Ver. 15.-The testimony of John tl;e Baptist. I. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE Jl!Essua. "This was be of whom I spake." 'fhus he was the true forerunner of Christ. IL THE TRUE POSITION OF THE MESSIAH IN RELATION TO THE BAPTIST, " He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for be was before me." 1. There is here a recognition of the pre-existence of Christ, as well as of his higher dignity. (Ch. iii. 33.) 2. It is a testi'TTW'Tly that bespeaks the sincere humility of the Baptist. Though "amongst them that were bom of women there was not a greater than John the Baptist," be took Lis true place of inferiority at the feet of Jesus. To exalt Christ was his mission. He never thinks of himself.
"Vers. 16-18.-07,rist the Fulness of grace and truth. We next have the testimony of the entire Church. I. THE FULNESS OF CHRIST REALIZED IN THE CHURCH. "And of his fulness have all we received, even grace for grace." 1. The fulness of Christ. It is the plenitude of Divine attributes and graces. (1) It is the fulness of the Godhead indwelling bodily in him (CoL ii. 9). (2) It is that fnlness out of which the Christian draws for the needs of his spiritual life. "Ye are in him filled to the full" (Col. ii. 9). It is the fulness, not of a vessel, but of a fountain. All our spiritual wants are supplied out of Christ by virtue of our union with him. His Spirit conveys the sap of grace through all the branches of the vine from him as its Root. (3) It finds its ultimate embodi- ment in the" body of Christ," which is "the fulness of him who filleth all in all" (Epb. i. 23). 2. The wide extent of its reception. " We have all received." There may be an allusion to tbe Gnostic idea that only a certain spiritual class would be received into this fulness. The fulness of Christ is for all believers of both dispensations. Its blessed universality has nothing in common with the esoteric exclusiveness of Gnostic spiritualism. 3. 'I.he measure of the reception. "Even grace for grace." (1) This does not merely imply the abundance of the supply. (2) But the principle on which the supply is made. Grace makes way for grace. The power to receive it increases or diminishes accordino- to the use we make of it. Therefore we must not "receive the grace of God in vain,? (2 Cor. vi. 1). "Whosoever Lath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance" (Matt. xiii. 12). "Under the Law a grace is received in exchange for some desert. But in the new order of things it is a grace received which becomes our title to receive a new grace." II. 'J.'HE ESSENTIAL GLORY OF' CHRISTIANITY AS DISTINGUISHED FROM JUDAIRM, "For the Law was l!ivcn by Mo6es, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." ~- Mark the superiority of the gospel to the Law. (1) Eac:h is Divine; for the Law given by Moses was God's, as well RB the gospel. But (a) Moses was "a servant," Christ 11 OH, I, 1-51.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 49