John 1: 17 Commentary

1. John sets up the comparison
a. Of the superiority of Jesus to Moses
b. And of grace and truth to law
2. The writer of Hebrews observes the same (Heb 3:1-6)
a. That Jesus as the Builder
b. And SON over His own house (FAMILY)
c. Is worthy of MORE glory than Moses
d. Who was a SERVANT in the house (STAFF)
3. The Law was good
a. For it revealed God’s holy character
b. It revealed His perfect standards of right and wrong
c. It provided instructions for fellowship with God
4. But the Law was a MEANS to an end
a. And NOT an end in itself
5. The Law had a shelf life
a. An expiration date if you will
6. For the Law finds its FULFILLMENT in Jesus
a. Its primary goal was to point us to JESUS
7. In fact it was ready to pass away in the FIRST century
a. When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear (Heb 8:13 NLT)
8. This is where I believe today’s Torah-observers miss the mark
a. For the Law cannot save but only condemn
b. It is not gracious and forgiving but demanding and unbending
c. It was never meant as a rulebook for Christians today
9. Instead of believers ‘keeping the rules and regulations’
a. Under the INFERIOR ‘do this and live’
b. And ‘don’t do this or die’ TORAH
10. We now live in the SUPERIOR ‘grace and truth of Jesus’ dispensation
a. Where ‘believe’ is the key-phrase
b. Where walking after the Spirit replaces being Torah-observant
c. Where God’s grace and mercy shower the believer
d. Where we relate to JESUS and not MOSES
11. It is sad that some ‘church people’
a. Are still living under demanding rules
b. If not downright LEGALISM
c. Instead of a grace relationship to God
12. Some folks are still slugging it out
a. Trying to keep some list of rules
b. Trying to EARN God’s favor
c. Trying to PROVE their WORTH to God
d. Instead of realizing God
e. ALREADY favors them
f. Because they are ‘in Christ’

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 4/30/2012 13:29 pm

THE LAW-THE TUTOR WAS HARSH it even brought DEATH to those who did not went alone the ORBIT that was designed for everyone to follow…it was the tutor remember! Then the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior came bringing grace with Him and also TRUTH…now we are told that we are not minister of the LETTER OF THE LAW but of the SPIRIT OF THE LAW. For the LETTER brings death but the SPIRIT gives life…this is the Truth!

Romans 7:12-25 Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good Was then that which is good made death unto me God forbid But sin…

2 Corinthian 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Let us not think that because we walk in the Spirit that we should abolish the Law or now transgress the Law in order to sin-the Law of God is Holy and spiritual, let us established it in Spirit! Let us quit transgressing it! Let us fulfill the Spirit of the Law!

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

So be corrected those of you that believes the Law had been done away:

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ..

If you are in Christ then you will walk after the Spirit…

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

By TIUCHE (wrote 3264 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 1/21/2012 05:39 am

Here John is simply following Paul in doing away with the harsh laws of Moses and instead following the truth of Jesus.

By Charles (wrote 1421 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 10/11/2011 12:16 pm