Auxano Ministry
By the grace of God I am what I am:
1 Cor. 15:10a
Luke 16: 14-31
In Luke chapter 16 Jesus begins addressing the Pharisees directly in verse 15. Jesus is going to challenge the Pharisees on the Law and the Prophets and what they think they know.
Luke 16:14-16
14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
15 And 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.
16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
Did the Law and the Prophets end with the coming of John? The answer is no! Christ came to fulfill the Law, so how could it have ended with John?. First, Jesus informs the Pharisees that the administration has changed. The Law Administration has ended, and the Christ Administration has started.
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A “tittle” is a small horn like mark in the Hebrew language to distinguish from letters that are rounded. In other words, the Law will stand as God gave it, not as how the Pharisees have interpreted it.
The Pharisees allowed divorce for a multitude of reasons, contrary to the Law Moses gave to Israel. Jesus is telling the Pharisees; they did not know the Law.
Then Jesus follows this with a parable. It is not listed as a parable because it is directed strictly at the Pharisees, and it is not meant for the rest of Israel. We are looking at this because Christian theologians have taken this parable, which is a figure of speech, and made it a literal statement. You have nothing but trouble when you take something that is figurative, and you make it literal.
A parable is an extended simile, a comparison by resemblance. But a parable only has a simple point to make.
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The point Jesus was making is that if you did not believe the Law given by Moses and you did not believe what the Prophet’s said, you would also not believe someone who said they were raised from the dead.
Consider Isaiah 26. The entire chapter is a poem of future victory for Israel when the Messiah comes in power. He will defeat the enemies and raise the dead from the grave. The point Jesus is making with the Pharisees is that they did not believe the prophet’s since they believe in immediate rewards and punishment upon death and the prophet’s speak of rewards and punishment with the return of the Messiah.
Isaiah 26:19-21
19 But your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you;
hide yourselves for a little while until his wrath has passed by.
21 See, the LORD is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer.
New International Version
The point of the parable, if they do not believe Moses or the Prophet’s, they also would not believe someone who is raised from the dead. Then we have the record in Matthew 28.
Matthew 28:11b-15
11 …behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
What was the point of the parable again? Oh yea, if someone did not believe the Law and the Prophet’s, they would not believe if someone were to rise from the dead.
Theology has tried their very best to get people alive in a place called hell. They would have done better to simple believe God’s definition of sheol and hades as the grave.
God's Gospel Series
