“Grace for Grace”

“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”~ John 1:16

The phrase “grace for grace” is a relatively well known phrase that has made its way into many aspects of a Christian’s life. Music, decorative signs, and T-shirts may be seen or heard in the thralls of mainstream Christian culture. 

Interestingly enough, the phrase rarely has the same translation across interpreters which may lead to confusion in the concept that the apostle John was presenting in John 1:16.

To make my point, let us take a look:

• King James Version: “Grace for grace”
• New American Standard Bible: “Grace upon grace”
• English Standard Version: “Grace upon grace”
• New International Version: “Grace in place of grace”
• New Living Translation: “One gracious blessing after another”

The ambiguity of understanding seemingly can be remedied within a look into the Greek preposition that divided the terms for grace. We are familiar with the term, “anti.” In its context, it has been translated “for”, “upon”, “in place of”, and “after another.”

Truthfully, these all correlate strongly with anti!

Thayer’s Greek lexicon defines the term as, “of succession to the place of another.” Literally, placing the concept of the grace that Christ brings as something that is perpetually replaced. 

An even more plain way of saying this is that the grace of God is never exhausted! And why?

Because the wrath of God was satisfied in the fullness of Christ and His finished work!

One verse down John states that, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Furthermore, by Jesus Christ, this endless grace is what satisfies us. It is an all sufficient grace!

In the apostle Paul’s affliction he called out to God yet was met with the answer, 

“…My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

There is so much that can be said regarding the sufficiency of Christ; however, one of the many reasons it is so sufficient is because it is unending. 

Humanity in itself is an end to itself. But a person of God has no end as they take part and identify within the infinite grace of God, offered in His Son (Ephesians 2:8). 

There is no end to God’s grace.

If you have never experienced God’s grace and the free gift offered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, reach out through the contact page or the Enriching Grace Ministry Facebook page and we will discuss what the Bible says about saving grace. 

God bless!