The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is forcing his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.
Luke 16:16-17
Introduction
As we round off 2025, let us look at this text from Luke regarding the pivotal moment in time when John the Baptist arrived in Judea. Here we have Jesus speaking once again to the Pharisees who are scoffing at His teaching regarding wealth of this world against the wealth which is eternal. Their entire concern was on the outward life lived and seen.
The Pharisees were deeply concerned with pacifying their consciences through a system of strictly defining where the Law begins and ends. That was the entire point of the question asked, “but who is my neighbor?” By justifying a place for the Law to end, the Pharisees were able to alleviate their guilt over certain matters. In this case, we have clear teaching in the Law to be generous with your wealth. There is the command, for instance, to leave portions of a field unharvested specifically for travelers to eat from (Leviticus 19:10). The command to lend without interest (Deuteronomy 23:19) is another which was designed to teach the people generosity. But rather than learning these principles, the Pharisees noted where they could technically keep the commands without applying generosity to their hearts.
And in this way they became “lovers of money” (Luke 16:14).
The Law fulfilled
The Law was given to teach the people God’s standards and way of life. It was a loving revelation to the people God chose in order to reveal His heart to them. It taught them standards and principles to live by, without which they would be entirely lost (Romans 7:7). The Law defines sin and condemns it, giving a reason for the end of every man: death (Romans 7:8-10; Ecclesiastes 7:2).
And since the Law is God’s perfect standard, it cannot be done away with. Instead, it can be rightly fulfilled by the One true Lawkeeper. When Jesus was born a man, He began the labor of fulfilling God’s commands not only in deed, but in heart as well. He taught us that even a sin we do secretly in our own hearts is enough to condmen (Matthew 5:22). Only He was able to keep God’s perfect standard, fulfilling the Law ultimately by taking our sins upon His body and dying the death of a sinner to defeat the sting of sin, which is death (Romans 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:56).
Everyone is forcing his way
With the Law fulfilled and the gospel proclaimed, the door to heaven is opened. Previously God’s path was only available to His chosen people. And among these, it was only available to the faithful (Hebrews 11:32-38). But now that John has heralded the coming of the Messiah, the powers of darkness were put on the alert. Their hold was slipping, and the Law would soon no longer be a barrier to communion with God. When previously, only a few were given access, now it is available to everyone. Like a “doorbuster deal” the day after Thanksgiving, everyone is given an opportunity to enter in.
During Jesus’ ministry, He healed, forgave sin, dined with outcasts, and reasoned with men. At the end of all this He was killed because of the jealousy of those who thought their knowledge of the Law made them powerful and important. But that is not why He died. He died so that you might enter eternity with Him. He died so that you do not have to.
Take this close to 2025 to reflect on this truth. Do you believe it? Has God made you into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)? If not, then repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38) and find a local Church. And if you do believe it, consider how you have grown in your faith, and praise God for that. Start 2026 with a marked change in your life, “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8).
May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.
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