For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
17. For the Law was given by Moses. This is an anticipation, by which he meets an objection that was likely to arise; for so highly was Moses esteemed by the Jews that they could hardly receive anything that differed from him. The Evangelist therefore shows how far inferior the ministry of Moses was to the power of Christ.
In these verses, I. The evangelist begins again to give us John Baptist's testimony concerning Christ, Joh 1:15. He had said (Joh 1:8) that he came for a witness; now here he tells us that he did accordingly bear witness. Here, Observe, 1. How he expressed his testimony: He cried, according to the prediction that he should be the voice of one crying.
Commenting on John 1:15-18
For the law was given by Moses,.... Both moral and ceremonial. The moral law was given to Adam, in innocence, which having been broken, and almost lost out of the minds, and memories of men, was given by Moses, in a new edition of it in writing; and points out what is man's duty both to God and men; discovers sin, accuses of it, convicts...