techinnah [OT:8467]

favor or supplication for favor; from (chanan [OT:2603]) to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; This latter word is first seen in

Ge 33:5 Jacob recognizes his children as graciously given him by God.

This is an awesome insight into a basic truth. God cannot show us His favor except that He bend down to find us at our level. His favor shows in His willingness to come down to us, rather than waiting for us to come up to Him - a thing we could never do otherwise! Even in childbirth, it is a matter of God bending down to reach us, and show His favor upon us.

Techinnah first finds use in

Ezra 9:8 God has shown grace in giving His remnant a means of escape, and giving them 'a peg in His holy place,' enlightening and reviving them in the midst of their bondage.
Ps 45:2 The words of the King abound in grace, showing God's eternal blessing on Him.
Zech 12:10 God will pour out the Spirit of grace on David's house, and Jerusalem's people, to look upon Him whom they pierced and mourn for Him as an only Son, to weep for Him as the first-born.
Ps 84:11 God gives grace and glory, withholding no good thing from those who walk in His ways!
Pr 3:34 He gives His grace to the afflicted, but returns scoffing upon scoffers.
Pr 4:9 Wisdom [which begins with a fear of the Lord] will crown your head with beauty and grace.
Jer 31:2 Those who survived the sword in Israel, found God's grace in the wilderness, finding their rest.

I see two aspects of grace here, that accord with the grouping of the verses above. Grace is that blessing which made Messiah's words so rich to us. It is that same grace of God that opened our ears and our minds to understand the significance, to recognize our salvation as it came to us. The magnitude of His grace shows in that this enlightenment came even while we remained bound in sin, reviving us in spite of our bonds, and giving us a firm anchor in His holy house.

The second aspect comes in that His grace comes accompanied by His other attributes, with His glory and His wisdom. With such grace He blesses those who have received of His first grace, and determined to walk worthy of that gift. Whereas the first grace is to free those in rebellion, the second is to strengthen those who were freed.

charis [5485]

a favor done without expectation of return, the absolute freeness of God's lovingkindness to men, unearned and unmerited favor; good will, loving-kindness, favor, the merciful kindness by which God turns men's hearts to Christ, that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, loveliness, that which is due to grace - the spiritual condition of one governed by divine grace, the token or proof of grace, thanks, a recompense, a reward; graciousness of manner or act, the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life - including gratitude.

The means of salvation

Ac 11:23 Barnabas saw witness to the grace of God in Antioch, seeing that both Jew and Greek were being made converts to Christ.
Ac 13:43 Paul and Barnabas urged those who had heard their witness to continue in the grace of God.
Ac 15:11 Peter recognized that the Gentiles' salvation came by the same grace of Jesus Christ, as did that of the Jews.
Ac 18:27-28 Paul was of great help to those in Achaia who had, by God's grace alone, believed; his help coming by way of his powerful Scriptural refutations of the Jews who did not believe, providing ample proof that Jesus is indeed Messiah.
Ac 20:32 Paul entrusts his hearers to God and the 'word of His grace,' which is able to build up and provide inheritance among the sanctified.

Could it be that the word of His grace is the Word? The gospel, Paul has told us, concerns the life and ministry of Jesus. John makes clear that Jesus is the Word. Jesus is the embodiment of God's favor shown in redemption, and in Him we have placed our faith and trust.

Ro 3:24 Justification is a gift to us by His grace, through redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
Ro 4:16 The promise comes by faith, so that the promise might agree with grace, being certain to all who are of Abraham's faith.
Ro 5:2 Through Jesus we are brought by faith into grace by which we stand in hope of the glory of God.
Ro 5:15 By one sin all died, but the grace of God and His gift by that grace of Jesus abounded to all.
Ro 5:17 The former brought death, but those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign living through Christ Jesus.
Ro 5:20-21 With the law came greater sin, but as sin grew, grace grew even more, reigning through righteousness to eternal life in Christ, as sin reigned in death.
Ro 6:14 We are under grace.
Ro 11:6 If grace were dependant upon works it wouldn't be grace anymore.
2Co 8:9 Christ's grace was that He set aside His richness to become poor, so that His poverty might bring us richness.
Gal 1:6 He called us to His gospel by Christ's grace.
Eph 1:5-7 He lovingly predestined us to adoption by His own kind intention and of His will, bringing praises to the glorious nature of His grace freely given us in Christ the Beloved. The full richness of His grace shows in our redemption, and the forgiveness of our sins through His blood.
Eph 2:5-8 We are saved through faith by grace - and even that faith is not our own, but is freely given us by God, so that the full riches of His grace and kindness might be shown to us in the coming age.
1Ti 1:13-14 The grace of the Lord was more than abundant in showing mercy to one who acted foolishly in his unbelief, coming with the faith and love found in Christ. [ rather than with vengeance.]
2Ti 1:9 His salvation and His holy calling came not because of our works, but solely for His own purpose and grace, being granted to us in Christ from before time began.
Ti 2:11-13 The grace of God brings salvation to all men, and instructs us to live righteously in hope of the glory of His appearing.
Heb 2:9 It was by the grace of God that Jesus died for all.
Heb 10:29 The punishment will be the worse for those who insult the Spirit of grace by rejecting the Son of God by continuing in willful sin.
1Pe 1:10 The prophets prophesied of the grace that was to come in Christ.

accompanied by power, wisdom, and truth

Lk 2:40 Christ grew in strength and wisdom as God's grace was upon Him. (First use)
Jn 1:14 We saw the Word made flesh, filled with grace and truth, displaying the glory of God's only Son.
Jn 1:16-17 which fullness He has imparted to us, grace added atop grace; grace and truth given by Christ, where Moses had brought only Law.
Heb 4:16 We draw near to God's throne - the throne of grace - to receive mercy and grace in time of need.
2Pe 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.

A witness to His workers

Ac 4:33 Grace was upon the apostles as they gave powerful witness to Christ's resurrection.
Ac 6:8 Stephen performed signs and wonders, while full of grace and power.
Ac 14:3 As the preached, the Lord bore witness to the word of His grace by signs and wonders.
Gal 2:9 James and Peter recognized the grace of God upon Paul.

And His works

Ac 20:24 The gospel of Jesus Christ is a testimony to the grace of God.
1Pe 5:12 The gospel message is of the true grace of God.

The means by which His workers work

Ro 12:3 Through the grace given to him, Paul can admonish others rightly.
Ro 12:6 Our gifts differ according to the grace we are given.
Ro 15:15-16 Grace was given to Paul from God to be a minister of Christ and His gospel.
1Co 3:10 Paul founded his churches according to God's grace.
2Co 1:12 Our conduct has been as directed by the grace of God, not as directed by fleshly wisdom.
2Co 8:1-2 The grace God gave to the Macedonian churches was evident in their sacrificial giving to the need of the saints beyond their natural means.
2Co 12:9 His grace is sufficient.
Gal 1:15 He called Paul through His grace.
Eph 3:2-3 Paul was made a steward of God's grace as God had revealed to him the mystery of the Gentiles' redemption.
Eph 3:7-8 God's grace was given to Paul to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
Php 1:7 In defense and confirmation of the gospel, we are all partakers of grace together.

For a purpose. It was not a frivolous favor.

1Co 1:4-8 God's grace was given in Christ, enriching us in all speech and knowledge to confirm the gospel, lacking no gift, eagerly awaiting His return, and kept blameless in Him until that day.
1Co 15:10 It is God's grace that makes me what I am, and His grace is not in vain, for by His grace - and no effort of my own - I labor harder than all others.
2Co 4:15 The grace that is spreading to more people causes thanksgiving to abound, bringing glory to God.
2Co 6:1-3 Don't receive God's grace in vain, by discrediting the gospel in your actions.
2Co 9:8 God is able to supply us with all grace, having all we need so that we can overflow to the doing of good deeds.
Eph 4:29 Our words should always give grace to the hearer.
Col 1:6 The gospel is always increasing and bearing fruit just as it did in us when we came to truly understand God's grace.
2Th 1:11-12 Our prayer is that God would consider you worthy of your calling, that He would fulfill all that we seek of Him for the doing of good by works of faith to the glory of the Lord Jesus in accord with the grace of our God and of Christ Jesus.
1Pe 4:10 Be a good steward of God's grace, using your gifts in service to each other.
Jd 4 The ungodly seek to turn God's grace into a license to sin and deny our Master, Christ Jesus.

Preservation

Ac 14:26 The church at Antioch had entrusted Paul and Barnabas to God's grace at the beginning of their work, and now would see them return with the work accomplished.
Ac 15:40 Once more, the church at Antioch entrusts its missionaries to the grace of God.

That which ends division

2Co 9:1 The overflow of God's grace in us causes a longing in the brethren to be with us.
Gal 2:21 The life of faith doesn't nullify God's grace, for His death would be needless if righteousness could be had from the Law.
Gal 5:4 If we seek the Law's justification, we are cut off from Christ and His grace.
Heb 12:15 Don't allow any to fall short of God's grace by falling into bitterness.
1Pe 3:7 Honor your wife as a fellow heir of grace.
1Pe 5:5 Be humble, for God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud.

The coming eternity

Jas 4:6 God gives grace to the humble. He gives us a greater grace.
1Pe 1:13 Be ready and sober of spirit, with your hope fixed on the grace to come to you at Christ's revelation. [the greater grace?]
1Pe 5:10 The God of all grace, He who called you to eternal glory, will perfect and establish you after sufferings.

other

Eph 4:8 Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. [To me, this says the same measure of grace came to all. It's not measured to our ability, but to Christ's gift.]
Heb 13:9 Don't chase after all manner of teachings, for the heart is strengthened by grace, not by overfeeding.

Summary

Well, As I've broken these verses up, I again see the two ideas that I saw in the Old Testament - that grace is the means of and reason for our salvation, and that it tends to come accompanied by other aspects of God's nature. Towards the first, and by far most common view of grace, 2Co 8:9 stands out, declaring that the Grace of Christ showed in His setting aside His own position to be like us, so that we could be like Him. Then, also, there's Eph 1:5-7, declaring that our adoption was predetermined by God before we could possibly earn it, solely by His will and solely that His grace thus shown might be praised. Our redemption and forgiven state attest to the absolute richness of His grace. As He witnesses by His grace to the truth of those who work for Him, and of His own gospel, there remains that element of salvation being at the core of grace. The gospel message would be a simple story were salvation not at the heart of its meaning, and we are told that that gospel is a testimony to God's grace (Ac 20:24), and that it is in fact that very grace, itself (1Pe 5:12). His grace is also in the calling and equipping of His workers, again pointing somewhat indirectly at salvation. For His workers were called to preach the gospel, and the message of the gospel is salvation - the declaration and praise of God's grace.

Next, it is well to note that God does not show His grace towards us without purpose. Of course, His primary purpose remains the declaring of His gospel (1Co 1:4-8 - He gave us of His grace in Christ, giving us greater speech and knowledge so as to confirm the gospel.) But, as the verse continues, we find that it also leaves us lacking no gift, and strengthens and enlivens us as we await His return, and it keeps us blameless in Him as we wait. Why are we left lacking no gift? 2Co 9:8 gives us the answer: so that we can overflow in His grace to doing good deeds. Furthermore, it promotes unity among His people, for His grace is not given to the proud, who would be divisive (1Pe 5:5). Rather, the presence of His grace in us causes others to desire our company (2Co 9:14).

Finally, there's the aspect of grace to come, as we look forward to the final resurrection of the saints when Christ returns (1Pe 1:13). To me, this suggests a triune nature to grace, which should not really be a surprise to anybody. There is the grace given us to be able to accept the proffered salvation in the first place, the grace in which God provided for our needs in spite of us. To this is added - grace upon grace (Jn 1:16-17) - the full measure of Christ's truth in us, the accompanying gifts and powerful witnesses that enable us to work for Him, to overflow with Him. Thirdly, there is the grace to come, perhaps what James refers to as the greater grace (Jas 4:6).

Finally, there're these last two references, which don't seem to fit neatly into any of my little categories. Eph 4:8 - Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. To me, this says the same measure of grace came to all. It's not measured to our ability, but to Christ's gift. Now, as to which grace this refers, I don't know, but I think it could be considered as applicable to all three. Then there's that cautionary from Heb 13:9 - Don't chase after all manner of teachings, for the heart is strengthened by grace, not by overfeeding. In a day and age when we are indeed overly supplied with teachings, this is a timely word! How many chase off to this conference and that, to receive the latest teaching from this great teacher or that? How many sit glued to their televisions for hours a day listening to this evangelist or another? And of those, how many take the time to check any of what they have been so taught? I fear very few. And so error spreads easily amongst the unwary children of God, bringing a plague upon their faith. But God, as always, has provided the answer ahead of time. Lean on His grace, solely upon His grace. That grace is what is necessary to understand. That grace is what has lead you to faith in His Son. That faith equips you, and fills you with the fullness of Christ's own truth. Think you that you could possibly find a better teacher?