On Grace

The two words are meant to refer back to Exodus XXXIV:6. From this we see that the Hebrew behind the Greek Charis is h.esed (h.et-samech-dalet) and not h.en (h.et-nun from the root h.et-nun-nun) as everyone assumes without evidence. Charis as an equivalent for h.esed is old. From memory I think it is the standard equivalent in the LXX. I agree that the author of John could have found this convenient, and could have used the fact with the intention you suggest.