Points of Discussion

Luke 16:13-18

13No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

18Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

And then Yeshua begins the teaching.  There are 4 thoughts in Luke 16:13-18 before the parable.

  1. One can only serve God or mammon.  The Pharisees were covetous, they served mammon and justified themselves before man, but not before or through God.
  2. Yeshua gives the continuity of the law, prophets and kingdom message.
  3. A transition is about to occur.
  4. Then there is: who ever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and who ever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery

This last point is lost to many.  Many liberal theologians say, how can we trust the Bible?  Yeshua puts this in-between the Pharisees, and the Rich Man and Lazarus.  It does not make any sense.

Even Christian ministers read this and say:  that is why the Bible is so crazy!  How on earth could this have anything to do with it?  What has putting your wife away have to do with the Pharisees covetousness?

As it turns out, this last point is the most important point.  As one goes through the parable this will all start to make sense.  These four things are discussed in the parable.  Remember the Pulpit Commentary:

The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is a parable concerning the spiritual riches of the Jewish people and of the spiritual emptiness of the Gentiles soon to be changed.

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