Here it is not what the Word was, but what He became. He was God; He became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. It was no transient vision, however momentous—it was a contemplation of His glory granted to His witnesses, not that of an earthly conqueror, nor messianic even, but glory as of an only-begotten from beside a father.

No sword girds His thigh, no riding to victory, no terrible things in righteousness: the incarnate Word dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Such is He that was in and from the beginning, and thus known. He was the King undoubtedly, but not so portrayed here. He is infinitely more than King, even God, yet God on earth, Man dwelling among men, full of grace and truth. So only could God be displayed, unless in judgment which would have left no hope. But for infinitely different purposes had He come, as this passage goes on to declare, perfectly knowing and feeling the universal evil of mankind.

He tabernacled (dwelt) among us, full of grace and truth—it was not a visit or a theophany, as in the Old Testament. So He here manifested God, who is love. But grace is more; it is love in the midst of evil, rising above it, going down under it, overcoming it with good. And such was Jesus, sojourning on earth, full of truth withal; for grace brings in the truth and enables souls to receive truth and to bear it. He, and He only, was full of grace and truth. To make it known, to make God Himself thus known, He came. For as grace is the activity of divine love in the midst of evil, so truth is the revelation of all things as they really are. Truth comes from God Himself and brings His ways and counsels down to man, and every thought and feeling as well. So He dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.