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 his way into it. 17It 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.
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " (NIV)
Main Points
A.The new era of proclaiming the kingdom of God in Christ does not diminish the importance of the law of God.
"The law and prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time...."
The distinguishing mark of the law-and-prophets period (lasting from the giving of the Mosaic Law in Exodus, all the way to the ministry of John the Baptist) was NOT that people had to pay attention to God's law (whereas now they don't have to), but rather that in this period, God revealed and established His character and attributes to a chosen group of people; and through different means (prophecies, images, miracles), He made them aware of a Messiah who was to come and rescue them from their sin. Now that the Messiah has come in the person of Christ, the new era is marked by proclaiming His lordship and His salvation.
"everyone his forcing his way into it..."
the original Greek expression could mean the above-rendered phrase, which, in effect, means that "exercising the faith that brings one into the kingdom and keeps one there involves a kind of holy “violence” toward oneself in the form of repentance and self-denial" (ESV Study Bible, p. 1991), or - alternately - it could mean "everyone is urged to enter it" (the NET Bible's translation). While the first rendering seems to be made by most translations, the latter makes more sense. It does so because 1) it is not the case that everyone, or likely even most people, are making their way into the kingdom of God, whether at Jesus' time, throughout church history, or today; and 2) the rendering of "everyone is urged to enter it" makes sense in light of Christ's continuous, urgent calls to repent and believe the good news (Lk 5:32; 10:13; 11:32; 13:3; 15:7, 10)
"It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear..."
While Christ came to fulfill the demands of the Mosaic Law (Mt 5:17) so that His disciples are no longer under its condemnation (Rom 8:1; Gal 3:13), this does not mean that it has ceased to be a force that guides and directs Christians in an authoritative way. Indeed, Jesus - by fulfilling the Law, made it "His own", so to speak. We can see that a great many of His instructions reiterate and reinforce the will of God as originally expressed in the Mosaic Law (read in the "sermon on the mount" in Mt 5-7 for just one example). So all Christians must say, with Paul, that they are "not...free from God's law but... under Christ's law" (1 Co 9:21).
B. The ongoing importance of the law of God is confirmed by Jesus' statement that divorcing a spouse or marrying a divorcee amounts to adultery (as a general principle).
Some readers of Scriptures are understandably puzzled, and even troubled, by the fact that Luke (as well as Mark, for that matter) does not provide the "exceptions" of sexual immorality (by Matthew, in Mt 5:32; 19:9) or desertion by an unbelieving partner (by Paul, in 1 Co 7:10-11) as permissible grounds for divorce. Why do these "allowances" not appear here?
Some commentators have argued that Luke's main recipient, Theophilus, was already aware of the "exceptions" and, therefore, didn't need to be informed of them again. This is not convincing, especially because believers always need to be reminded of God's revealed truth (Rom 15:14-16; Php 3:1; 2 Ti 2:8-14; 2 Pe 2:12-15). Rather, in light of the immediate context - verse 17 - it seems that Luke's main purpose is NOT to give the "entire truth" or the whole Biblical teaching about divorce and remarriage, but rather to make a general statement, in order to give but one example of how the Law - and, in particular, the Seventh commandment - is still authoritative over believers' lives. Christ says elsewhere that God still intends marriage to be an indissoluble union between a man and a woman (Mt 19:6; Mk 10:9). Divorce brings such a union to an end, and therefore God hates it (Mal 2:16).
C. Death is a reality for rich and poor alike.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried."
"Most men eat, and drink, and talk, and plan, as if they were going to live upon earth forever. The true Christian must be on his guard against this spirit. "He that would live well," said a great divine, "should often think of his last day, and make it his company-keeper." Against murmuring, and discontent, and envy, in the state of poverty; and against pride, and self-sufficiency, and arrogance, in the possession of wealth, there are few better antidotes than the remembrance of death." (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke)
D. The material status that people have while on earth does not determine their status before God.
"Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony."
"Let us never give way to the common idea that men are to be valued according to their income, and that the man who has most money is the one who ought to be the most highly esteemed. There is no authority for this notion in the Bible. The general teaching of Scripture is flatly opposed to it. "Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called." (1 Cor. 1:26.) "Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he knows and understands me." (Jer. 9:24.) Wealth is no mark of God's favor. Poverty is no mark of God's displeasure. Those whom God justifies and glorifies are seldom the rich of this world. It we would measure men as God measures them, we must value them according to their grace." (Ryle, Luke)
E. Hell is dreadfully real, and ongoing.
'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
While not every detail of this parable should be pressed so as to communicate what's going to happen in real life (e.g. it is not likely that unbelievers in hell can either "call out" to God, or to believers in heaven), we cannot help but conclude that this parable reinforces the idea - spoken elsewhere by Jesus - of hell as a place of never-ending, conscious torment (Mt 25:46, and also all of the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" passages also found in Matthew's gospel account.)
Discussion Question: More than a few evangelical Christians have begun to deny the idea of hell as a place of conscious torment, but rather define it as a "cessation of existence". What is the danger of holding this view?
F. The greatest miracles cannot change people's hearts if they refuse to put their trust in God's Word.
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
Miracles - particularly the resurrection - testify to the truth of Jesus Christ and his claims, but they cannot save anyone. Only the Word of God can give birth to new life (1 Peter 1:23).
18"Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' " (NIV)
Main Points
A.The new era of proclaiming the kingdom of God in Christ does not diminish the importance of the law of God.
"The law and prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time...."
The distinguishing mark of the law-and-prophets period (lasting from the giving of the Mosaic Law in Exodus, all the way to the ministry of John the Baptist) was NOT that people had to pay attention to God's law (whereas now they don't have to), but rather that in this period, God revealed and established His character and attributes to a chosen group of people; and through different means (prophecies, images, miracles), He made them aware of a Messiah who was to come and rescue them from their sin. Now that the Messiah has come in the person of Christ, the new era is marked by proclaiming His lordship and His salvation.
"everyone his forcing his way into it..."
the original Greek expression could mean the above-rendered phrase, which, in effect, means that "exercising the faith that brings one into the kingdom and keeps one there involves a kind of holy “violence” toward oneself in the form of repentance and self-denial" (ESV Study Bible, p. 1991), or - alternately - it could mean "everyone is urged to enter it" (the NET Bible's translation). While the first rendering seems to be made by most translations, the latter makes more sense. It does so because 1) it is not the case that everyone, or likely even most people, are making their way into the kingdom of God, whether at Jesus' time, throughout church history, or today; and 2) the rendering of "everyone is urged to enter it" makes sense in light of Christ's continuous, urgent calls to repent and believe the good news (Lk 5:32; 10:13; 11:32; 13:3; 15:7, 10)
"It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear..."
While Christ came to fulfill the demands of the Mosaic Law (Mt 5:17) so that His disciples are no longer under its condemnation (Rom 8:1; Gal 3:13), this does not mean that it has ceased to be a force that guides and directs Christians in an authoritative way. Indeed, Jesus - by fulfilling the Law, made it "His own", so to speak. We can see that a great many of His instructions reiterate and reinforce the will of God as originally expressed in the Mosaic Law (read in the "sermon on the mount" in Mt 5-7 for just one example). So all Christians must say, with Paul, that they are "not...free from God's law but... under Christ's law" (1 Co 9:21).
B. The ongoing importance of the law of God is confirmed by Jesus' statement that divorcing a spouse or marrying a divorcee amounts to adultery (as a general principle).
Some readers of Scriptures are understandably puzzled, and even troubled, by the fact that Luke (as well as Mark, for that matter) does not provide the "exceptions" of sexual immorality (by Matthew, in Mt 5:32; 19:9) or desertion by an unbelieving partner (by Paul, in 1 Co 7:10-11) as permissible grounds for divorce. Why do these "allowances" not appear here?
Some commentators have argued that Luke's main recipient, Theophilus, was already aware of the "exceptions" and, therefore, didn't need to be informed of them again. This is not convincing, especially because believers always need to be reminded of God's revealed truth (Rom 15:14-16; Php 3:1; 2 Ti 2:8-14; 2 Pe 2:12-15). Rather, in light of the immediate context - verse 17 - it seems that Luke's main purpose is NOT to give the "entire truth" or the whole Biblical teaching about divorce and remarriage, but rather to make a general statement, in order to give but one example of how the Law - and, in particular, the Seventh commandment - is still authoritative over believers' lives. Christ says elsewhere that God still intends marriage to be an indissoluble union between a man and a woman (Mt 19:6; Mk 10:9). Divorce brings such a union to an end, and therefore God hates it (Mal 2:16).
C. Death is a reality for rich and poor alike.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried."
"Most men eat, and drink, and talk, and plan, as if they were going to live upon earth forever. The true Christian must be on his guard against this spirit. "He that would live well," said a great divine, "should often think of his last day, and make it his company-keeper." Against murmuring, and discontent, and envy, in the state of poverty; and against pride, and self-sufficiency, and arrogance, in the possession of wealth, there are few better antidotes than the remembrance of death." (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke)
D. The material status that people have while on earth does not determine their status before God.
"Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony."
"Let us never give way to the common idea that men are to be valued according to their income, and that the man who has most money is the one who ought to be the most highly esteemed. There is no authority for this notion in the Bible. The general teaching of Scripture is flatly opposed to it. "Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble are called." (1 Cor. 1:26.) "Let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glories glory in this, that he knows and understands me." (Jer. 9:24.) Wealth is no mark of God's favor. Poverty is no mark of God's displeasure. Those whom God justifies and glorifies are seldom the rich of this world. It we would measure men as God measures them, we must value them according to their grace." (Ryle, Luke)
E. Hell is dreadfully real, and ongoing.
'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
While not every detail of this parable should be pressed so as to communicate what's going to happen in real life (e.g. it is not likely that unbelievers in hell can either "call out" to God, or to believers in heaven), we cannot help but conclude that this parable reinforces the idea - spoken elsewhere by Jesus - of hell as a place of never-ending, conscious torment (Mt 25:46, and also all of the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" passages also found in Matthew's gospel account.)
Discussion Question: More than a few evangelical Christians have begun to deny the idea of hell as a place of conscious torment, but rather define it as a "cessation of existence". What is the danger of holding this view?
F. The greatest miracles cannot change people's hearts if they refuse to put their trust in God's Word.
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
Miracles - particularly the resurrection - testify to the truth of Jesus Christ and his claims, but they cannot save anyone. Only the Word of God can give birth to new life (1 Peter 1:23).
