What is the Contrast Between Law and Truth in John 1:17-18 According to Lloyd-Jones?

What is the primary contrast that Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies in John 1:17-18?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, John 1:17-18 presents a clear contrast between "the law was given by Moses" and "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." He emphasizes that this comparison is not meant to disparage Moses or the law, but rather to show the superiority and completeness of what came through Christ. Lloyd-Jones states, "It is not to dismiss as useless the law. It is just to show that the law, though it was given by God, and though it was given in a very glorious manner, was nevertheless incomplete."

How does Lloyd-Jones explain the incompleteness of the law in terms of truth?

Lloyd-Jones explains that the law was incomplete in conveying truth in several ways:

1. The law presented truth through "types and shadows" rather than reality itself. He quotes Hebrews 10:1, "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things."

2. The law revealed truth in "many parts and in many ways" (Hebrews 1:1) - "a little bit here and a little bit there" - rather than providing the complete truth.

3. The law offered only promises without fulfillment. He notes of Old Testament saints: "They were left merely with the promise, the hope, the possibility."

What comparison does Lloyd-Jones make between Moses and Jesus Christ?

Lloyd-Jones draws from Hebrews 3 to highlight three key differences between Moses and Christ:

1. "The difference between Moses and our Lord is the difference between a house and the builder of the house." The builder is greater than what is built.

2. It is "the difference between a servant and a son." Moses, great as he was, was only a servant, while Christ is the Son of God.

3. It is "the difference between a testimony to the truth, or a teaching about the truth and the truth itself." Moses could only point to the truth, while Christ is the truth itself.

How does Lloyd-Jones explain "No man hath seen God at any time" in verse 18?

Lloyd-Jones explains that this phrase goes beyond just physical sight. It means no one has had complete knowledge or understanding of God. Even Moses, who came closest to seeing God, only saw "the back parts" of God (Exodus 33). Similarly, the prophets, including John the Baptist, could only witness to the truth but not fully comprehend it.

In contrast, "The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the intimate position of Christ ("in the bosom") and His ability to fully reveal God because He is God and has eternally been with God.

How does Christ reveal or "declare" God according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ declared or "exegeted" God in several ways:

1. Through His teaching - revealing God's character through parables like the Prodigal Son
2. Through His life - demonstrating God's compassion and love in His actions
3. Through His death on the cross - revealing both God's justice and love
4. Through salvation in Him - showing "the power of God and the wisdom of God"

Lloyd-Jones concludes: "In Christ, I, even I, can venture unto him and say, my father... this knowledge has come to me alone in and through the Lord Jesus Christ."

What is the significance of Christ being called "the truth" according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christ doesn't merely teach truth; He is the truth itself. He quotes Jesus saying, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Unlike Moses who could only point to or witness to the truth, Christ embodies the full truth about God. Lloyd-Jones states, "He is the truth, he is the light of the world, he is the incarnation of truth." This makes Christ superior because "in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" - the complete revelation rather than partial glimpses.