloved (Matthew 3:17; 2 Samuel 12:25).
2. Forprivilege: Both are called Sons of God (Hebrews 12:6); Heirs (Hebrews
1:2; Romans 8:17); Electand precious (1 Peter 2:6; 1 Peter 1:2); Light (John
8:12; Ephesians 5:8).
3. Forassistance(Psalm22:1 Corinthians 12:9).
4. Forsanctification(John 17:19). The reasonof this —
I. THE UNION BETWEENCHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE (Job14:20).

II. THE RELATIONSHIP OF CHRIST AS THE SECOND ADAM A
COMMON PERSON BETWEEN GOD AND US (Romans 5:15; John 5:26).
III. THE LOVE BETWEENCHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN. Love loves to
make a thing loved like itself.
IV. THE SAME SPIRIT IS IN A CHRISTIAN THAT IS IN CHRIST (chap.
John 15:26).
(W. Bridge, M. A.)
S. Martin.
This fulness is shown—
I. IN THE DOCTRINESOF SCRIPTURECONCERNING CHRIST.
1. His perfect humanity.
2. His supreme divinity.
II. IN THE POETRYAND METAPHORS WHICH DESCRIBE HIM.
"Ancient of Days, Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah," "Sure Foundation
Stone," "Sun," "Desire ofall Nations."

III. THE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH HIS FIRST FOLLOWERS MOST
APPRECIATED WERE TRUTHAND GRACE, AND THESE WERE
MANIFESTED IN FULNESS.
1. Truth represents —(1) Intelligence. In Christ there is a fountain of
knowledge inexhaustible. The keenSadducee, the exact Pharisee, the learned
scribe, the eagerMary, all wonder at the gracious words which proceedout of
His mouth. The words of Jesus are a study for one's life, and those who have
studied them most are as far as everfrom exhausting their meaning.(2)
Reality. This was complete in Christ. He was the shadow of no substance, the
image only of the invisible God.
2. The grace of Christ was love in fulness.
IV. THE EXPERIENCE OF ALL HIS DISCIPLES CONFIRMS THE
OBSERVATION OF HIS FIRST FOLLOWERS. Theycould say, "We
beheld"; we "Whom having not seenwe love." What is this grace but grace
superseding grace, grace supplanting grace — as the blossomsupplants the
bud, and as the fruit supplants the blossom — as the noon supersedes the
morning, and as summer supplants spring — grace superseding and
surpassing grace. Whathave you received? Is Christ to you a cisternwhich
you have emptied? A vine stripped of fruit? Breadeatenand gone? Or is
Jesus Christ living bread? A fountain of living water? A tree of life bearing all
manner of fruit? In plain language, does gracesupersede andsupplant grace?
Are you rising higher and yet higher through the uplifting of the hand of this
Saviour? Is sanctificationsupplanting conversion, and is glorying in
tribulation being built upon patience in sorrow? If so, beware of pride, and of
vanity, and of vain-glorying, and of boasting. God forbid that we should glory
save in the fulness of this Jesus Christ. At the same time quiet your fears and
call forth your hopes. All that you have receivedis from fulness. Come again.
Come every hour — for everything. Friends may depart, but friendship in

fulness abides in Jesus. Helpers may become helpless, but might exists in
fulness in Jesus. Riches mayleave you, but in Christ there are riches
unsearchable. Health may sink, but strength undecaying is in Jesus.
(S. Martin.)
Fulness of grace
C. H. Spurgeon.
I have heard our Lord likened to a man carrying a water-pot, and as he
carried it upon his shoulder, the waterfell dropping, dropping, dropping, so
that every one could track the water-bearer. So should all His people be,
carrying such a fulness of grace that every one should know where they have
been by that which they have left behind. He who hath lain in the beds of
spices will perfume the air through which he walks. One who, like Asher, has
dipped his foot in oil, will leave his footprints behind him. When the living and
incorruptible seedremains within, the Divine instincts of the new nature will
guide you to the wisestmethods of activity. You will do the right thing under
the inward impulse rather than the written law, and your personalsalvation
will be your prime qualification for seeking out others of your Master's flock.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
All fulness in Christ
A. Maclaren, D. D.
God cannot give you anything more than He gave you 1,800 years ago.It was
all in Christ. Take a very vulgar illustration, which is altogetherinadequate
for a greatmany purposes, but which may serve. Suppose some man tells you
that there was a thousand pounds paid into your credit into a London bank,
and that you were to getthe use of it, as you drew cheques againstit. The
money is there, is not it; the gift is given, and yet for all that you may be half

dead, a pauper. In the very last of the Arctic expeditions, last year or the year
before, they found an ammunition chestthat Commander Parry had left there
fifty years ago, safe under a pile of stones, the provisions inside being perfectly
sweetand goodand eatable. There it had lain all those years, and men had
died of starvation within arm's length of it. It was there all the same. And so,
if I may venture to vulgarise the greattheme that I am trying to speak about,
God has given us His Son, and in Him all that pertains to life and all that
pertains to godliness. My brothers, take the things that are freely given to men
of God.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
How grace is received
A. Maclaren, D. D.
Here on the one hand is the boundless oceanof the Divine strength,
unfathomable in its depth, full after all draughts, tideless and calm, in all its
movements never troubled, in all its repose never stagnating;and on the other
side is the empty avidity of our poor, weak natures. Faith opens these to the
impulse of that greatsea, and "according to our faith," in the exactmeasure
of our receptivity, does it enter our hearts.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
J. Bates.
I have found it an interesting thing to stand on the edge of a noble rolling
river, and to think, that although it has been flowing on for six thousand
years, watering the fields, and slaking the thirst of a hundred generations, it
shows no signs of waste or want; and when I have watchedthe rise of the sun,
as he shotabove the crestof the mountain, or in a sky draped with golden
curtains sprang up from his oceanbed, I have wondered to think that he has

melted the snows of so many winters, and renewedthe verdure of so many
springs, and painted the flowers of so many summers, and ripened the golden
harvests of so many autumns, and yet shines as brilliant as ever, his eye not
dim, nor his natural strength abated, nor his floods of light less full for
centuries of boundless profusion. Yet what are these but images of the fulness
that is in Christ?
(J. Bates.)
Grace to receive grace
The Duchess ofGordon and a companion were visiting at a cottage in
Scotlandwhen a pedlar came in, threw down his pack, and askedfor a drink
of water. The woman of the house handed the water to him, and said, "Do you
know anything of the water of life?" "By the grace of God I do." He drank the
water, and then said, "Let us pray." And this was his prayer: "Oh, Lord, give
us grace to feelour need of grace. Oh, Lord, give us grace to receive grace.
Oh, Lord, give us grace to ask for grace. Oh, Lord, give us grace to use grace
when grace is given." He then took up his pack and went away, having
preacheda powerful sermonin those few words.
On a tradesman's table I noticed a book labelled "WantBook." Whata
practicalsuggestionfora man of prayer! He should put down all his needs on
the tablets of his heart, and then present his want book to his God. If we knew
all our need, what a large want book we should require! How comforting to
know that Jesus has a supply book, which exactlymeets our want book!
Promises, providences, and Divine visitations, combine to meet the necessities
of all the faithful.
The riches of Christ's grace
C. H. Spurgeon.
There is a story of RowlandHill, which I have no doubt is true, because it is so
characteristic ofthe man's eccentricityand generosity. Some one or other had

given him a hundred pounds to send to an extremely poor minister, but,
thinking it was too much to send him all at once, he sent him five pounds in a
letter with simply these words inside the envelope, "More to follow." In a few
days' time, the goodman had another letter by the post, and letters by.the
post were rarities in those days; when he opened it there was five pounds
again, with just these words, "And more to follow." A day or two after there
came another, and still the same words, "And more to follow." And so it
continued twenty times, the goodman being more and more astounded at
these letters coming thus by post with always the sentence, "And more to
follow." Now, everyblessing that comes from God is sent in just such an
envelope, with the selfsame message,"And more to follow." "I forgive you
your sins, but there is more to follow. I justify you in the righteousness of
Christ, but there's more to follow." "I adopt you into my family, but there's
more to follow." "I educate you for heaven, but there's more to follow." "I
have helped you even to old age, but there's still more to follow." "I will bring
you to the brink of Jordan, and bid you sit down and sing on its black banks,
on the banks of the black stream, but there's more to follow. In the midst of
that river, as you are passing into the world of spirits, My mercy shall still
continue with you, and when you land in the world to come there shall still be
more to follow."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Grace obstructed
Samuel Martin.
When our spiritual supplies fail, the channel is sometimes at fault, and not the
stream; the hindrance to their coming lies with us and not with our heavenly
Father. The supply of fuel to our city in midwinter sometimes fails, not
because the coal-fields are exhausted, but because the weatherhas frozen our
rivers, detained our colliers in the Channel, and blockedup our railways. The
supply of wateror of gas to our houses is sometimes insufficient, not because
the reservoirs are low, but because the pipes which connectour dwellings with
the main service are chokedup or broken. News fail to reachus, not because

our correspondenthas neglectedto write, but because the means of
transmissionhave been imperfect.
(Samuel Martin.)
Grace preferred to earthly honour
J. Cope.
— Having rendered some service to Lord North, the Prime Minister, during
the American war, he receiveda polite communication from that nobleman,
desiring to know if he stoodin need of anything which it was in his powerto
bestow. Mr. Fletchermodestly replied: — " He was sensible of the Minister's
kindness, but he only wanted one thing, which he could not grant him, and
that was more grace."It is a high attainment to prefer the grace of God to
earthly honours and emoluments. None but God, the author of grace, can
incline the heart to this.
(J. Cope.)
A precious plentitude
C. H. Spurgeon., J. Calvin.
I. THE FULNESS.
1. The fulness belongs to Christ personally. In His complex nature He
possesses fulness.(1)In Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The
fulness of omnipotence, omnipresence, wisdom, justice, mercy. The attributes
of God make up a perfecttotal. The unity, with all its uniqueness is His. The
fractionalparts are ours.(2) There was also a fulness of Christ in respectto
His manhood. Nothing was lacking in Him to constitute human perfection —
sinlessness, sympathy, the virtues of both sexes, human nature in its
completeness.

2. In Christ is an acquired fulness. His perfect obedience securedan
everlasting wellspring of merit; and now risen from the dead there is a fulness
of prevalence in His intercession, ofcleansing power, and of peace, whenthe
Spirit applies the blood to the guilty conscience.
3. A fulness of dignity, prerogative, and qualification. He is a perfect prophet,
priest, and king. Join all the qualities involved in name or fame and you shall
find that He comprises them all in liberal, lavish fulness.
4. A fulness of every kind of perfection. All that is virtuous, amiable, noble or
illustrious.
5. A fulness of the Spirit. The Lord gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him.
6. An abiding fulness. All the saints of every age have drawn their supplies
from Him, but He is just as full as ever. He is never less, He can never be more
than full.
II. THE FILLING.
1. Surely, then, the saints were empty before. All alike are empty of merit and
satisfaction.
2. The filling is universal. All the saints partake of it.

3. There must be a personalreceptionin every case. Grace cannotbe derived
or transmitted from one individual to another.
4. It is gratuitous "Grace forgrace";not purchased or earned but received.
All the doing to receive it is an undoing: the soul empties itself to be filled.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
I. We are shownthat we ARE ALL UTTERLY DESTITUTE AND EMPTYof
spiritual blessings. The abundance in Jesus Christ is intended —
1. To supply our deficiency.
2. To relieve our poverty.
3. To satisfy our hunger and thirst.
II. We are warned THAT AS SOON AS WE HAVE DEPARTEDFROM
CHRIST IT IS VAIN TO SEEK FOR HAPPINESS, becauseGodhath
determined that whateveris God's shall reside in Him alone. Accordingly we
shall find angels and men to be dry, heaven to be empty, the earth to be
unproductive, and, in short, all things to be of no value, if we wish to be
partakers of the gifts of God in any other way than through Christ.

III. We are assuredthat WE HAVE NO REASON TO FEAR THE WANT
OF ANYTHING, provided that we draw from the fulness of Christ, which is
in every respectso complete as to be inexhaustable.
(J. Calvin.)
Christ's fulness
C. H. Spurgeon.
There is a fulness of atoning efficacyin His blood, for "the blood of Jesus
Christ His son cleansethus from all sin"; of justifying righteousness inHis
life, for "there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ
Jesus";of Divine prevalence in His plea, for "He is able to save to the
uttermost them that come unto Godby Him; seeing He ever liveth to make
intercessionfor them"; of victory in His death, for through death He
destroyedhim that had the power of death, that is, the devil; of efficacyin His
resurrectionfrom the dead, for by it "We are begottenagain to a lively hope";
of triumph in His ascension, for"whenHe ascendedup on high He led
captivity captive, and receivedgifts for men"; of blessings unspeakable,
unknown; grace to pardon, regenerate,sanctify, preserve, and perfect. There
is a fulness at all times; a fulness by day and by night; of comfort in affliction,
of guidance in prosperity, of every Divine attribute, of wisdom, of power, of
love; a fulness which it were impossible to survey, much less to explore.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The fulness of Christ received
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. AN APPEAL TO OUR GRATITUDE. Glory be unto Christ for His fulness,
for of it have all the saints received — Old Testamentsaints and New,

martyrs, reformers, saints on earth, saints in glory, etc., etc. And they all
receivedall that they had.
II. A DISCRIMINATION OF CHARACTER. Thus may we know the people
of God, for of His fulness all have received.
1. There are some who receive their religion from their fathers and mothers;
but religion is not to be inherited; it is a personalmatter.
2. There are those who have gottheir religion from goodworks. They do not
belong to John's company.
3. Others get their religion partly from self and partly from Christ; but to
John's company Christ is all in all. The true Christian gets all from Christ.
Even Paul was the chief of sinners, less than the leastof all saints, and
confessedthat he was nothing.
III. A SENTENCEOF ADMONITION TO BELIEVERS. Shouldthey not be
—
1. Mosthumble. Pride, and indebtedness to Christ for all, is a contradiction.
2. Mostgrateful. When our friends love us we love them in return. So Christ
deserves that we should spend the spirit for Him.
IV. A WORD OF SWEET ENCOURAGEMENTTO THE SINNER. You
need a new heart, repentance, a sense of sinfulness, pardon. He cangive you
all, no matter how guilty you are.

(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ's inexhaustible fulness
C. C. Tittman, D. D.
I. THERE IS IN CHRIST A FULNESS, the greatestabundance of blessings of
every description. It is such a fulness as is in God, for John tells us that Christ
is —
1. The Creatorand Preserverof all things.
2. The Author of human redemption.
3. The fountain of life and light.
4. The Author and Dispenserof salvation.
II. CHRISTIANS HAVE RECEIVED OF THIS FULNESS —
1. Many blessings, suchas spiritual illumination, faith, pardon, acceptance,
the aids of the Spirit, sanctification, hope, and the happiness begun in this
world, and perfectedin the world to come.
2. These many blessings in greatabundance, "and in everything have been
enriched by Him."

III. "ALL HAVE RECEIVED."
1. All men if they were willing; and what is there to hinder all men from
receiving them? Even now, and at all times, may not all receive them? All may
receive to the utmost extent of their desires.
2. All men, of every class and condition; for different men, according to the
variety of their situation and circumstances, standin need of different
blessings;and all may have those blessings whichtheir necessitiesrequire.
3. All men, in every age, and in every part of the world.
4. There is a "fulness" of blessings in Christ sufficient for the present and
eternal salvationof the whole human race.
5. In Christ there is —(1) An open fountain, to which all have access, from
which all may draw, the righteous and the wicked, the joyful and the
sorrowful, the living and the dying.(2) A copious fountain, from which all may
draw in abundance.(3) An inexhaustible fountain which never canbe drained,
howevergreatbe the number of those who draw from it.
4. A perpetual fountain, flowing to all eternity, from which all who are willing
may continually draw.
(C. C. Tittman, D. D.)

The fulness of Christ the treasury of the saints
C. H. Spurgeon.
(cf. Colossians 1:19): —
I. THERE IS A GLORIOUS FULNESS IN JESUS. Why, then, are we so
weak, unfurnished, and unhappy? There is that in Jesus which —
1. Can enable us to rise to the highest degree of grace.(1)If sin is to be
overcome the conquering powerdwells in Him in its fulness.(2)If virtue is to
be attained, sanctifying energyresides in Him to perfection.(3)Without Him
we can do nothing, but we can do all things through Him. There are many
barely Christians who have scarcelyenoughgrace to float them into heaven,
their keelgrating all the way; and yet their privilege is to reach the deep
watererand have so much grace that they may sail like a gallant bark on the
broad ocean, with a glorious cargo and all colours flying, so that there may be
administered an abundant entrance.
2. Sufficient for the conquestof the world.(1) All the might for the conquestof
heathenism.(2)All the strength for victory over vice and infidelity at home.(3)
Every weaponrequired for the fight, Fulness for teaching, convincing,
converting, sanctifying.
II. THE FULNESS IS IN JESUS NOW.
1. The glory of the past depresses many Christians. Scarcelyany Church
realizes that it cando what its forefathers did. A people are in an evil ease
when all their heroism is historical. But the fulness upon which Paul, Luther,
Whitefield drew is unexhausted.

2. The mass of professors have their eyes on the future. Yet, if the texts are
true, all that is to be done canbe done now. Want of faith in Christ's fulness
makes them dote on the Millennium.
3. Our Churches believe that there is fulness in Christ, and that sometimes
they ought to enjoy it. But it is not the Lord's purpose that a fulness should
reside in Jesus during revivals. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,
and that being the case, the higheststate of revival should be the normal
condition of the Church.
III. THE POSITION OF THE FULNESS IS RICHLY ENCOURAGING TO
US IN THE MATTER OF OBTAINING IT. In Christ:
1. Where we canreceive it now.
2. In Him who loves to give it.
3. With Him who is Himself ours. If God, had put it in an angelwe should not
feel greatlydrawn to Him; but He has placed it where we love to have it,
where we feel at home, where we are glad to go often, where we would abide.
IV. FROM THIS FULNESS MANY OF US HAVE RECEIVED.
1. This should encourage us to further exercises offaith,

2. What restrains us from receiving.(1)I cannot be a Christian of the highest
type. Why not? If you have received life you canreceive it more
abundantly.(2) I cannot hope to be as useful as some. Why not? According to
your faith it shall be done unto you. What you have receivedis a pledge of
what you may receive.
V. THE RECEIPTSWE HAVE ALREADY HAD ARE NOT TRIFLES. "He
that sparednot His own Son," etc. He has given to all such grace as they have
capacityto receive. SO on to perfection.
1. Believe in greatthing';.
2. Expectgreatthings.
3. Attempt greatthings.
4. Don't talk about this but set about it.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
I. The ONE GLORIOUS PERSON concerning whom this verse is written.
1. The Word or speechand revelation of God. "Wouldstthou have me see
thee," said Socrates"thenspeak." Wouldstthou see God? Listen to Christ.

2. Lest Christ should be regardedas a mere utterance, John is careful to show
that He is a Divine Person.
3. Christ was also man.
4. Lest others should come into comparisonwith Him they are all barred out.
Angels, John, Moses.
II. The TWO PRECIOUS DOCTRINES.
1. That all grace is treasured up in Christ Jesus. His is an immeasurable
fulness of grace and truth.
(1)Of grace — pardoning, justifying, and sanctifying. Of this He is always full.
(2)Of truth.
2. All the saints have receivedall of grace out of the fulness of Christ.
(1)All of them.
(2)Very abundantly.
III. THREE EXPERIENCES.

1. Our ownemptiness.
2. A personalreceptionof Christ Jesus.
3. The discovery that all we receive comes to us by grace.
IV. FOUR DUTIES. If we have receivedChrist then —
1. Let us praise Him.
2. Let us repair to Him again.
3. Try and obtain more.
4. Encourage others to receive Him.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Grace for grace
A. Raleigh, D. D.
I. THE EXPOSITION.

1. Some take the phrase to have reference to the Law and the Gospel;but St.
John is speaking of what takes place afterChrist comes and the Law is
abandoned.
2. Others to faith in Old Testamentsaints and light in New Testamentsaints.
That does not hold, because both had faith and light.
3. Others, grace in the believer resembling grace in the Saviour; but that
would only give us the moral qualities of Christ, and leave us destitute of those
evangelicalblessingswhichHe came especiallyto bestow.
4. The real sense is that of exchange;"for" — insteadof a new grace coming
in the place of the old, and, when that is done with, another fresh from the
fulness, and so on until grace becomesglory.
II. THE ILLUSTRATION:
1. Grace in the believer dies, wastes away, as all living things do, and the
fasterthey live, the fasterthey die. Granite rocks might last for ever, their life
and motion are so slow; but the most exquisite flowers stand in their prime
rich-blossomedstate only for a short time. "You must come to-day," we say,
"or you will not see the best of it." So with that most living thing calledgrace.
Indestructible in its fountain and principle, it yet comes and goes, flowing in,
flowing out, blossoming, fading. In the human soul, if there were not
replenishment, grace for grace, it would soonbe empty and dead.
2. This does not mean simply a steady continuance of the same class of
gracious ministration. You stand by a river and watch the flow, the drops of

watercoming and going to the ocean. But then other drops succeedthem, and
others them, so evenly and incessantlythat we hardly realize that the waters
are passing away. So with the supply of grace. Suppose the colourof the river
should change with the day, now black from muddy hills, now yellow as the
Tiber, now blue as the Rhone, now crystalas the Tweed, it would be a
singular phenomenon; but grace for grace means a change like that. There is
an element of samenessin all graces, justas wateris water, but in many
respects one kind of grace is not like another.
3. There is no invariable order, but in general —(1) The grace offorgiveness is
the first bestowed. This may come after much anxiety, or quite gently; but,
come as it will, peace is a specialgrace.(2)Butthe believer dots not rest long
in his peace. Nextcomes a totally different kind of grace — active strength
and the spirit of boldness. Notthat he is deprived of his peace, but that
becomes secondary. This is very necessary, as uniform tranquillity would be
injurious. To root the tree firmly rough winds are necessary.(3)The grace of
patience for the grace of active strength. Working time comes to an end, or
work goes on, patience comes to prevent discouragement.(4)The grace of
victory for the grace ofpreservationin battle. As thy day so shall thy strength
be. Not dying grace till death.
III. THE APPLICATION:
1. Do not try to live in or by the past. Live in it by a grateful memory that will
help you; but not so as to geta present living nourishment out of states, and
frames, and feelings that are dead and gone. You would not geton in June
seeking the withered leaves oflast autumn. Let them sink into the soil. Trust
nature to getall the goodthat is in them, and send that goodup again.

2. We ought to be afraid of stagnation, but never of new experiences or
enterprises.
3. Christ offers grace for — not grace, you have none, brother sinner; you
would never take it — but for sin and its condemnation.
(A. Raleigh, D. D.)
Grace for grace
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. GRACE BY DEGREES;grace upon grace;a little grace to begin with, but
more grace afterwards. "He giveth more grace," gracefollowing in grace, and
further in superabounding grace, when grace turns into glory.
II. GRACE TO PREPARE FOR FURTHER GRACE — the grace ofa
broken heart — to make room for repentance; the grace of hatred of sin to
make way for the grace of holy and careful walking;the grace ofcareful
walking to make room for the grace ofclose communion with Christ; the
grace ofclose communion with the Lord Jesus Christ to make room for the
grace offull conformity to His image;perhaps the grace ofconfortuity to His
image to make room for the higher grace ofbrighter views of Himself, and
still closerincomings into the very heart of the Lord Jesus. It is grace that
helps us on in grace. Whena beggerasks you for a penny, and you give him
one, he does not ask you for a sixpence;or if you give him a shilling, he would
not considerthat an argument why you should give him a sovereign. But you
may deal thus with God. The grace you have expands your heart, and gives
you capacityfor receiving yet more grace. You send your child to schoolto
learn A B C, the grace oflearning his alphabet. But it is preparatory to the
spelling book, a preparation for further acquisition of knowledge.

III. GRACE ANSWERABLE TO GRACE. Let God give me grace to be a
preacher, and He will give me grace to discharge the office. If you have the
grace ofresignationyou may need the grace ofpatience. Or grace receivedby
us answerable to the grace that is in Christ. A young heir to a large estate,
though not of full age, generallygets an allowance suitable to the position he is
to occupy. If he has £100,000 a yearin prospect, he would hardly be limited to
a penny a week. When I see one child of God always mourning, another
always doubting, and yet another always scheming, I see they are living below
their privileges. They do not seemto have grace in possessionanswerable to
the grace they have in reversion. We always inculcate the propriety, on the
part of all our people, of living within their incomes;but the child of God
cannot live beyond his income in a spiritual sense.
IV. GRACE IN ABUNDANCE. Like the waves ofthe sea, where one comes
there is another close behind it.
V. GRACE FROM HIM TO PRODUCE GRACE IN US. The grace of
gratitude should be produced in us by the grace of generosityfrom God.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ's fulness
A. Beith, D. D.
As the sea is not diminished by the treasures of rain which it yields, and which
are dispensedto the earth to fertilise and refresh it, or as the sun is not
wasted, that he has imparted light to all past generations ofmen; so Christ has
not been affectedin His fulness, though from Him has proceededall the good
that has ever been bestowedon every creature. That in the beginning He laid
the foundations of the earth, and that He then spread forth the heavens like a

curtain, has not diminished His strength. That He brought into being all the
families of life, in their innumerable and varied forms, has not exhaustedHis
resources.
(A. Beith, D. D.)
Christ's fulness and our receptionof it
R. Cudworth., Luther.
We all receive of His fulness grace for grace, as allthe stars in heaven are said
to light their candles at the sun's flame. For though His Body be withdrawn
from us, yet by the lively and virtual contactof His Spirit He is always
kindling, cheering, quickening, warming, enlivening, hearts: nay, this Divine
life, begun and kindled in any heart, wheresoeverit be, is something of God in
the flesh, and in a sober and qualified sense, Divinity Incarnate, and all
particular Christians, that are possessedofit, so many mystical Christs.
(R. Cudworth.)If any one is to obtain grace, His fulness must do it: our
crumbs and morsels, our tiny drops and bits, they verily will not do it. All,
whether Jews orGentiles, if indeed they would obtain grace and be really
found before God, are required (and indeed they cando no other) to fill their
little flasks from this well — a well which flows and overflows for ever and
ever; they must drink their fill from this fountain-head of living water,
springing up into eternallife. In short, His fulness is without measure or end;
therefore draw manfully and without fear, and drink with pleasure and joy!
For here is overflowinglyenough, even into eternalLife; in this you will have
enough to praise and thank God for to all eternity.
(Luther.)
The plenteousness ofgrace
Dr. C. Robinson.

The philosophic Hamerton tells us the story of a woman who workedin a
cottonfactory in one of the greatmanufacturing towns in Lancashire, and
who, in an excursion, went for the first time to the coast. Whenshe caughtthe
earliestglimpse of the Irish Sea, the expanse lying out before her eyes, looking
like the limitlessness of the oceanin its rush and roll of billows, she exclaimed,
as she drew one boundless breath of freshness and glory: "At last, here comes
something there is enough of!"
(Dr. C. Robinson.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(16) And of his fulness.—Nota continuance of the witness of John, but the
words of the evangelist, and closelyconnectedwith John 1:14. This is seenin
the “allwe,” and in “fulness” (“full”) and “grace,” whichare key-words of
both verses.
Fulness is a technicaltheologicalterm, meeting us againin this sense in the
Epistles to, as here in the Gospelfrom, the Asiatic Churches. (Comp.
especiallyColossians 1:19;Colossians 2:9; Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 3:19;
Ephesians 4:13.)The exposition belongs to the Notes on these passages.Here it
means the plenitude of divine attributes, the “glory. . . full of grace and
truth.” “Of,” or better, out of this fulness does eachindividual receive, and
thus the ideal church becomes “his body, the fulness of him that filleth all
things in all.”
Have all we received.—Better, we all received. The point of time is the same as
in John 1:12, and the “we all” is co-extensive with “as many as.” The powerto

become children of God was part of the divine fulness which they receivedin
receiving him.
And grace for grace.—Perhaps, evengrace forgrace gives the meaning less
doubtfully. The thought is, We all receivedof His fulness, and that which we
receivedwas grace for grace. The originalfaculty of receptionwas itself a free
gift, and in the use of this grace there was given the greaterpower. The words
mean “grace in exchange for, insteadof, grace.” The fulness of the supply is
constant;the powerto receive increaseswiththe use, or diminishes with the
neglect, of that which we already have. “Whosoeverhath, to him shall be
given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoeverhath not, from him
shall be taken awayeven that he hath” (Matthew 13:12). No truth is in
precept or in parable of the GreatTeachermore constantthan this; no lesson
is more brightly or more sadly illustrated in the lives of those who heard Him.
What instances of its meaning must have crowded on the writer’s mind in the
nation, in the disciples, in the Twelve, and even in the differing powerof
perception in the inner circle of the Three!“We all received,” but with what
difference of degree!
MacLaren's Expositions
John
THE FULNESS OF CHRIST
John 1:16.
What a remarkable claim that is which the Apostle here makes for his
Master!On the one side he sets His solitary figure as the universal Giver; on
the other side are gatheredthe whole race of men, recipients from Him. As in

the wilderness the children of Israelclustered round the rock from which
poured out streams, copious enough for all the thirsty camp, John, echoing his
Master’s words, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink,’ here
declares ‘Of His fulness have all we received.’
I. Notice, then, the one everfull Source.
The words of my text refer back to those of the John 1:14 : ‘The Word was
made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.’ ‘And of His fulness
have all we received.’The ‘fulness’ here seems to mean that of which the
Incarnate Word was full, the ‘grace and truth’ which dwelt without measure
in Him; the unlimited and absolute completeness and abundance of divine
powers and glories which‘tabernacled’ in Him. And so the language ofmy
text, both verbally and really, is substantially equivalent to that of the Apostle
Paul. ‘In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily; and ye are
complete in Him.’ The whole infinite Majesty, and inexhaustible resources of
the divine nature, were incorporated and insphered in that Incarnate Word
from whom all men may draw.
There are involved in that thought two ideas. One is the unmistakable
assertionofthe whole fulness of the divine nature as being in the Incarnate
Word, and the other is that the whole fulness of the divine nature dwells in the
Incarnate Word in order that men may getat it.
The words of my text go back, as I said, to the previous verse;but notice what
an advance upon that previous verse they presentto us. There we read, ‘We
beheld His glory.’ To behold is much, but to possessis more. It is much to say
that Christ comes to manifest God, but that is a poor, starved accountof the
purpose of His coming, if that is all you have to say. He comes to manifest
Him. Yes! but He comes to communicate Him, not merely to dazzle us with a

vision, not merely to show us Him as from afar, not merely to make Him
known to understanding or to heart; but to bestow-inno mere metaphor, but
in simple, literal fact-the absolute possessionof the divine nature. ‘We beheld
His glory’ is a reminiscence that thrills the Evangelist, though half a century
has passedsince the vision gleamedupon his eyes;but ‘of His fulness have all
we received’ is infinitely and unspeakablymore. And the manifestationwas
granted that the possessionmight be sure, for this is the very centre and heart
of Christianity, that in Him who is Christianity God is not merely made
known, but given; not merely beheld, but possessed.
In order that that divine fulness might belong to us there was neededthat the
Word should be made flesh; and there was further needed that incarnation
should be crownedby sacrifice, and that life should be perfected in death. The
alabasterbox had to be broken before the house could be filled with the odour
of the ointment. If I may so say, the sack, the coarse-spunsack ofChrist’s
humanity, had to be cut asunder in order that the wealth that was stored in it
might be poured into our hands. God came near us in the life, but God
became ours in the death, of His dear Son. Incarnation was neededfor that
greatprivilege-’we beheld His glory’; but the Crucifixion was neededin order
to make possible the more wondrous prerogative:‘Of His fulness have all we
received.’God gives Himself to men in the Christ whose life revealedand
whose death imparted Him to the world.
And so He is the sole Source. All men, in a very realsense, draw from His
fulness. ‘In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.’ The life of the
body and the life of the spirit willing, knowing, loving, all which makes life
into light, all comes to us through that everlasting Word of God. And when
that Word has ‘become flesh and dwelt among us,’ His gifts are not only the
gifts of light and life, which all men draw from Him, but the gifts of grace and
truth which all those who love Him receive at His hands. His gifts, like the
waterfrom some fountain, may flow underground into many of the pastures
of the wilderness;and many a man is blessedby them who knows not from

whence they come. It is He from whom all the truth, all the grace which
illuminates and blesses humanity, flow into all lands in all ages.
II. Consider, then, again, the many receivers from the one Source. ‘Of His
fulness have all we received.’
Observe, we are not told definitely what it is that we receive. If we refer back
to words in a previous verse, they may put us on the right track for answering
the question, What is it that we get? ‘He came unto His own,’ says John 1:11,
‘and His own receivedHim not; but as many as receivedHim, to them gave
He power,’ etc. That answers the question, What do we receive? Christis
more than all His gifts. All His gifts are treasured up in Him and inseparable
from Him. We get Jesus Christ Himself.
The blessings that we receive may be stated in many different ways. You may
say we get pardon, purity, hope, joy, the prospectof Heaven, powerfor
service;all these and a hundred more designations by which we might
describe the one gift. All these are but the consequencesofour having got the
Christ within our hearts. He does not give pardon and the rest, as a king
might give pardon and honours, a thousand miles off, bestowing it by a mere
word, upon some criminal, but He gives all that He gives because He gives
Himself. The real possessionthat we receive is neither more nor less than a
loving Saviour, to enter our spirits and abide there, and be the spirit of our
spirits, and the life of our lives.
Then, notice the universality of this possession. Johnhas said, in the previous
words, ‘We beheld His glory.’ He refers there, of course, to the comparatively
small circle of the eye-witnessesofour Master’s life; who, at the time when he
wrote, must have been very, very few in number. They had had the
prerogative of seeing with their eyes and handling with their hands the Word

of life that ‘was manifestedunto us’; and with that prerogative the duty of
bearing witness of Him to the restof men. But in the ‘receiving,’John
associateswithhimself, and with the other eyewitnesses, allthose who had
listened to their word, and had receivedthe truth in the love of it. ‘We beheld’
refers to the narrowercircle; ‘we all received’to the wider sweepof the whole
Church. There is no exclusive class, no specialprerogative. EveryChristian
man, the weakest, the lowliest, the most uncultured, rude, ignorant, foolish,
the most besottedin the past, who has wanderedfurthest awayfrom the
Master;whose spirit has been most destitute of all sparks of goodnessand of
God-receives fromout of His fulness. ‘If any man have not the Spirit of Christ
he is none of His.’ And every one of us, if we will, may have dwelling in our
hearts, in the greatness ofHis strength, in the sweetnessofHis love, in the
clearness ofHis illuminating wisdom, the Incarnate Word, the Comforter, the
All-in-all whom ‘we all receive.’
And, as I said, that word ‘all’ might have even a wider extensionwithout
going beyond the limits of the truth. Foron the one side there stands Christ,
the universal Giver; and grouped before Him, in all attitudes of weaknessand
of want, is gatheredthe whole race of mankind. And from Him there pours
out a streamcopious enough to supply all the necessities ofevery human soul
that lives to-day, of every human soul that has lived in the past, of every one
that shall live in the future. There is no limit to the universality except only
the limit of the human will: ‘Whosoeverwill, let him take the waterof life
freely.’
Think of that solitaryfigure of the Christ reared up, as it were, before the
whole race of man, as able to replenish all their emptiness with His fulness,
and to satisfy all their thirst with His sufficiency. Dearbrother! you have a
greatgaping void in your heart-an aching emptiness there, which you know
better than I can tell you. Look to Him who can fill it and it shall be filled. He
can supply all your wants as He can supply all the wants of every soul of man.
And after generations have drawn from Him, the waterwill not have sunk one

hairsbreadth in the greatfountain, but there will be enough for all coming
eternities as there has been enough for all past times. He is like His own
miracle-the thousands are gatheredon the grass, they do ‘all eat and are
filled.’ As their necessitiesrequired the bread was multiplied, and at the last
there was more left than there had seemedto be at the beginning. So ‘of His
fulness have all we received’;and after a universe has drawn from it, for an
Eternity, the fulness is not turned into scantiness oremptiness.
III. And so, lastly, notice the continuous flow from the inexhaustible Source.
‘Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.’
The word ‘for’ is a little singular. Of course it means instead of, in exchange
for; and the Evangelist’s idea seems to be that as one supply of grace is given
and used, it is, as it were, given back to the Bestower, who substitutes for it a
fresh and unused vessel, filled with new grace. He might have said, grace upon
grace;one supply being piled upon the other. But his notion is, rather, one
supply given in substitution for the other, ‘new lamps for old ones.’
Just as a careful gardenerwill stand over a plant that needs water, and will
pour the wateron the surface until the earth has drunk it up, and then add a
little more; so He gives step by step, grace for grace, anuninterrupted
bestowal, yetregulated according to the absorbing powerof the heart that
receives it. Underlying that great thought are two things: the continuous
communication of grace, and the progressive communicationof grace. We
have here the continuous communication of grace. Godis always pouring
Himself out upon us in Christ. There is a perpetual out flow from Him to us: if
there is not a perpetual inflow into us from Him it is our fault, and not His. He
is always giving, and His intention is that our lives shall be a continual
reception. Are they? How many Christian men there are whose Christian lives
at the best are like some of those Australian or Siberian rivers; in the dry
season, a pond here, a stretch of sand, waterlessand barren there, then

another place with a drop of muddy waterin some hollow, and then another
stretch of sand, and so on. Why should not the ponds be linked togetherby a
flashing stream? God is always pouring Himself out; why do we not always
take Him in?
There is but one answer, and the answeris, that we do not fulfil the condition,
which condition is simple faith. ‘As many as receivedHim, to them gave He
powerto become the sons of God; even to them that believed on His name.’
Faith is the condition of receiving, and wherever there is a continuous trust
there will be an unbroken grace;and wherever there are interrupted gifts it is
because there has been an intermitted trust in Him. Do not let your lives be
like some dimly lighted road, with a lamp here, and a stretch of darkness, and
then another twinkling light; let the light run all along the side of your path,
because atevery moment your heart is turning to Christ with trust. Make
your faith continuous, and God will make His grace incessant, and out of His
fulness you will draw continual supplies of needed strength.
But not only have we here the notion of continuous, but also, as it seems to me,
of progressive gifts. Eachmeasure of Christ received, if we use it aright,
makes us capable of possessing more of Christ. And the measure of our
capacityis the measure of His gift, and the more we can hold the more we
shall get. The walls of our hearts are elastic, the vesselexpands by being filled
out; it throbs itself wider by desire and faith. The wider we open our mouths
the largerwill be the gift that God puts into them. Eachmeasure and stage of
grace utilised and honestly employed will make us capable and desirous, and,
therefore, possessors, ofmore and more of the grace that He gives. So the
ideal of the Christian life, and God’s intention concerning us, is not only that
we should have an uninterrupted, but a growing possession, ofChrist and of
His grace.

Is that the case withyou, my friend? Can you hold more of God than you
could twenty years ago? Is there any more capacityin your soulfor more of
Christ than there was long, long ago? If there is you have more of Him; if you
have not more of Him it is because you cannotcontain more; and you cannot
contain more because you have not desired more, and because youhave been
so wretchedly unfaithful in your use of what you had. The ideal is, ‘they go
from strength to strength,’ and the end of that is, ‘every one of them
appeareth before God.’
So, dear brother, as the dash of the waves will hollow out some little
indentation on the coast, and make it largerand largeruntil there is a great
bay, with its headlands miles apart, and its deep bosomstretching far into the
interior, and all the expanse full of flashing waters and leaping waves, so the
giving Christ works a place for Himself in a man’s heart, and makes the spirit
which receives and faithfully uses the gifts which He brings, capable of more
of Himself, and fills the widened space with larger gifts and new grace.
Only remember the condition of having Him is trusting to His name and
longing for His presence. ‘If any man open the door I will come in.’ We have
Him if we trust Him. That trust is no mere passive reception, such as is the
case with some empty jar which lies open-mouthed on the shore and lets the
sea washinto it and out of it, as may happen. But the ‘receive’of our text
might be as truly rendered ‘take.’Faith is an active taking, not a passive
receiving. We must ‘lay hold on eternallife.’ Faith is the hand that grasps the
offered gift, the mouth that feeds upon the bread of God, the voice that says to
Christ, ‘Come in, Thou blessedof the Lord; why standestThou without?’
Such a faith alone brings us into vital connectionwith Jesus. Without it, you
will be none the richer for all His fulness, and may perish of famine in the
midst of plenty, like a man dying of hunger outside the door of a granary.
They who believe take the Saviour who is given, and they who take receive,
and they who receive obtain day by day growing grace from the fulness of

Christ, and so come ever nearer to the realisationof the ultimate purpose of
the Father, that they should be ‘filled with all the fulness of God.’
BensonCommentary
John 1:16. And of his fulness have all we received — These are not the words
of the Baptist, as the expression, we all, shows;for those to whom he
addressedhimself do not appear to have receivedgrace from Christ. But here
the evangelistconfirms the Baptist’s words, spokenin the preceding verse; as
if he had said, He is indeed preferred before thee: so we have experienced:for
we all, that is, I, John, the apostle, and my brethren, the other apostles, and all
that truly believe in him, have receivedfrom his fulness, from the plenitude of
truth and grace which are in him, all the blessings we enjoy, whether as men,
as Christians, or as apostles. “Butwhat,” says Dr. Campbell, “is the import of
the clause, graceforgrace? Is it that we receive grace in return for the grace
we give? So says Le Clerc, availing himself of an ambiguity in the Greek word
χαρις, which (like grace in French) signifies not only a favour bestowed, but
thanks returned: and maintaining that the sense is, that God gives more grace
to those who are thankful for that formerly received;a position which,
howeverjust, it requires an extraordinary turn of imagination to discoverin
this passage. Is it, as many render it, grace upon grace, thatis, grace added to
grace? Ishould not dislike this interpretation, if this meaning of the
preposition, αντι, in Scripture, were well supported. It always there denotes, if
I mistake not, instead of, answering to, or in return for. Is it a mere pleonasm?
Does it mean (as Grotius would have it) grace gratuitous? I do not saythat
such pleonastic expressions are unexampled in SacredWrit; but I do say, that
this sense givento the idiom is unexampled. The word in such cases is δωρεαν,
as Romans 3:24, Διακαιουμενοιδωρεαντη αυτου χαριτι, justified freely by his
grace. If, insteadof giving scope to fancy, we attend to the context, and the
constructionof the words, we shall not need to wanderso far in quest of the
meaning. In John 1:14 we are informed that the word became incarnate, and
sojourned among us, full of grace and truth. It is plain that the 15th verse,
containing the Baptist’s declaration, must be understood as a parenthesis.
And it actually is understood so by all expositors;inasmuch as they make
αυτου [his] here refer to λογος [the Word] in John 1:14. The evangelist,
resuming the subject which (for the sake of inserting John’s testimony) he had

interrupted, tells us, that all we his disciples, particularly his apostles, have
receivedof his fulness. But of what was he full? It had been said expressly,
that he was full of grace. When, therefore, the historian brings this additional
clause concerning grace in explanation of the former, is it not manifestly his
intention to inform us, that of every grace wherewithhe was filled, his
disciples receiveda share? The Word incarnate, he says, resided among us,
full of grace and truth; and of his fulness all we have received, even grace for
his grace;that is, of every grace, orcelestialgift, conferred above measure
upon him, his disciples have receiveda portion according to their measure. If
there should remain a doubt whether this were the sense of the passage, the
words immediately following seemcalculatedto remove it. For the law was
given by Moses, the grace and the truth came by Jesus Christ. Here the
evangelistintimates, that Jesus Christ was as truly the channel of divine grace
to his disciples, as Moses hadbeen of the knowledge ofGod’s law to the
Israelites.” If, however, the reader prefer adhering to the common translation,
it seems it may be supported by the frequent use of the preposition αντι. Thus
Romans 12:17, Recompense to no man (κακοναντι κακου)evil for evil, or, in
return for evil. According to this translation, the meaning of the passagewill
be, that under the gospeldispensation, all men receive grace forgrace, that is,
privileges and advantages, in proportion to the improvement which they make
of those already bestowedon them.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
1:15-18 As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after
John, but in every other way he was before him. The expressionclearlyshows
that Jesus had existence before he appearedon earth as man. All fulness
dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by
faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our
receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace;we have
receivedeven grace, a gift so great, so rich, so invaluable; the goodwill of God
towards us, and the goodwork of God in us. The law of God is holy, just, and
good;and we should make the proper use of it. But we cannot derive from it
pardon, righteousness, orstrength. It teaches us to adorn the doctrine of God
our Saviour, but it cannot supply the place of that doctrine. As no mercy
comes from God to sinners but through Jesus Christ, no man cancome to the

Father but by him; no man can know God, exceptas he is made known in the
only begottenand beloved Son.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Of his fulness - In John 1:14 the evangelisthas saidthat Christ was "full of
grace and truth." Of that "fullness" he now says that all the disciples had
received;that is, they derived from his abundant truth and mercy grace to
understand the plan of salvation, to preach the gospel, to live lives of holiness;
they "partook" ofthe numerous blessings which he came to impart by his
instructions and his death. These are undoubtedly not the words of John the
Baptist, but of the evangelistJohn, the writer of this gospel. Theyare a
continuation of what he was saying in John 1:14, John 1:15 being evidently
thrown in as a parenthesis. The declarationhad not exclusive reference,
probably, to the apostles, but it is extended to all Christians, for all believers
have receivedof the "fulness of grace and truth" that is in Christ. Compare
Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 1:19;Colossians2:9. In all these
places our Saviour is representedas the fulness of God - as "abounding" in
mercy, as exhibiting the divine attributes, and as possessing in himself all that
is necessaryto fill his people with truth, and grace, and love.
Grace for grace - Many interpretations of this phrase have been proposed.
The chief are briefly the following:
1. "We have receivedunder the gospel, graceorfavor, 'instead of' those
granted under the law; and Godhas added by the gospelimportant favors to
those which he gave under the law." This was first proposed by Chrysostom.
2. "We, Christians, have receivedgrace 'answering to,'or corresponding to
that which is in Jesus Christ. We are 'like' him in meekness, humility," etc.
3. "We have receivedgrace 'as grace' - that is, freely. We have not purchased
it nor deservedit, but God has conferredit on us 'freely'" (Grotius).

4. The meaning is, probably, simply that we have receivedthrough him
"abundance" of grace orfavor. The Hebrews, in expressing the superlative
degree of comparison, usedsimply to repeat the word - thus, "pits, pits,"
meaning many pits (Hebrew in Genesis 14:10). So here grace for grace may
mean "much" grace;superlative favors bestowedon man; favors superior to
all that had been under the law - superior to all other things that God can
conferon men. These favors consistin pardon, redemption, protection,
sanctification, peace here, and heaven hereafter.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
Joh 1:16-18. Same SubjectContinued.
16. of his fulness—of"grace andtruth," resuming the thread of Joh 1:14.
grace for grace—thatis, grace upon grace (so all the bestinterpreters), in
successive communications and largermeasures, as eachwas able to take it in.
Observe, the word "truth" is here dropped. "Grace" being the chosenNew
Testamentword for the whole fulness of the new covenant, all that dwells in
Christ for men.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
And of his fulness have all we received;of that plenty of grace which Christ
hath, (who hath not the Spirit given him by measure, John 3:34, as other
saints have, Acts 2:4,6,8), we who by nature are void of grace, whethertaken
for the favour of God, or gracious habits, have received, as the skirts of
Aaron’s garment receivedthe oil which was plentifully poured out on Aaron’s
head.

And grace for grace:nor have we receiveddrops, but grace upon grace;not
only knowledge andinstruction, but the love and favour of God, and spiritual
habits, in proportion to the favour and grace which Christ hath (allowing for
our short capacities);we have receivedgrace freely and plentifully, all from
Christ, and for his sake;which lets us see how much the grace receiving soulis
bound to acknowledgeand adore Christ, and may be confirmed in the
receiving of further grace, and the hopes of eternal life; and it may mind all
(according to that of the apostle, 2 Corinthians 6:1), to take heed that they
receive not the grace ofGod in vain.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And of his fulness have all we received,.... Theseare the words not of John the
Baptist; but of the evangelistcarrying on his accountof Christ, after he had
inserted the testimony of the Baptist, in connectionwith John 1:14 where he is
said to be full of grace and truth; and which fulness is here intended; for the
fulness of the Godhead in trim is incommunicable; and the fulness of his
fitness, and ability for his office, as Mediator, was for himself; but his fulness
of grace and truth is dispensatory, and is in him, on purpose to be
communicated unto others: and "of it", the evangelistsays, "have allwe
received";not all mankind, though they all receive natural light and life from
trim; nor merely all the prophets of the Old Testament, though they had their
gifts and grace from him, who then was, as now, the head of the church; nor
only all the apostles ofChrist, though these may be principally intended; but
all believers, who, though they have not all the same measure of grace, nor the
same gifts, yet all have receivedsomething:nor is there any reasonfor
discouragement, envy, or reproach. Faith is the hand which receives Christ,
and grace from him; and the act of receiving, being expressedin the past
tense, seems to regard first conversion, whenfaith is first wrought, and along
with it abundance of grace is received; for a believer has nothing but what is
given him, and what he has, is in a wayof receiving;so that there is no room
for boasting, but greatreasonfor thankfulness, and much encouragementto
apply to Christ for more grace, whichis the thing received, as follows:
and grace for grace:according to the different senses ofthe preposition
different interpretations are given of this passage;as that signifies a

substitution of a person, or thing, in the room of another, the sense is thought
to be, the Gospel, insteadof the law; or the grace of the present dispensation,
instead of the grace ofthe former dispensation; grace, different from the
former grace, as Nonnus expressesit. If it designs the original, and moving
cause, the meaning is, grace is for the sake ofgrace;for there is no other cause
of electing, justifying, pardoning, adopting, and regenerating grace,and even
eternal life, but the grace, orfree favour of God; and the one is the reason
why the other is received:if it signifies the end, or final cause, then it is
explained in this way; the disciples receivedthe grace ofapostleship, or gift, of
grace, in order to preachthe Gospelof the grace of God, and for the
implanting and increasing grace in men; and grace also, in this life, is
received, in order to the perfection of grace, orglory, in the other: if it denotes
the measure and proportion of a thing, as one thing is answerable to another,
then if may be interpreted after this manner; the saints receive grace from the
fulness of Christ, according, or answerable to the grace that is in him; or
according to the measure of the gift of Christ, and in proportion to the place,
station, and office they bear in the church. Some think the phrase only designs
the freeness ofgrace, andthe free and liberal manner in which it is
distributed, and received; along with which, I also think, the abundance of it,
at first conversion, with all after supplies, is intended; and that grace for
grace, is the same with grace upon grace, heaps ofgrace;and that the
phraseologyis the same with this Jewishone (k), , "goodnessupon that
goodness", anadditional goodness;so here, grace upon grace, anabundance
of it, an addition to it, and an increase ofit: so (l), joy upon joy, is an
abundance of joy, a large measure of it; and "holiness upon holiness" (m),
abundance of it,
(k) Zohar in Exod. fol. 45. 1.((l) lb. in Lev. fol. 28. 1. & in Num. fol. 69. 2. &
71. 2.((m) lb. fol. 40. 3. & in Num. fol. 61. 1.
Geneva Study Bible
{9} And of his fulness have all we received, and {d} grace for grace.

(9) Christ is the most plentiful fountain of all goodness, but he gave out his
gifts most bountifully at that time when he exhibited and showedhimself to
the world.
(d) That is, grace upon grace;as one would say, graces piledone upon
another.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
John 1:16. Notthe language ofthe Baptist (Heracleon, Origen, Rupertus,
Erasmus, Luther, Melancthon, Lange), againstwhich ἡμεῖς πάντες is decisive,
but that of the evangelistcontinued.
ὅτι (see critical notes)introduces the personal and superabounding gracious
experience of believers, with a retrospective reference indeedto the πλήρ.
χάριτος κ. ἀληθ., John 1:14, and in the form of a confirmation of John’s
testimony in John 1:15 : this testimony is justified by what was imparted to us
all out of the fulness of Him who was borne witness to.
ἐκ τοῦ πληρώμ. αὐτοῦ]out of that whereofHe was full, John 1:14; πλήρωμα
in a passive sense;see on Colossians1:19. The phrase and idea were here so
naturally furnished by the immediate context, that it is quite far-fetched to
find their source in Gnosticism, especiallyin that of the Valentinians
(Schwegler, Hilgenfeld).
ἡμεῖς] we on our part, giving prominence to the personalexperience of the
believers (which had remained unknown to unbelievers), John 1:10-11.

πάντες] None went empty away. Inexhaustibleness of the πλήρωμα.
ἐλάβομεν] absolute:we have received.
καὶ]and indeed. See Winer, p. 407 [E. T. p. 546];Hartung, Partikell. I. 145.
χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος]grace forgrace, is not to be explained (with Chrysostom,
Cyril, Severus, Nonnus, Theophylact, Erasmus, Beza, Aretius, Calovius,
Jansen, Wolf, Lampe, and many others, even Paulus), N. T. instead of O. T.
grace (Euthymius Zigabenus: τὴν καινὴν διαθήκηνἀντὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς), or
instead of the originalgrace lostin Adam (see especiallyCalovius), since in
John 1:17 ὁ νόμος and ἡ χάρις are opposedto eachother, and since in the N.
T. generallyχάρις is the distinctive essenceofChristian salvation(comp.
especiallyRomans 6:14-15);but, as Beza suggested, andwith most modern
expositors,[106]“so thatever and anon fresh grace appears in place of that
already received.” “Proximamquamque gratiam satis quidem magnam gratia
subsequens cumulo et plenitudine sua quasi obruit,” Bengel. So
superabundant was the λαμβάνειν! This rendering is sufficiently justified
linguistically by Theogn. Sent. 344, ἀντʼ ἀνιῶν ἀνίας;Philo, de poster. Caini, I.
p. 254;Chrys. de sac. vi. 13,—as it is generallyby the primary meaning of
ἀντὶ (grace interchanging with grace);and it corresponds, agreeablyto the
context, with the idea of the πλήρωμα, from which it is derived, and is
supported further by the increasinglyblessedcondition of those individually
experiencing it (justification, peace with God, consolation, joy, illumination,
love, hope, and so on: see on Romans 5:1 ff.; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9).
John might have written χάριν ἐπὶ χάριτι or χάριν ἐπὶ χάριν (Php 2:27), but
his conceptionof it was different. Still, any specialreference to the fulness of
the specialχαρίσματα, 1 Corinthians 12-14 (Ewald), lies remote from the
context here (John 1:17); though at the same time they, as in generalno
εὐλογία πνευματική (Ephesians 1:3), wherewith God in Christ has blessed
believers, are not excluded.

[106]Among whom, however, Godetregards the phrase with ἀντί as a play
upon words, referring to the O. T. law of retaliation, according to which
“chaque grâce étaitla récompense d’un mérite acquisx.” But such an allusion
would be inappropriate, since χάρις in ἀντὶ χάριτος is not something human,
but divine.
Expositor's Greek Testament
John 1:16. ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος … χάριτος, “because outof His fulness
have we all received”. The ὅτι does not continue the Baptist’s testimony, but
refers to πλήρης in John 1:14. In Colossians 2:9 Paul says that in Christ
dwelleth all the πλήρωμα of the Godhead, meaning to repudiate the Gnostic
idea that this pleroma was distributed among many subordinate beings or
æons. But what John has here in view is that the fulness of grace in Christ was
communicable to men. By ἡμεῖς πάντες he indicates himself and all other
Christians. He had himself experiencedthe reality of that grace with which
Christ was filled and its inexhaustible character. Forhe adds καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ
χάριτος, “graceupon grace”.Beza suggeststhe rendering: (“ut quidam vir
eruditus explicat,” he says): “Gratiamsupra gratiam; pro quo eleganter
dixeris, gratiam gratia cumulatam,” but he does not himself adopt it. It is,
however, adopted by almost all modern interpreters: so that ever and anon
fresh grace appears overand above that already received. This rendering, as
Meyer points out, is linguistically justified by Theognis, Sent., 344, ἀντʼἀνιῶν
ἀνίας, sorrows upon sorrows;and it receives remarkable illustration from the
passagequoted by Wetsteinfrom Philo, De Poster. Cain., where, speaking of
grace, he says that God does not allow men to be satedwith one grace, but
gives ἑτέρας ἀντʼ ἐκείνων (the first) καὶ τρίτας ἀντι τῶν δευτέρων καὶ ἀεὶ νέας
ἀντὶ παλαιοτέρων. Harnack (Hist. of Dogma, i., 76, E. Tr.) asks:“Where in
the history of mankind canwe find anything resembling this, that men who
had eatenand drunk with their Mastershould glorify Him, not only as the
RevealerofGod, but as the Prince of Life, as the Redeemerand Judge of the
world, as the living power of its existence, and that a choir of Jews and
Gentiles, Greeks andbarbarians, wise and foolish, should along with them

immediately confess that out of the fulness of this one man they have received
grace for grace?”
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
16. The testimony of the Baptist to the incarnate Word is confirmed by the
experience of all believers. The Evangelistis the speaker.
And] The true reading gives Because.
fullness] The Greek word, pleroma, is ‘a recognisedtechnicalterm in
theology, denoting the totality of the Divine powers and attributes.’ This
fulness of the Divine attributes belonged to Christ (John 1:14), and by Him
was imparted to the Church, which is His Body (Ephesians 1:23); and through
the Church eachindividual believer in his degree receives a portion of it. See
Lightfoot on Colossians 1:19;Colossians 2:9. ‘Of His fulness’ means literally
‘out of His fulness,’as from an inexhaustible store.
all we] shews that the Evangelistand not the Baptist is speaking.
grace for grace]Literally, grace in the place of grace, one grace succeeding
another, and as it were taking its place. There is no reference to the Christian
dispensationdisplacing the Jewish. The Jewishdispensationwould have been
called‘the Law,’ not ‘grace;’see next verse, and comp. John 17:22.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 1:16. Καί, and) [But [21][22]*[23][24][25], the Latin ante-Hieronymic
Versions [26][27], the Memphitic, and Orige[28]thrice, read ὍΤΙ for καὶ]
The evangelistconfirms the fact, that to this prediction of John the Baptist the
event corresponded, and that the priority of office fell to Christ; for the
statementin this verse is that of the Evangelist;since the Baptist would not be

likely to call Jesus the Christ so openly as John 1:17 does:moreoverthe
fulness, John 1:16, has reference to the word full, John 1:14; [and so John
1:16 is to be regardedas a continuation of those things which were begun,
John 1:14.—V. g.]—ἡμεῖς πάντες, all we) Notall beheld, John 1:14, but all
received,—Apostlesand all the rest[of His disciples] received,[29]Jewsand
Gentiles.—ἘΛΆΒΟΜΕΝ, ΚΑΊ, we received, even) The Accusative is
understood, all that was to be receivedout of His fulness, and [specially]grace
for grace.—χάρινἀντὶ χάριτος, grace forgrace)Eachlastportion of grace
[though itself], indeed large enough, the subsequent grace by accumulation
and by its ownfulness, as it were, overwhelms [buries under the loadof its
own fulness]. See an instance, John 1:51 [Jesus to Nathaniel, BecauseI said, I
saw, see under the fig-tree, believestthou? Thou shalt see greaterthings than
these,—Hereafterye shall see heavenopen, and the angels of Godascending
and descending upon the Son of man]. A very similar use of ἀντί occurs in
Æschyl. Agam. ὌΝΕΙΔΟς ἭΚΕΙΤΌ Δʼ ἈΝΤʼ ὈΝΕΊΔΟῦς;and Book VI. of
Chrysostom, concerning the priesthood, ch. 13, where he makes his Basilius
speak thus:ΣῪ ΔΈ ΜΕ ἘΚΠΈΜΠΕΙς, ἙΤΈΡΑΝ ἈΝΘʼ ἙΤΈΡΑς
ΦΡΟΝΤΊΔΑἘΝΘΕΊς;thou dost dismiss me, imposing one anxiety on
another: wherein the former care, and that the less one, had not been
removed, but a new one had been thrown in [in addition], and that so greata
one, as to throw into the shade the former one, and as to seemnot to have
been added to it, but to have succeededit. Examine the passage itself, if you
please, and what comments we have collectedupon it, p. 516. The Hebrews
use ‫לע‬ as ‫רבש‬ ‫לע‬ ‫,רבש‬ Jeremiah4:20; Jeremiah45:3; Ezekiel7:26;Psalm
69:27.
[21] Cod. Basilianus (not the B. Vaticanus): Revelation:in the Vatican: edited
by Tisch., who assigns it to the beginning of the eighth century.
[22] Ephræmi Rescriptus:Royal libr., Paris:fifth or sixth cent.: publ. by
Tisch. 1843:O. and N. T. def.

[23] Bezæ, or Cantabrig.:Univ. libr., Cambridge: fifth cent.: publ. by Kipling,
1793:Gospels, Acts, and some Epp. def.
[24] Cod. Reg., Paris, of the Gospels:the text akinto that of B: edited by
Tisch.
[25] Cod. Monacensis,fragments of the Gospels.
[26] Vercellensis ofthe old ‘Itala,’ or Latin Version before Jerome’s, probably
made in Africa, in the secondcentury: the Gospels.
[27] Veronensis, do.
[28] rigen (born about 186 A.D., died 253 A.D., a Greek father: two-thirds of
the N. Test. are quoted in his writings). Ed. Vinc. Delarue, Paris. 1733,1740,
1759.
[29] Viz. What He offered.—E. and T.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 16-18. -
(7) The experience of the Writer. Verse 16. - There canbe little doubt that the
fifteenth verse is a parenthetical clause, answering to the sixth and seventh
verses, and standing to ver. 14 very much in the same kind of relation that
vers. 6, 7 do to vers. 1-5. There is a further reason;the verses which follow are
clearly not, as Lange suggests, the continuance of the Baptist's μαρτυρία, but

the language ofthe evangelist, and a detail of his personalexperience. The
entire context would entirely forbid our taking the αὐτοῦ ofver. 16 as
referring to the Baptist. This is still more evident from the true reading of ὅτι
in place of καὶ. The "because"points back at once to the statements ofver. 14.
Hengstenberg and Godet think there is no need to transform the fifteenth
verse into a parenthesis, in order, after the recital of John the Baptist's
testimony, to proceedto a further experience of the evangelist;translating
"and even," Lange makes the whole utterance to be that of the Baptist, which
appears to be profoundly inconsistent with the position of the Baptist, either
then or subsequently. The grand declaration, that the Logos incarnate was
"full of grace and truth," is justified by the author of the prologue, from his
conscious experienceofthe exhaustless plenitude of the manifestation.
Becausefrom his fulness we all received. He speaks as from the bosomof a
societyof persons, who have not been dependent on vision or on individual
contactwith the historic revelation (comp. ch. 20, "Blessedare they [Jesus
said] who have not seen[touched or handled], and yet have believed," but
have nevertheless discovereda perennial supply of grace and truth in him).
We all, my fellow apostles anda multitude which no man cannumber,
receivedfrom this source, as from the Divinity itself, all that we have needed.
An effort has been made, from the evangelist's use of the word pleroma, to
father the "prologue" upon one familiar with the Valentinian metaphysic, and
thus to postpone its origin to the middle of the secondcentury; but the
Valentinian pleroma is the sum total of the Divine emanations of the thirty
pairs of aeons, which have been produced from the eternal"bythos," or abyss,
one only of which is supposed, on Valentinian principles, to have assumeda
phantasmic form in Jesus Christ. Nothing could be less resembling the
position of the author of this Gospel, who clearlyregards the Logos incarnate
as coincident with the fulness of the Godhead, as containing in himself, in
complete self-possession, allthe energies andbeneficence of the Eternal. With
the apostle's doctrine of the Logos as identicalwith God, as the Creatorof
everything, as the Life, as the Light of men; and, as becoming the Source of all
these energies to men in his incarnation, there is no basis for Valentinianism.
Though the phraseologyofthe Gnostics was borrowedin part from the
Gospel, and though Valentinus may have fanciedhimself justified in his
misuse of texts; the ideas of the Gospeland the Gnostic were directly

contradictory of one another (see Introduction). Long before John used this
word, St. Paul had used it in writing to the Ephesiaus and Colossians, as
though, even in his day, the word had acquired a distinct theologicalmeaning,
and one that had naturally arisen from its etymology and usage in Greek
writers. Bishop Lightfoot has shown in his dissertation('Epistle to Colossians,'
2nd edit., pp. 257-273)that the form of the word demands a passive sense, id
quod impletur, and not an active one which some have given to it in certain
New Testamentpassages, as if it had the meaning of id quod implet. By his
examination of numerous passages,he shows that it always has fundamentally
the sense ofcompleteness,"the full complement," the plenitude. Πληρώμα is
the passive verbal from πληροῦν, to make complete. Thus Colossians1:19,
"The Father was pleasedthat all the fulness, the totality, should dwell in
him," explained elsewhere in the same Epistle, "all the completeness, the
plenitude of the Godhead" (Colossians2:9). The widespreaddiffusion of the
idea of emanations, the hypostatizing of perfections and attributes, the virtual
mythology which was creeping through metaphysicalsubtleties even into
Judaism and Christianity, demanded positive repudiation; and, while the
whole Church was united in its recognitionof the Divine energy of Christ, it
became needful to refer to his Divine-human personality all the fulness of the
Godheadbodily. In Ephesians St. Paul speaks, however, ofthe Church which
is his body as identified with him, and as (in Ephesians 5:27) a bride made one
flesh with her husband, without spot or wrinkle, ideally perfect, as the part of
one colossalindividuality of which Christ is the Head; or, the one building of
which he is the Foundation and the Cornerstone. Hence "the fulness of
Christ" (Ephesians 4:13) is that in which every member participates, and "the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" is equated with the perfect
humanity into which all believers come. Hence in Ephesians 3:19 these
individuals are completed in him, and are thus as a whole, by the realization
of their union to Christ, participators in the fulness of God. So the difficult
expression, Ephesians 1:23, becomes explained, a passagein which the Church
itself, his body, is said to be "the fulness of him who filleth all in all." The
Church is the organand sphere in which all the Divine graces are poured, and
is consideredas ever struggling to embody the ideal perfection of him in
whom all the fulness of God dwells. Both ideas, those of both the
ChristologicalEpistles, are involved in this greatassertionof St. John. And

grace for grace. It is said the evangelistmight have written χάριν ἐπὶ χάριτι, or
ἐπὶ χάριν, grace in addition to grace receivedalready;but the use of the
preposition ἀντί, implies more, "grace interchanging with grace" (Meyer) -
not the grace of the old covenantreplacedby the grace of the new
dispensation(Chrysostom, Lampe, and many others), for, though there was
grace underlying all God's self-revelation, yet in the next verse the contrast
between"Law" and "grace" is too striking to be ignored. The grace replaced
by grace means that every grace receivedis a capacityfor higher blessedness.
Thus Christian humility is the condition of Divine uplifting; the knowledge
that leads to love is the condition of that higher gnosis that is born of love. The
faith that accepts mercyblossoms into the joy that is unspeakable and full of
glory. Reconciliationwith Godbecomes itself transformed into active
communion with him; all union to Christ becomes the harbinger of full
identification with him, "he in us and we in him." This is the greatprinciple of
the Divine kingdom: "To him that hath shall be given."
Vincent's Word Studies
And (καὶ)
But the correctreading is ὅτι, because, thus connecting the following sentence
with "full of grace and truth" in John 1:14. We know Him as full of grace and
truth, because we have receivedof His fullness.
Of His fulness (ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ)
These and the succeeding words are the Evangelist's, notthe Baptist's. The
word fullness (πλήρωμα) is found here only in John, but frequently occurs in
the writings of Paul, whose use of it in Ephesians and Colossians illustrates the
sense in John; these being Asiatic churches which fell, later, within the sphere
of John's influence. The word is akin to πλήρης, full (John 1:14), and to
πληροῦν, to fill or complete;and means that which is complete in itself,
plenitude, entire number or quantity. Thus the crew of a ship is called
πλήρωμα, its complement. Aristophanes ("Wasps,"660), "τούτωνπλήρωμα,

the sum-total of these, is nearly two thousand talents." Herodotus (iii., 22)
says that the full term of man's life among the Persians is eighty years;and
Aristotle ("Polities," iv., 4) refers to Socratesas saying that the eight classes,
representing different industries in the state, constitute the pleroma of the
state (see Plato, "Republic," 371). In Ephesians 1:23, Paul says that the
church is the pleroma of Christ: i.e., the plenitude of the divine graces in
Christ is communicated to the Church as His body, making all the body,
supplied and knit togetherthrough the joints and bands, to increase with the
increase ofGod (Colossians 2:19;compare Ephesians 4:16). Similarly he
prays (Ephesians 3:19) that the brethren may be filled unto all the pleroma of
God: i.e., that they may be filled with the fullness which God imparts. More
closelyrelatedto John's use of the term here are Colossians 1:19, "It pleased
the Fatherthat in Him (Christ) should all the fullness (τὸ πλήρωμα, note the
article) dwell;" and Colossians2:9, Colossians2:10, "In Him dwelleth all the
pleroma of the Godheadbodily (i.e., corporally, becoming incarnate), and in
Him ye are fulfilled (πεπληρωμένοι)." This declares that the whole aggregate
of the divine powers and graces appearedin the incarnate Word, and
corresponds with John's statementthat "the Word became flesh and
tabernacledamong men, full of grace and truth;" while "ye are fulfilled"
answers to John's "ofHis fullness we all received." Hence John's meaning
here is that Christians receive from the divine completeness whatevereach
requires for the perfection of his characterand for the accomplishment of his
work (compare John 15:15;John 17:22).
Have - received(ἐλάβομεν)
Rev., we received:rendering the aoristtense more literally.
Grace for grace (χάρινἀντὶ χάριτος)

The preposition ἀντί originally means overagainst;opposite; before (in a local
sense). Throughthe idea of placing one thing over againstanotheris
developed that of exchange. Thus Herodotus (iii., 59), "Theybought the
island, ἀντὶ χρημάτων, for money." So Matthew 5:38, "An eye for (ἀντὶ) an
eye," etc. This idea is at the rootof the peculiar sense in which the preposition
is used here. We received, not New Testamentgrace insteadofOld Testament
grace;nor simply, grace added to grace;but new grace imparted as the
former measure of grace has been receivedand improved. "To have realized
and used one measure of grace, was to have gaineda larger measure (as it
were)in exchange for it." Consequently, continuous, unintermitted grace. The
idea of the development of one grace from another is elaboratedby Peter (2
Peter1:5), on which see notes. Winer cites a most interesting parallel from
Philo. "Wherefore, having provided and dispensed the first graces (χάριτας),
before their recipients have waxed wantonthrough satiety, he subsequently
bestows different graces in exchange for (ἀντὶ) those, and a third supply for
the second, and ever new ones in exchange forthe older."
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
This verse should be put in place of the fifteenth, and the 15th inserted
betweenthe 18th and 19th, which appears to be its proper place:thus John's
testimony is properly connected.
And of his fullness - Of the plenitude of his grace and mercy, by which he
made an atonementfor sin; and of the plenitude of his wisdom and truth, by
which the mysteries of heavenhave been revealed, and the science ofeternal

truth taught, we have all received:all we apostles have receivedgrace or
mercy to pardon our sins, and truth to enable us so to write and speak,
concerning these things, that those who attend to our testimony shall be
unerringly directed in the wayof salvation, and with us continue to receive
grace upon grace, one blessing after another, till they are filled with all the
fullness of God. I believe the above to be the meaning of the evangelist, and
think it improper to distract the mind of the reader with the various
translations and definitions which have been given of the phrase, grace for
grace. It is only necessaryto add, that John seems here to refer to the Gospel
as succeeding the law: the law was certainly a dispensationboth of grace and
truth; for it pointed out the gracious designof God to save men by Christ
Jesus;and it was at leasta most expressive and well-defined shadow of good
things to come:but the Gospel, which had now takenplace, introduced that
plenitude of grace and truth to the whole world, which the law had only
shadowedforth to the Jewishpeople, and which they imagined should have
been restrained to themselves alone. In the most gracious economyof God,
one dispensationof mercy and truth is designedto make way for, and to be
followedby, another and a greater:thus the law succeededthe patriarchal
dispensation, and the Gospelthe law;more and more of the plenitude of the
grace ofthe Gospelbecomes daily manifest to the genuine followers ofChrist;
and, to those who are faithful unto death, a heaven full of eternalglory will
soonsucceedto the grace ofthe Gospel. To illustrate this point more fully, the
following passage inPhilo the Jew has been adduced: "Godis always sparing
of his first blessings orgraces, (πρωτας χαριτας ), and afterwards gives other
graces upon them, (αντ 'εκεινων ), and a third sort upon the second, and
always new ones upon old ones, sometimes of a different kind, and at other
times of the same sort." Vol. i. p. 254, ed. Mang. In the above passagethe
preposition αντι for, is used thrice in the sense of επι, upon. To confirm the
above interpretation Bp. Pearce produces the following quotations. Ecclus
24:15:Χαρις επι χαριτι γυνη αισχυντηρα - A modestwoman is a grace upon a
grace, i.e. a double grace or blessing. Euripides uses the very same phrase
with John, where he makes Theoclymenus sayto Helena. Χαρις αντι χαριτος
ελθετω, May grace upon grace come to you! Helen v. 1250. ed. Barn.

Jesus was the source of grace upon grace

Jesus was the source of grace upon grace

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Jesus was the source of grace upon grace