Luke 16:14-18

content/bible_journal/luke_16:14-18.md

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+title = "Luke 16:14–18"
+date = "2023-01-04"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Lk16.14-18)
+
+I am struck by the absurdity of the Pharisees ridiculing Jesus for His teaching
+about money. (_v. 14_) I can understand disagreement, because they were
+self-righteous enough to think that they had nothing wrong with how they viewed
+money. But I can't figure out even on what angle they would take to make fun of
+Him. Jesus, of course, rebukes them for this as well. They may be able to fool
+men with their justifications, but God is not fooled. Furthermore, the things
+that sin-cursed people promote is the exact things that God will need to
+destroy.
+
+As a counterpoint to this, Jesus brings up the perpetuity of the Scriptures.
+God's Word stands forever, even over the seemingly unshakable universe. Verse
+16 is apparently difficult to translate, and I am not a New Testatement Greek
+scholar, but taken with verse 17 it sounds like "everyone forces his way into
+it" is meant to describe how evil men try to assault the kingdom of God.
+However, these efforts are ultimately futile.
+
+Verse 18 seems to come out of left field. Maybe it does, but we have to deal
+with God's Word as it really is. Possibly, the laws concerning divorce were
+those the Pharisees were making more lax, despite being stricter everywhere
+else. At that time, Jewish men could divorce their wives fairly easily, without
+much cause. In contrast, Jesus reaffirms the marriage covenant as being between
+one man and one woman for one lifetime.
+
+* * *
+
+Let us exalt what pleases You instead of what the world thinks is right.