JOHN’S GOSPEL ACCOUNT is, fittingly, more reflective than the other three Synoptic gospels. Scripture accords John a long life, something not experienced by the other writers. We get the strong impression that John is the youngest of the Apostles, and these same scriptures verify that he is one of the very first disciples of Jesus (c.f. Matt. 4:21, Mark 1:19, Luke 5:10, *John 1:37). He later refers to himself as “The Elder” (2 John 1:1), and died circa 100 A.D., some 57 years after Jesus’ own death and resurrection. Anecdotally, he is thought to have lived to his mid-90’s. All this to say that he’s had a long time to think about the events of life and history that he shared with Jesus. He’s very well-integrated in his exploration of key theological concepts, one of the greatest of which is his understanding of the grace of God.
Grace has been popularly defined in the context of judgment as, “Grace is a gift we don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting the punishment we deserve.” In a more cumbersome but theologically sound interpretation, grace is ** “unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification.” It is to the latter definition that we turn our anxious thoughts; how do we ‘get right with God’ and obtain such mercy?
John contemplates the evolution of grace-as-gift through the progressive revelation of our self-revealing God. “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:16-17)
Our minds come to a rather bumpy stop if we’re paying attention: ‘grace already given?’ John doesn’t seem to be speaking specifically about prevenient grace, loosely defined as ‘God working on our behalf towards salvation without our conscious awareness.’ Another way to think about this is that God’s plan of salvation, from before creation but especially after expulsion from the Garden, has been the redemption of all of mankind. “And everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21, Rom. 10:13) His thoughts do fall into that aspect of grace, but not in a way we’re used to thinking about it. ‘Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.’ John places the old covenant of the Law and the new covenant of Grace not in opposition, but apposition – in his thinking, grace flows out of the law.
This appears to be also in the context of the Pharisee-trained Paul’s thoughts. “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 5:20:21) Paul’s thoughts here put a stringent point of separation/connection between Law and Grace: Law + Jesus = Grace.
Paul is a bit gentler in Galatians: “The promises were spoken to Abraham… The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.” (Gal. 3:16-18) He adds, “Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.” (Gal. 3:22) He clearly shows Jesus as the focal point of grace.
Interestingly Paul, “Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee” (Phil. 3:3), expresses himself passionately about Jesus’ agency in this regard – this seems to appeal more to our reason than to emotion. John, meanwhile, who walked with Jesus throughout his ministry, is very reflective. This does not diminish the theological truths of grace, but for many, John appeals to our spirit and emotions. ‘Out of his fullness we have all received grace.’ John’s has been called the most spiritual of the gospels, but more than that, his reflections in his letters also touch our emotions in a deliberately compassionate way.
Paul’s approach to defining and administering grace, throughout his writings, is challenging and urgent. They couldn’t be anything but, for his thoughts flow out through his beliefs by way of his identity and personality. So it is with John; John, however, is reflective, gentle, kindly; he’s lived into old age, something not true of Paul. There is no difference in their theology, but perhaps notably so in their delivery. Maybe time has worn off some of John’s urgency, or perhaps he’s just of a different temperament. His grace doesn’t seem so tight at the neck and waist.
Who speaks most clearly to us, John – or Paul? Is it one or the other, or both and? Does it even matter, as long as we understand that God is for us, has always been for us, and Jesus is the evidence of such loving care?
Q. Do I chafe at the requirements of God’s grace as a free gift that costs me all I am?
*In all of John’s references to himself in this gospel, he never uses his name.
**”Grace.” Merriam-Webster.com . 2011. https://www.merriam-webster.com (17 December 2021).
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