*It is hardly necessary to refer the critical student to the admirable note of Bishop Lightfoot, in his Commentary on Colossians, p. 328 sq.
different graces in eachange for (dvi) those, and a third supply for the second, and ever new ones in exchange for the older.”
17. For (rs). Because. Giving the ground of the state- ment that Christians received new and richer gifts of grace: the ground being that the law of Moses was a limited and narrow enactment, while Jesus Christ imparted the fulness of grace and truth which was in Him (ver. 14). Compare Rom. iv. 15; x. 4; Gal. iii. 10.
Was given (é5097). A special gift serving a special and preparatory purpose with reference to the Gospel: the word being appropriate to “an external and positive institution.”
By Moses (84). Lit., through. See on by Ham, ver. 3.
Grace and truth came (éyévero). Came into being as the development of the divine plan inaugurated in the law, and unfolding the significance of the gift of the law. They came into being not absolutely, but in relation to mankind. Com- pare 1 Cor. i. 30, where it is said of Christ, He was made (prop- erly, became, éyevy In) unto us wisdom and righteousness, etc. Note the article with grace and truth ; the grace and the truth ; that which in the full sense is grace and truth. Grace occurs nowhere else in John, except in salutations (2 John 3; Apoc. CEES Gab oy 5
Jesus Christ. The Being who has been present in the Evangelist’s mind from the opening of the Gospel is now first named. The two clauses, ‘the law was given,” “grace and truth came,” without the copula or qualifying particles, illus- trate the parallelism which is characteristic of John’s style (see on ver. 10).
18. No man hath seen God at any time (Qeov ovdels éw- paxev mwrrote). Cod is first in the Greek order, as emphatic: “(Cod hath no man ever seen.” As to the substance of the statement, compare iii. 11; Exod. xxxiii. 20; 1 John iv. 12. Manifestations of God to Old Testament saints were only par-