On Line Bible Study - For the Week April 11-18, 2011
Lesson 488
Luke 16: 16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
18 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Once again we are faced with an extremely challenging text. The possible interpretations offered by various scholars are too numerous to mention. Is John the end of the age of the Law and the Prophets? Is John a transitional person, or is he the first person in the new age?
Does the age of the kingdom of God supplant the Law and the Prophets? Do the Law, the Prophets, and the kingdom of God overlap with each other? What does it mean to say: everyone is forcing their way into it...? This phrase is made all the more difficult by some uncertainty regarding the Greek word translated as "forcing".
And what does divorce have to do with any of this?
It may help us to think of these verses in light of what comes next - the "Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus." The complete text of that story can be found by clicking here, and scrolling down to verse 19.
The rich man seems to have come to the conclusion that he is a law unto himself. What is it that has made him blind to the poor man on his doorstep? As the story develops we are led to believe that this man was well versed in the Law of Moses, and that he has chosen to ignore it. The kingdom of God does not displace the Law and the Prophets, even while that kingdom message gives us a very new and different way of thinking about them.
When the rich man is suffering with thirst in Hades he imposes on 'Father Abraham' to impose on the poor man, Lazarus, to fetch him some water.
Have you ever watched someone force their way to the head of the line or assume some privilege because of their presumed entitlement? The rich man seems to think that he is entitled, and therefore he can push people around - even people in heaven though he himself is in Hades!
The kingdom of God is all about resurrection and new life; but we receive it as a gift, not as an entitlement.
Divorce was used by men to crawl out from underneath their responsibilities. Is it the same mentality that enabled the rich man to crawl over the poor man? Did he find some way to interpret the Law such that he excused himself of any obligation with regard to his wealth?
The kingdom of God is not a commodity for us to exploit at our whim. It is the gift of God given to us in the here and now. How we exercise stewardship over that gift has present day implications ... and implications for eternity, too.
Does the age of the kingdom of God supplant the Law and the Prophets? Do the Law, the Prophets, and the kingdom of God overlap with each other? What does it mean to say: everyone is forcing their way into it...? This phrase is made all the more difficult by some uncertainty regarding the Greek word translated as "forcing".
And what does divorce have to do with any of this?
It may help us to think of these verses in light of what comes next - the "Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus." The complete text of that story can be found by clicking here, and scrolling down to verse 19.
The rich man seems to have come to the conclusion that he is a law unto himself. What is it that has made him blind to the poor man on his doorstep? As the story develops we are led to believe that this man was well versed in the Law of Moses, and that he has chosen to ignore it. The kingdom of God does not displace the Law and the Prophets, even while that kingdom message gives us a very new and different way of thinking about them.
When the rich man is suffering with thirst in Hades he imposes on 'Father Abraham' to impose on the poor man, Lazarus, to fetch him some water.
Have you ever watched someone force their way to the head of the line or assume some privilege because of their presumed entitlement? The rich man seems to think that he is entitled, and therefore he can push people around - even people in heaven though he himself is in Hades!
The kingdom of God is all about resurrection and new life; but we receive it as a gift, not as an entitlement.
Divorce was used by men to crawl out from underneath their responsibilities. Is it the same mentality that enabled the rich man to crawl over the poor man? Did he find some way to interpret the Law such that he excused himself of any obligation with regard to his wealth?
The kingdom of God is not a commodity for us to exploit at our whim. It is the gift of God given to us in the here and now. How we exercise stewardship over that gift has present day implications ... and implications for eternity, too.
posted by Mark D at 12:26 PM
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