John 1:17

Was given

(εδοθη). First aorist passive indicative of διδωμ.By Moses

(δια Μωυσεως). "Through Moses" as the intermediate agent of God.Came

(εγενετο). The historical event, the beginning of Christianity.By Jesus Christ

(δια Ιησου Χριστου). "Through Jesus Christ," the intermediate agent of God the Father. Here in plain terms John identifies the Pre-incarnate Logos with Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. The full historical name "Jesus Christ" is here for the first time in John. See also John 17:3 and four times in 1John and five times in Revelation. Without Christ there would have been no Christianity. John's theology is here pictured by the words "grace and truth" (η χαρις κα η αληθεια), each with the article and each supplementary to the other. It is grace in contrast with law as Paul sets forth in Galatians and Romans. Paul had made grace "a Christian commonplace" (Bernard) before John wrote. It is truth as opposed to Gnostic and all other heresy as Paul shows in Colossians and Ephesians. The two words aptly describe two aspects of the Logos and John drops the use of Λογος and χαρις, but clings to αληθεια (see John 8:32 for the freedom brought by truth), though the ideas in these three words run all through his Gospel.