Luke 16:14-18 is a short interlude between two longer parables in Luke 16. In this short unit, Jesus calls his disciples to live by God’s moral laws.
Original Meaning
The episode begins as the Pharisees ridicule Jesus for His previous remarks concerning money Luke 16:1-13. Their scoffing initiates Jesus’ rebuke, who tells them in no uncertain terms where they stand before God—their values are an abomination before God because they are lovers of money and seek to justify themselves with men (vv.14-15).
This is a severe rebuke that shows just how far from God the Pharisees have fallen. They have no intention of being generous with their money except on public occasions when it raises their esteem in the eyes of the public. Their actions had but one purpose: to gain public approval.
Jesus then says that a new era has come, inaugurated with John the Baptist and the preaching of the Kingdom of God, which apparently replace the Law and Prophets (v.16a). The last part of verse 16 is disputed. In short, a better translation is something to the effect: “Everyone is forcefully urged” to enter the Kingdom. With this reading, the emphasis is on the preached word. Through the preaching of the message of the Kingdom, people are urged to enter it.
Then Jesus says something that seems to contradict verse 16, when He says that it is easier for creation to be destroyed than it is for one dot of the Law to become void (v.17). Given the context of the passage concerning values, Jesus is arguing that he represents the ethical standards that God desires—these same values are reflected in the Old Testament Law. In other words, God’s moral law stands behind all the Law and Prophets and His moral and ethical values will never be erased. Now they are being expressed in Jesus and Kingdom citizens.
Jesus then closes with a note about divorce that illustrates the point above. The Jewish religious leaders had not only perverted God’s ethical standards concerning money, they also perverted his standard concerning marriage and divorce (v.18; cf. Matthew 5:31-32; Mark 10:1-12). Verse 18, then, is not concerning possible grounds for divorce, but rather illustrates how God’s moral law is still valid in Jesus’ Kingdom.
In this way, not one dot of God’s Law will ever become void. Jesus is a staunch defender of God’s Law, as his followers should be as well.
The Law and Gospel: Ceremonial, Civil, and Moral?
Although directed at the Pharisees, the disciples are certainly within earshot of this event, which probably served as a moment of instruction for them. The major theme here is ethical integrity among God’s people. Although Jesus represented a fresh movement in God’s overarching plan, He did not represent a new ethical standard. God’s moral laws are always in effect, and citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom are called to adhere to God’s ethical standards—just as the Pharisees were called to do so under the Law and Prophets. Thus, the application is that Christians are called to obey God’s moral law today.
Kingdom people seek God’s moral law
Christians are often called hypocrites because we do not follow the entirety of the Old Testament Law. We tend to uphold certain aspects of the Law—such as God’s prohibitions against homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22)—while neglecting other aspects of it—such as God’s prohibition against wearing clothing comprised of two different kinds of material (Leviticus 19:19).
On the surface this seems like a legitimate attack. However, Jesus’ reply in this text gives us insight into how to resolve this matter, for on one hand He suggests that the Old Testament Law is passing away from the scene (v.16), but on the other hand He says it will never pass away—not even one dot (v.17).
Since the early church fathers, Christians have resolved this tension by dividing the Old Testament Law into three divisions: Ceremonial, Civil, and Moral.
Ceremonial laws were given for the functioning of the sacrificial system, including tabernacle/Temple operations, religious festivals, and dietary regulations. These laws prefigure the redemptive work of Christ and were fulfilled (not abrogated) by Jesus (cf. John 1:29; 5:46; 1 Cor 5:7; Col. 2:16-17; Heb. 10:1-10). Thus they are no longer necessary or binding on Christians.
Civil laws were given for the governance of the Hebrew theocracy and are the moral laws applied or manifested in a particular time and culture (e.g., Killing disobedient children [Exodus 21:15] is an application of the 5th commandment [Exodus 20:12]). The civil laws have passed away with the end of the Hebrew theocracy.
Moral laws are based upon, reflect, and demand conformity to God’s moral character. The moral law is summarized in the 10 commandments. These laws are written on men’s hearts (since we are made in God’s image), were present from creation (Romans 2:14-15) and are thus timeless.
A good illustration of God’s moral law still being applied today is marriage, which Jesus used in this passage. But God also created marriage to be between one man and one woman (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; Mark 10:1-10). For that reason, Christians reflect God’s moral law and His character when we support efforts that promote traditional marriage.
The bottom line is that Christians are called to an ethical standard—God’s moral character. In the context of this passage, that means Christians should not be lovers of money, like the Pharisees were, because it shifts our priorities away from God’s priorities and alters our character.
Instead of seeking to please God, we become infatuated with the applause of men when we make money our idol. If you sense a love of money in your heart, seek God’s forgiveness and resolve to make God the idol of your life. After all, that is the first of God’s moral laws (Exodus 20:3).
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