Luke 16:14-18

Butler's Comments

SECTION 2

Be Sanctified (Luke 16:14-18)

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him. 15But he said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently. 17But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one dot of the law to become void.

18 Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Luke 16:14-15 Knowledge of God: Faithfulness to God is more important than money. The Pharisees who were lovers of money (Gr. philarguroi, lit. lovers of silver) scoffed at Jesus when they heard His penetrating warning about selfishness and dishonesty in stewardship to God. The Greek word is exemukterizon and is from ek, from and, mukter, nose and literally means, turned up their noses, or, snorted. They made a haughty face toward Him and derided Him because they were servants of money. Their actions proved exactly what Jesus had just said: no man can serve both God and mammon. They pretended to serve God, but they really served worldliness, so they hated anyone who stood for God. The Pharisees made themselves appear just and right publicly, but God knew their hearts. God knows all men's hearts. It will do us no good to put on public demonstrations of godliness if in our hearts we are secretly trusting in financial success. Financial success does not equal approval of Godespecially if such success becomes one's master. In fact, it is an abomination to God! The world has a twisted sense of values. The world justifies sexual immorality, dishonesty, cruelty and a multitude of other sins so long as a man has attained financial success. Multi-millionaires are almost always looked up to as good and wise in the areas of civic leadership. But what is exalted among men is an abomination to God! The world is all wrong! Few, very few, rich men are ever members of the kingdom of God (cf. Matthew 19:23-30; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Disciples of Jesus must sanctify their worldly possessions in stewardship to God who knows even the heart of man. God wants men to set apart their heart's devotion to Him because He knows that stewardship of possessions will inevitably follow (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:5).

Luke 16:16-17 Kingdom of God: Some think Jesus interjected two disconnected teachings (entering the kingdom and divorce, Luke 16:16-18) into His discourse on the use of money. But they are not really disconnected: they are very relevant to the whole subject of stewardship and especially money. The phrase ... the law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached. does not mean that the Old Testament was abrogated when John the Baptist appeared on the scene. Nor does it mean that the kingdom of God (the church) was instituted, in fact, with the preaching of John the Baptist. It is plain from the Scriptures that the church was not instituted as a New Dispensation or Testament until the Day of Pentecost, A.D. 34, Acts 2:1 ff. Jesus spoke of His church in the future (Matthew 16:18) during His ministry, after the death of John. What Jesus is emphasizing about John's appearance on the scene is the anticipatory nearness of the long-awaited kingdom of God. What these money-mad Pharisees had hypocritically expounded on so glowingly (the kingdom of Godthe coming of the Messiah) was being heralded in their ears by John the Baptist and the Messiah Himself. It was in their very midst in the person of the King (cf. Luke 17:21), but it was not officially established and opened to all the world until the Day of Pentecost. The Pharisees could not, or would not, see the kingdom, even though it was so very near to establishment because they were serving mammon. The coming of John the Baptist was in fulfillment of their own prophets in the Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3-6; Malachi 3:1-2; Malachi 4:5-6) which many people were acknowledging. John's ministry did not establish the church (Luke 7:28); it did not abrogate the law of Moses. Jesus advised those to whom He preached to keep the law of Moses until it be fulfilled (Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Luke 5:14; Luke 18:20, etc.), But John's ministry did prepare for the coming of the kingdom (cf. Luke 1:76-79; Luke 3:3-17; Luke 7:29-30), and the Pharisees were not preparing themselves to receive the kingdom because they were not submitting to the violence necessary to enter it. The kingdom of God preached by Jesus (and John the Baptist) could be entered only when men violently trample down their human values and accept God's values. What is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Jesus is not saying that men were forcing their way into the kingdom of Godno one will ever be able to enter the kingdom by force. The violence Jesus is talking about is the spiritual death to self that must take place. To enter the kingdom and remain a citizen, a man must cut off his right hand or pluck out his right eye if it offends or causes him to sin (Matthew 5:29-30). Men must violently tear themselves away from subservience to money and fleshly indulgence if they are to enter the kingdom. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom. Men must lay aside the sin which so easily besets them and run the race with patience and endurance if they are to be kingdom citizens. We enter the kingdom through much tribulation (cf. Acts 14:22). Kingdom citizenship requires a daily, agonizing, traumatic, violent struggle or war between the flesh and the spirit (cf. Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 5:17). We enter by death! There must be a crucifixion of self (Galatians 2:20-21; Romans 6:1-23) if we are to enter. The Pharisees scoffed at the revolutionary idea of using one's money to help the unfortunate (as Jesus had just taught in His parable). They scoffed at the idea that God would call them to account as stupid stewards. They scoffed at the idea that they could not serve both God and mammon. But Jesus-' warning is that these ideas were in the law of God from the beginning and not one dot of the law of God could be made void by all their scoffing. Divine ownership and human stewardship is taught throughout the Old Testament (both the law and the prophets). Helping the less fortunate is the essence of the law; love for God and for one's neighbor are the two principle commandments of the law! So these Pharisees who boasted they were protecting the law of God are found to be in direct opposition to it. Their opposition will not keep it from being vindicated. It would be easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for any man to be able to get away with disobedience to God's law. God is serious about a man and his money!

Luke 16:18 Keeping God's Commandments: The subject of divorce is also connected to the subject of a man's moneyas almost all married people will acknowledge. More marital discord ensues from troubled money matters than from almost any other problem. If financial difficulties (brought on by selfishness or poor management, usually) are not the number one agitation leading to divorce, they are a close second! In fact, in Jesus-' day, marriages, divorces and remarriages were often entered into for very mercenary reasons. People even in those days tried to marry well in the matter of money. Men often divorced their wives and married those who had more money. Divorce laws were very liberal among many Jewish theologians in Jesus-' day. A man might, according to some, divorce his wife if she did not please him.

This statement of Jesus must be interpreted in the light of all New Testament teaching on divorce (cf. Matthew 5:31-32; Matthew 19:1-9; Mark 10:11-12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40). There must also be the consideration that all the New Testament teaching on marriage, divorce and remarriage focuses on the ideal. What the N.T. teaches is intended for the citizen of the kingdom and is the highest spiritual expectation of God for Christians. We cannot, therefore, expect unbelievers to share in the absolute ethical ideals of marriage presented in the New Testament.

The whole Bible is unequivocal in its teaching that divorce is a sin against God and against man. There appears to be one or two exceptions where divorce may be acceptable as a last resort (Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9). First, when there is sexual unfaithfulness by one member of a marriage. Second, where one member of the marriage is an unbeliever and puts asunder the marriage by desertion (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:15) (see notes in Special Study on 1 Corinthians 7:1-40). Divorce over trivial matters, such as money, is a serious sin according to Jesus here. Jesus plainly says here that the man who divorces his wife (the exception already stated in Matthew 5:32; Matthew 19:9) and marries another commits adultery. He also says whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. There must be allowance, of course, for the man who marries a woman divorced from her husband because her husband was unfaithful. The Christian will not divorce a spouse except for the cause of fornication. The Christian will not marry a person divorced unless the divorced person was a victim of an unfaithful spouse.

We shall not here discuss the statement of Jesus in Matthew 5:32 that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress. For an excellent discussion of this matter see The Gospel of Matthew by Harold Fowler, College Press, pgs. 272-286, and Learning From Jesus by Seth Wilson, College Press, pgs. 370-380. Since there are many questions about marriage, divorce and remarriage not specifically dealt with by Jesus, especially as they would apply to Christians who had already involved themselves in marital problems before becoming Christians-', it seemed good to this author to include a special study of I Corinthians, chapter 7. We accept the writings of the apostles as Holy Spirit inspired amplifications and commentaries on the general principles taught by Jesus as recorded in the Gospels. One thing is certain: the sexual union of one man to one woman for the purpose of mutual spiritual edification and procreation of the human race is the first institution ordained of God from creation. God wishes that union to continue in mutual faithfulness until death and forbids any man (person) from putting the union asunder. Divorce is sin. Sin is rectified by substitutionary atonement accepted by faith and repentance.

PROBLEMS THAT PLAGUE THE SAINTS

CELIBACY, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, REMARRIAGE

I Corinthians, Chapter 7

INTRODUCTION

Paul was not married when he wrote I Corinthians. Some people have difficulty accepting advice on marriage from a bachelor.
It is possible that Paul had previously been married. If he was a member of the Sanhedrin it is doubtful that he could have been a member unmarried. Also, this chapter does seem to be written by someone who knew by experience what marriage was all about. He might have been a widower.

No one has ever glorified marriage more than the apostle Paul (cf. Ephesians 5:22-23); Paul's great tribute to Timothy's home background (2 Timothy 1:5) shows something of the esteem with which he looked upon home ties.

But whether he was married or not makes no difference. What he teaches is as the apostle of Christ and therefore to be believed and obeyed.

DISCUSSION

I.

THE PURITY OF MARRIAGE, Luke 7:1-9

A.

Reason for this admonition

1.

Apparently the Corinthians had written previously asking questions about marriage.

a.

Some groups were already saying that the more spiritual people were the ascetics who abstained from marriage and they taught that even those Christians who were married should take a brother-sister vow and live in a platonic relationship.

b.

Paul warned Timothy that such denials of the faith and demonic doctrines would appear in the church (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

2.

On the other hand, Jewish Christians in Corinth would say there was no room in the church for celibacy.

a.

The idea of not marrying was so foreign to the Jewish mentality that the O.T. does not even have a word for bachelor.

b.

A godly life for the Jew meant not only marriage, but children.

3.

The loose morals of the Corinthian culture surrounding the church there with the Greek and Roman religions advocating fornication.

B.

Celibacy and marriage are both pure in the Christian community, Luke 16:1-2

1.

Celibacy is good, but so is marriage. If a person does not have a special gift for celibacy, he is much better off to marry than to be tempted to immorality or to burn with unfulfilled passion (Luke 7:9).

2.

Marriage is honorable (Hebrews 13:4); celibacy is honorable (Matthew 19:10-12; 1 Corinthians 7:7-9).

3.

The unmarried state is not superior in any moral sense to the married, nor vice-versa.

4.

It is wrong to consider celibacy as morally superior to marriage; it may have its advantagesbut then, so does marriage.

C.

Marriage is primarily for the exercise of human sexual powers.

1.

It is in marriage men and women are granted this privilege.

2.

Marriage isn-'t all privilegeit has its responsibilities.

a.

Both husband and wife, in marriage, give up exclusive rights to their own bodies, agreeing to share them fully with their partner (Luke 7:4).

b.

The happiest marriages are those characterized by complete liberty, few inhibitions, and absence of any guilt complex.

c.

The cause of so much marital trouble today is selfishness not only, but certainly foremost, in the areas of sexuality.

3.

There is an exception to sexual and marital responsibilities. for a limited time one of the married partners may give full time to religious duties.

a.

These are definite instructions that there may come times when a personal time for seeking the Lord comes before the dearest on earthBUT ONLY FOR A LIMITED TIME.

b.

Church work cannot be used as an excuse for neglecting one's marital responsibilities; what is accomplished in serving the Lord if one's marriage partner is tempted and lost?

D.

Celibacy is a special gift (a charismatic gift).

1.

Paul will deal with this more specifically in Luke 7:17-40.

2.

When God made man, He saw that it was not good for man to dwell alone so He made a helper fit for him (Genesis 2:18).

3.

Jesus said, not all men can receive this. but only those to whom it is given. (Matthew 19:11).

II.

THE PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE, Luke 7:10-16

A.

Apparently in Corinth, new converts were leaving their partners and breaking up their marriages.

1.

The ideal situation is that both partners in a marriage be Christians.

2.

Young people can and should choose Christian partners before marriage. Love is not something one falls into it is something he wills, decides and does, and does constantly in spite of emotions or circumstances!

3.

But this ideal is impossible in a world of unbelief. Sometimes in a marriage of two unbelievers, one is converted after the fact. What to do? Remain married to the unbeliever if at all possible!

B.

When it comes right down to it, there is no essential difference between a Christian marriage in a church and a pagan marriage in the living room of a justice of the peace.

1.

God's will is that marriage should be permanent, no matter who is involved.

2.

Marriage as an institution predates all other institutions. It was sanctioned by God before the Law of Moses or the Christian dispensation.

3.

Marriage is not a sacrament of the church performed exclusively by the church. It is for the maintenance of human social structures.

4.

It is a human institution, decreed by God, to be practiced by the entire human race.

5.

When two people sincerely agree to live with each other, and obey the social and civil norms for marriage in their community, they are husband and wife regardless of their religion!

C.

While it is possible for a marriage bond to be broken by unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9), it is certainly not what God desires.

1.

Nor does He desire that the conversion of one of the partners precipitate the break up of a happy home.

2.

Divorce is not God's will for any marriage.

3.

There may be cases where one partner, not at all seeking to do God's will, may dissolve the marriage while the other partner may not be able to stop the dissolution.

D.

What about remarriage?

1.

Paul has already admitted the reality that there is a possibility of the dissolution of marriages even where one party does not want it to be so.

2.

The question is: Does the N.T. absolutely and unequivocally forbid remarriage after divorce? (cf. Matthew 5:31-32; Matthew 19:1-12; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; 1 Corinthians 7:15; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Romans 7:3-4).

3.

We should also ask: Does the N.T. absolutely and unequivocally permit remarriage after divorce? The O.T. didn-'t (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)! Actually, there are no absolute or unequivocal directions in this matter. What each of us believe or practice, we do so by our inferences or deductions from certain principles.

4.

The following are my personal conclusions or deductions:

a.

God made marriage for the whole human race.

b.

Very few men or women have the gift to remain celibate.

c.

Divorce is a sin; Marriage is not a sin.

d.

No one can be made to be an adulterer or adulteress against their will simply by divorcing them. They may be stigmatized unjustly as an adulterer and whoever marries the stigmatized one may also suffer such stigma.

e.

When there is a divorce there is no longer a marriage, neither in God's eyes nor in man's eyesTHERE IS A SIN IN GOD'S EYES FOR WHICH SOMEONE MUST REPENT (preferably remarriage to the same partner).

But unless there is a reconciliation of those two persons, the marriage is over. They are no longer married to the other person.

f.

There are two circumstances which I believe God considers one partner of a marriage innocent in divorce (unfaithfulness; desertion) and the brother or sister is not bound. Therefore, my opinion is that they are free to remarryto be guided by their knowledge of the will of God for marriage and their own consciences.

5.

I believe God and Christ are interested in producing the highest good in every person's life and in society in general and that is the spirit behind any O.T. Law or N.T. Principle (e.g. the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath, principle).

a.

What practical or ultimate good is going to be served by forcing (by law, where there really is no such law) those once divorced to remain celibate the rest of their lives?

Of course, Christians should live by the highest lawLove and never need to divorce; but some Christians do fall! What about non-Christians? Should a minister of the gospel not also seek the highest good in every fallen person's life?

b.

Many divorces involve small children. What if a husband is left with small children to rear? What if a wife is? Who shall support them financially? Are they better served to be reared without a father or without a mother?

c.

Would enforced celibacy heal the results of divorce? Will the church be able to support both materially and psychologically all broken homes? Will the taxpayers and the State?

d.

Would enforced celibacy heal the problems of temptation and incontinence (1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Corinthians 7:9; 1 Corinthians 7:36)?

If we might paraphrase Jesus, Is it lawful to do good through the institution of marriage or to tempt to promiscuity through enforced celibacy? Marriage was made for man, not man for marriage. Enforced celibacy in prisons intensifies sexual crime.

e.

In no sense of the word do I condone divorce, I do not even condone loveless marriages whether they remain legally and outwardly married until they die. Both are certainly less than God's ideal.

f.

But, neither do I think a minister of the gospel (since he is authorized by the civil authorities to do so) is partaking of the sin of divorce by performing marriage vows for couples who are both unbelievers or one a believer and another an unbeliever or those who have been previously divorced.

God does not approve of divorce; I do not approve of divorce. God does approve of marriageI approve of marriage. I had nothing to do with their divorce; but I can have something to do with their marriage.

And last, but not least, in every marriage I perform I may, in a positive way, be able to instruct and exemplify the Christian gospeland in a negative sense I may not give anyone an opportunity to criticize the church for lack of compassion and understanding.
I am also standing for law and order in the lives of unbelievers who will not be controlled by the law of love.

III.

THE POWER OF MARRIAGE, Luke 7:12-16

A.

Paul's instruction to the Corinthian Christian married to an unbeliever is that the believer should sanctify the marriage by trying to win the unbeliever.

1.

The unbeliever is in a set apart circumstance (at least that much set apart from the world) by being married to a believer.

2.

The marriage relationship is a powerful tool in the hands of God for salvation.

a.

When a man is converted, as head of the house he should lead his family to find the Lord (the Philippian jailer and Cornelius).

b.

When a woman is converted, she has to be content with a slower process. Peter says that wives should submit themselves to their husbands; the husbands will more readily be won to Christ this way than through their wives-' nagging, preaching or arguing, 1 Peter 3:1-2.

B.

Children who have one or two Christian parents are at a great advantage over those reared in non-Christian homes. They also are set apart that much from complete worldliness.

1.

Paul does not mean that any unbeliever or child is automatically saved by being married to a Christian or being born of Christian parents.

2.

But they will undoubtedly hear the gospel or see it being lived out more clearly and often there than anywhere else.

C.

When the unbelieving partner in a marriage has a heart so hardened by sin he/she puts asunder (Gr. choridzo, the same word used in Matthew 19:6; Mark 10:9, and means more than separation.) or divorces the believing partner, then the believing partner is not bound.

1.

I believe the way to remarriage is opened up, not only to the believer, but to the unbeliever.

2.

Dependent, of course, upon circumstances, needs, conscience, penitence and civil law.

3.

The unbeliever who has caused divorce has sinned. He/she must become a believer and be immersed in repentance in order to be forgiven.

But, for the benefit of society, if the unbeliever cannot be controlled from promiscuous sexual intercourse by self-control, he/she should be married according to the laws of the society in order to maintain some level of human responsibility and keep human society from degenerating into an animalistic level.

4.

The civil law is for the non-Christian (1 Timothy 1:8-11; Romans 13:1-7).

IV.

THE PRIVILEGE OF CELIBACY, Luke 7:17-40

A.

Paul by guidance of the Holy Spirit, says that under certain circumstances it would be better to remain single.

1.

That is quite startling in these days when apparently the unmarried condition is to be avoided at any cost.

2.

Marriage and a family is the normal state of affairs for Christians and non-Christians alike.

But some people have been given the ability (charisma) to remain unmarried.

3.

Some people tend to feel that there is something wrong with the Christian who is a spinster or a bachelorPaul is not in agreement.

B.

Paul's advise, seek not.

1.

Consider how dangerous it would be to marry, just for the sake of appearances, someone whose idea of loyalty to Christ is not your own.

2.

God did not create us for marriage AT ANY PRICE!

3.

Paul gives 3 advantages of celibacy:

a.

Relief from anxiety about the things of the world which must be concentrated on by a bread winner.

b.

Freed from distractions in order to serve the Lord more fully and intensely.

c.

Freed from troubles due to distressing times.

Now of course these may be achieved whether married or unmarriedbut with less difficulty and more time for the Lord when unmarried, if the circumstances are such as to disrupt peaceful family life (like persecution, economic distress, etc.).

God forbade Jeremiah to marry (Jeremiah 16:1-4) because of terrible times.

C.

If it is marriage out of the will of God, then it is better to remain single.

1.

To step into any relationship outside the will of God is not only to involve oneself in tragedy, but perhaps to bring sorrow into the lives of a generation yet to be born.

2.

Entry into a marriage out of the will of God which brings children into the world may cause their whole lives to know unhappiness, misery and unbelief.

Only the very strong, who by the grace of God having emotions and drives under control, with the special gift, are able to do this. All others should marry. And the married life is the normin no way inferior spiritually to celibacy.

SOME OBSERVATIONS OR CONCLUSIONS: (especially for Christians)

1.

If you have the gift of celibacy, do not seek to be married but rather use your gift as a single person for God's glory.

2.

If you do not have the gift of celibacy, plan to marry. If you don-'t marry, you will most likely get into trouble. It is better to marry than to burn.

3.

If you are getting married, be sure your husband or wife is a Christian.

4.

If you are already married to an unbeliever, go to any extreme to preserve the marriage. You might well win your husband or wife to the Lord in conducting yourself in the Spirit of Christ in marriage.

5.

If you want a happy marriage, do not neglect to afford your partner all the physical satisfaction desired, along with the love and spiritual aspects of marriage. The wife owns her husband's body, and the husband owns his wife's body.

6.

If divorce comes in the marriages of believers or unbelievers, Christians must be involved in finding and guiding the fallen to the highest possible good for the person and for society. This will most likely involve remarriage.

7.

Most certainly, the church must emphasize in the minds of its membership (at the youngest level possible) God's will for marriage. The church must also emphasize agape love (love of choice, love of will-power, love of decisionnot emotion only; a love for the unlovable; a love that is commanded by God) as the only security for marriage.