John 1:17

For the Law through Moses was given, the grace and truth through Jesus
Christ came.
Two people are parallel in their purpose and what they represent in their
respective roles as covenant mediators. Moses is defined as the Law
whilst Jesus has two qualities that mark his covenant – grace and truth –
two qualities with a singular verb indicating the unity of these two
graces.
Moses simply conveyed the Law – it was given – a passive sense –
whereas Jesus Christ has a more active role because he is the substance
and content of the covenant, they are found in his person whereas Moses
simply conveys the Law, the covenant is not embodied in him, but in the
Law itself. Moses is not the Law, but its mediator whereas Jesus is grace
and truth.
Grace and truth “came” indicating a transition, something new has
arrived and by implication it was not present previously to the degree it
is now. Grace certainly would be the free bestowal of eternal life as a
gift apart from the works of the Law but what of truth? The Law is truth
too, and certainly this verse does not present the Law as something
negative. Truth could refer to the outcome of grace, salvation in Christ
and the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth upon those who believe. The new
covenant was to be known for the outpouring of God’s Spirit and
perhaps these twin graces represent the salvation and spiritual blessing
of God.
Truth could also refer to the true way of salvation. Jesus did claim to be
the truth, and perhaps this verse points to Jesus as the one door, path and
way to salvation rather than the road of works of the Law. Truth could
refer to the covenant as the promised one – the one awaiting to be
established, the Abrahamic promise that could not be superseded by
Moses with the Law. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the finality for all
covenants and no other mediators can match his status of delivering
grace and truth.
Finally, truth could refer to the reality as opposed to symbolic. The Law
was known as the “shadow” of good things to come and pointing
forward. Israel awaited in eager expectation for the Messiah who would
teach them all things. This is probably an accurate meaning for this word
at the introduction of the gospel. In addition, truth could represent a
wide application encompassing the truth about not only salvation and the
gift of grace, but a greater and deeper understanding of God as one not
only of holy justice, but one of great grace and mercy in giving his only
begotten Son. Jesus also introduced the truth about the nature of God
foreshadowed in the prophets about the true nature of the Messiah and
God. Jesus taught the Trinity. This was a great stumbling block for Israel
and a major theme in John’s gospel. Jesus is equal to God. The Old
Testament God is not only the Father of Israel, but also the Son who is
the Messiah.
The relationship of the Law to grace and truth is also important. Moses
mediated to Israel the Law, and fulfilling the covenant involved doing
the Law and this resulted in eternal life. The Law was the duty of all
humanity to do. Jesus in the gospels supports this way of duty towards
God and sometimes this may appear to cause confusion. Is Jesus
teaching another pathway to eternal life by doing the Law entirely?
There are many instances in which he upholds the Law and fulfilling it
to receive eternal life. He said he came not to abolish the Law but to
fulfil it. Did he advocate two ways to heaven, one through the Law and
one through believing in him?
This is why this passage is so helpful. Jesus is like Moses; a covenant
mediator and each new covenant brings new rules and promises
attached. What Jesus mediated was grace and truth. Grace is opposed to
the Law in that the former is a gift and the latter operates through works.
They are diametrically opposed to each other in principle. However,
both come from God through his mediators and therefore have a purpose
in God’s plan.
Eternal life is the goal of both covenants. God through Moses gave the
Law as a means of debt owed or wages to be paid for doing the works of
the Law. Do the Law and live. Jesus could not annul the Mosaic
covenant. It was engraved in stone and held out the promise of life if one
could perfectly fulfil it. However, one infraction, as the Book of James
points out, meant it was broken in its entirety. The sacrificial system in
the Law also demonstrated that God knew that people would not
perfectly follow the Law. The Law was a hybrid covenant, works and
forgiveness. But the Law could not provide atonement for some sins and
Israelites could not find mercy for some infractions of the Law. Moses
gave the Law, and the duty of Israel was to perfectly fulfil the Law in
practice and thought. Jesus did not abolish this function of the Law. To
inherit eternal life, one had to perfectly obey the Law.
The text does not portray Moses and Jesus in opposition to each other.
There are no words in the verse to produce this interpretation. The two
clauses are parallel and there is no joining word or conjunction for the
two clauses that negatively contrasts them. John’s gospel sees the Law
as prophetically fulfilled in Jesus. He is the Passover Lamb. Paul the
Apostle in his epistles sees another function of the Law. The Law
confronts us, convicts our consciences by exposing our sins and leaving
us with a sense of dread and repentance. The Law drives us to seek
deliverance from sin and its penalty through Jesus and the grace he
offers. There are two ways to inherit eternal life, one by works of the
Law and one by grace. Jesus is the truth, the gospel reveals the true way
to inherit eternal life, and it reveals the true nature of God.