Luke 16

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**Butler’s Comments

Chapter Sixteen

(Luke 16:1-31)**

THE SON OF MAN ADVISING ABOUT MONEY

IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:

What is a stewardship (Luke 16:1-2)?

Is it more acceptable to God to be prudent than to be honest (Luke 16:8)?

How can Jesus tell Christians to buy friends with their money (Luke 16:9)?

Did the coming of John the Baptist abrogate the law (Luke 16:16)?

Why is it adultery to marry a divorced woman (Luke 16:18)?

Where is Hades (Luke 16:23)?

Why is the great chasm fixed so that none may cross (Luke 16:26)?

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

THE PURITY OF MARRIAGE, Luke 7:1-9

Reason for this admonition

Apparently the Corinthians had written previously asking questions about marriage.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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

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

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

Marriage is primarily for the exercise of human sexual powers.

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

Marriage isn-’t all privilegeit has its responsibilities.

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).

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

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

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.

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.

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?

Celibacy is a special gift (a charismatic gift).

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

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).

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

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

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

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!

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

Divorce is not God’s will for any marriage.

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.

What about remarriage?

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.

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).

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.

The following are my personal conclusions or deductions:

God made marriage for the whole human race.

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

Divorce is a sin; Marriage is not a sin.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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?

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?

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?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

Paul’s advise, seek not.

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.

God did not create us for marriage AT ANY PRICE!

Paul gives 3 advantages of celibacy:

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

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

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.

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

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.

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)

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

**Applebury’s Comments

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Outline**

Luke told about Jesus-’ lesson on the need of preparation for life after death: The parable of the unrighteous steward (Luke 16:1-18).

The facts of the parable (Luke 16:1-8).

The unrighteous steward had been wasting his master’s goods and was called on to give account, since he was to be discharged.

The steward, facing the situation, decided on a course of action.

(1)

He was not strong enough to work, and was ashamed to beg.

(2)

He hit on a plan that would cause people to take him into their homes when he lost his position.

(a)

He said to one of his master’s debtors who owed a hundred measure of oil, Change it to fifty.

(b)

To another who owed a hundred measures of wheat, he said, Write eighty.

The master commended him for his intelligence in providing for his future.

The need of preparation for life after death (Luke 16:9-18).

Application of the principle: Make friends for yourselves by means of the mannom of unrighteousness that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.

The need of faithfulness in the discharge of responsibility (Luke 16:10-13).

(1)

The principle: Faithfulness in little leads to faithfulness in much; dishonesty in little leads to dishonesty in much.

(2)

The question of unrighteous mammon contrasted with true riches:

(a)

If you have been unfaithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will trust you with true riches?

(b)

If you have not been faithful in what belongs to another, who will give you what belongs to you?

(3)

The application.

(a)

No servant can serve two masters; he will hate one and love the other, or hold to one and despise the other.

(b)

You cannot serve God and mammon!

The lesson applied to the Pharisees (Luke 16:14-18).

(1)

They were lovers of money and scoffed at Jesus-’ views on the subject (Luke 16:14-15).

(a)

Jesus said, You justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.

(b)

He also said, What is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

(2)

They were out of harmony with the law (Luke 16:16-18).

(a)

The law and the prophets were preached until John; since then, the gospel of the kingdom is preached.

(b)

Everyone is trying to enter the kingdom by force.

(c)

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the law to fail in the least point.

(d)

As an example of the unshakable nature of the law, Jesus added, Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and the one who marries her when she is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Luke told about Jesus-’ lesson on the failure to prepare for life after death: The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).

The contrast between the two in their lifetime (Luke 16:19-21).

The rich man was clothed in splendor and enjoyed himself every day.

Lazarus, a poor beggar, desired to eat what fell from the rich man’s table; dogs licked his many sores.

The contrast between the two in death (Luke 16:22).

When the poor man died, angels carried him to Abraham’s bosom.

The rich man died and was buried.

The contrast between the two after death (Luke 16:23-26).

The rich man in torment in Hades looked up and saw Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom.

He called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus evil things; now he is comforted and you are in anguish.

Then Abraham added, Besides all this, between us and you, a great chasm is fixed that prevents crossing from one side to the other.

The rich man’s plea for his brothers (Luke 16:27-31).

He asked to have someone go to his five brothers to warn them not to come to that place of torment.

Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

The rich man protested, No, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.

Abraham said, If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if one arise from the dead.

Summary

The two parables of this chapter complete a series of five which begins with the three parables of grace given in chapter fifteen. The series has a common topic since the parables of grace have to do with saving the lost sinner while the parables of this chapter are about the necessity of preparing for life after death. The parable of The Unrighteous Steward teaches the lesson of wisdom in preparing for the future. The unrighteous steward was commended by his master, not because of his dishonesty, but because he had the wisdom to prepare for the future. Jesus indicated that it is necessary to make friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness that when it fails these friends, the heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, may receive you into the eternal home. Jesus said, You cannot worship God and mammon. Wisdom indicts the necessity of worshipping God in this life in order to have that eternal home in heaven. The Pharisees who were lovers of money were listening and began to scoff at Jesus-’ views of wealth. He said, The thing that is exalted by men is an abomination in the sight of God. The Pharisees were proud of their claim to be keeping the Law of Moses. Jesus reminded them that no part of it was to fall and indicated that their views on the subject of divorce contradicted what God had said on the matter. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus enforces the same lesson by showing what happens after death. The state of the two was not determined by riches or poverty, but by the use to which the rich man put his wealth and the manner in which Lazarus conducted himself in poverty and sickness. In Hades, the abode of the dead, the rich man lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus in Abraham’s bosomthe place of highest honor for a Jew. But the rich man was in torment, and begged that Lazarus might be sent to relieve his suffering. Abraham reminded him that in his lifetime he had enjoyed good things, but Lazarus had evil things. Besides, the chasm that separated them made it impossible to grant his request. Then the rich man remembered his brothers and begged that someone be sent to warn them not to come to the place where he was. But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them, for if they do not neither will they hear one from the dead. The time to prepare for life after death is now!

Questions

What is there to suggest the connection between the subject of this chapter and that of the preceding one?

What is the subject of this series of parables?

Why did Jesus use the story of the dishonest steward to illustrate the necessity of preparing for life after death?

For what did his master commend him?

What do the Scriptures teach about every one giving account of his life?

What did the steward do when he learned that he was to lose his position?

Why did he have the debtors change the records?

In what way are the sons of the world wiser than the sons of light?

What does mammon mean? Why called unrighteous?

Can men of wealth also be men of faith?

How can one use wealth so as to have God’s approval?

What did Jesus say about faithfulness in much or in little?

Why did He say that no man can serve two masters?

How did Jesus-’ statements about money apply to the Pharisees?

What were men doing that was an abomination in the sight of God?

Why did Jesus mention the Law and the prophets in this connection?

What does the law and prophets were until John mean?

In what way was the kingdom suffering violence?

What does this mean? How can one enter the kingdom?

How did Jesus show that the Law could not be set aside?

What did this have to do with the Pharisees views on divorce?

What does the New Covenant say about the duration of marriage?

What can the church do to uphold the dignity and sanctity of the home?

What may be said about treating the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus as a parable?

What similarity between the rich man and the Pharisees?

How did Jesus describe the condition of the beggar?

What happened to him when he died?

What service do angels render those who inherit salvation?

What change in the beggar’s body will there be in the resurrection?

What does Hades mean?

What was the state of the rich man in Hades?

What does this story teach about recognition after death?

What does it teach about consciousness after death?

What is said about the impossibility of changing one’s state after death?

How and where may a change of state be made?

What was the rich man’s concern for his brothers?

Why was his request refused? Of what significance is this to the Christian?

What leads to repentance?

When will Hades be abolished?

What is to follow after that happens?

Luke 16:1-13

**Butler’s Comments

SECTION 1

Be Shrewd (Luke 16:1-13)**

16 He also said to the disciples, There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2And he called him and said to him, -What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship for you can no longer be steward.-’ 3And the steward said to himself, -What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.-’ 5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, -How much do you owe my master?-’ 6He said, -A hundred measures of oil.-’ And he said to him, -Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.-’ -Then he said to another, -And how much do you owe?-’ He said, -A hundred measures of wheat.-’ He said to him, -Take your bill, and write eighty.-’ 8The master commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.

10 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’S, who will give you that which is your own? 13No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

**Luke 16:1-3 Wastefulness: **Someone has wisely pointed out that money is merely a medium of exchange for a man’s life. Man spends his time, talent and energy at a vocation and receives in exchange some mediumusually money. By spending that money a man exchanges his life for whatever he considers worthy of his life. If a man hoards his money or spends it all indulging himself it manifests a selfish, uncaring heart.

Jesus spoke the two stories of this chapter to His disciples but mainly for the benefit of the Pharisees who were lovers of money. The parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin and Lost Sons struck a smarting blow to their selfishness and uncaring hearts. The two stories of this chapter continue to strike at this careless attitude the Pharisees had toward their fellowmen. The scoffing reaction of the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) shows clearly that Jesus had hit His target.

These stories were spoken in Perea, beyond the Jordan River, during the climax of Jesus-’ last year of public ministry. He was engaged in a great evangelistic campaign teaching the nature of the kingdom of God and discipleship, calling on all who would to become citizens of God’s kingdom. It is significant that Jesus made citizenship in God’s kingdom relevant to even such an everyday affair as what a man does with his money. The first story shows how to use your money to get to heaven or to send it on ahead in a different form; the second story shows how to use your money to get to hell!

A certain rich man (Gr. plousios, plutocrat) had a steward (Gr. oikonomon, lit. house-ruler, house-manager) who had been accused of wasting (Gr. diaskorpizon, squandering, same word used for Prodigal Son) his master’s possessions. He could not get away with his sinsomeone told on him. The master of the house called the accused steward before him and demanded an accounting. The steward was guilty and the master dismissed him from his job. This steward was: (a) extravagantwasteful; (b) lazyhe wouldn-’t dig; (c) proudhe would not beg; (d) dishonest-cheated his master when later taking only partial payment for his master’s debts. Apparently, before the steward left the employ of this master he would have occasion to settle outstanding accounts owed. He devised a scheme by which he could use his stewardship to make friends! A steward was a trusted care-taker of a rich man’s household (cf. Genesis 43:19; Matthew 20:8; Luke 8:3; Luke 12:42). He was an employee-of-sorts (sometimes a slave) who often became almost like one of the family (cf. Genesis 15:1-3). But a steward was never an ownerhe was always simply using his master’s goods for the benefit of the master. He was held accountable to the master for the way he used whatever was temporarily put under his administration.

**Luke 16:4-9 Wisdom: **Jesus is not condoning dishonesty! He is simply holding the steward’s sagacity up for emulation. There are character traits worth imitating in the worst of men and the wise will see them and copy them. God never condoned the faults of Abraham but He holds the man up in His Word for emulation as the father of the faithful. Jesus wants His followers to be both honest and prudent. The one good thing in this steward’s nature was his shrewdnessthis is the only lesson Jesus wishes to teach in this story. Jesus is not holding this man up as a believerHe is simply saying that worldly people (like this steward) are farsighted and astute in their endeavors for material ends. The Lord desires forethought, preparation and wisdom of His followers for spiritual ends. This steward was wiser than most church members (sons-of-light). There is a great lack of common sense in spiritual matters in the kingdom of God today. Some Christians do not have the courage of their convictionsthey are afraid to give the self-discipline and sacrifice necessary to attain the spiritual profits promised by Christ. This parable is like a sharp thunder-clap, rousing us from our spiritual dozing. God will not let us get by with stupidity in our stewardship. He expects us to invest everything in our charge (money, time, talents) to produce spiritual gain as intelligently as most worldly-minded people invest their holdings to make material gain.

One of the first things we notice in this parable is the sharp division of humanity. Christ divides all humanity into sons of this world and sons of light. There are only two classes of humanity in all the Biblebelievers and unbelievers, obedient and disobedient, gatherers and scatterers, saved and lost, wise and foolish. Men make multiple categories of goodness and evil, but for Jesus, when the final test comes, every man gives allegiance to either Him or the devil. If you are not a son of light, you are a son of this world. There are only two destiniesheaven or hell; only two repositories for your unrighteous mammonheaven or rust and destruction, and only two roadsthe narrow and difficult that leads to salvation, or the broad and easy that leads to death. The sons of this world are not wiser in what they choose! They choose what is temporal. This world and all its substance is doomed to destruction. Every dollar, every monument to fame, every work of art, every thing will perish. None of this world can be transferred as it is to heavennot even the human body. Things must be exchanged for a different kind of currencythat currency is people, (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) transformed into the image of God’s dear Son. The sons of this world choose what is vain. Things of the worldof the fleshcannot satisfy the deepest and ultimate needs of the spiritual man. Men need grace, truth, forgiveness, hope, peace, love and identity. These cannot be obtained by the accumulation of things. Spiritual satisfaction comes from self-giving. Sons of this world also choose what forever must remain the Creator’S. A man who is worth only the worldly goods he seems to have accumulated is poor indeed! None of these worldly goods really belong to himthey belong to God. True wealth is the spiritual investments a man has made.

What Jesus is emphasizing is that the sons of this world may be wiser than most children of the light in how they conduct their business! Notice how candid this steward was in facing the facts about his situation. He did not lie to himself or fantasizehe did not hide his head in the sand like an ostrich. Business people know they must be brutally honest with themselves about, their profit-loss ledgers. They must not lie to themselves about whether business is good or bad. They either learn to be realists or they go under. Christians are too prone to construct a fool’s paradise for themselves in the business of stewardship. They fantasize that their spiritual life must be good if they have an abundance of worldly possessions. They are prone to forget that not one thing in their charge belongs to them. Their worst fantasy is that as long as they dedicate ten percent to the Master, they may do as they please with the other ninety percent in their charge, This steward of the parable faced the reality that these things were not his; that he had them only for a short time to use; that he could use them to show mercy on people and make friends. He did not day-dream or procrastinate about the future and he did not pout about the pasthe made the most of the present.

This worldly-minded steward was keen in the way he planned. He did not allow his emotions to take away his reason. He did not run away with his master’s money and waste it like the Prodigal did. He didn-’t stash it away like the foolish farmer (Luke 12:1-59). He didn-’t throw up his hands in despair and mental paralysis. He logically and deliberately reasoned out a plan. He decided to invest what was in his charge in helping people in order to help himself. Shakespeare said: All life is a preparation for death. Jesus urges His followers to make all this life a preparation for the next life. Cold, lifeless money can be turned into a warm handshake, a smile of gratitude or a cheerful word from someone helped for Jesus-’ sake. Of course, friendship cannot be bought with crass mercenarism. Money genuinely used to help others will be rewarded, if not in this life then in the next. But fair-minded people are able soon enough to discern whether an offering of help is genuine or not. If Christians only dared to believe Jesus when He says, Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40), they might be wiser in the use of their stewardship.

The steward of this parable was shrewd in the execution of his plan. He made straight for his goal. He allowed no obstacle to hinder him. He accepted no compromise, no alternatives. He demonstrated self-control and dedication. This steward had to sacrifice time, effort, pride and money. He paid the price without hesitation. Tragically, even athletes exhibit more dedication than most Christians! This worldly-minded house-manager evaluated worldly things as supreme and let no sacrifice stand in his way. Christians say heavenly things are most importantbut too many let everything else stand in their way.

**Luke 16:10-13 Warning: **It is an incontrovertible axiom of the business world that the man who can be trusted in small things can be promoted to large responsibilities. The man who will be dishonest and steals small amounts will almost inevitably embezzle large amounts. Jesus is using the parable to illustrate this startling warning: If you have not been faithful (wise and prudent) in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? If Christians cannot use money and earthly possessions wisely (to prepare for the next life), how shall God entrust to them the true riches of the next life? In other words, what the Christian does here on earth as a steward, determines whether he shall ever get to be a steward in the next life or not!

No steward can obey two bosses. No man can live a life filled with contradictions. It is logically and psychologically impossible. It is unacceptable to the Lord and impossible for the Christian to endure such a dichotomy. No soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him (2 Timothy 2:4). Men who do not believe God keep on trying to serve the world, the flesh and the devil while also professing to serve the Creator. That is why the Christian’s responsibility toward God in money matters is not completed with giving ten percent of his wages. The Christian is accountable to God for every cent. That does not mean every cent must be given into the treasury of a local congregation for disbursement. It does mean that whatever the Christian uses his money for it must in some ultimate way serve God (through providing for his family, helping those in need, assisting in personal witnessing, supporting civic governments and institutions which are promoting social order and welfare, etc.). The important point is that God must be our Master, and not Money. Our money must be used to serve God.

Luke 16:1-18

Applebury’s Comments

The Parable of the Unrighteous Steward Scripture

Luke 16:1-18 And he said unto the disciples, There was a certain rich man, who had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. 2 And he called him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee? render the account of thy stewardship; for thou canst be no longer steward. 3 And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, seeing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me? I have not strength to dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into heir houses. 5 And calling to him each one of his lord’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bond, and sit down quickly and write fifty. 7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy bond, and write fourscore. 8 And his lord commended the unrighteous steward because he had done wisely: for the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles. 10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another’S, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things; and they scoffed at him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.

18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away from a husband committeth adultery.

*Comments

And he said unto the disciples.*There is an apparent connection between this chapter and the preceding one in which Jesus completely discredited the Pharisees who had complained that He was receiving sinners. He proved that He was receiving only such sinners as were willing to repent of their sins and conduct themselves in a manner that glorified the Lord. The lessons of chapter sixteen are primarily to the disciples, although He had some things to say directly to the Pharisees.

The two parables of this chapter, while dealing incidentally with the subject of riches, stress the importance of doing something about entrance into the eternal happiness of those who use the opportunities of this life to prepare for life after death. For example, in the parable of the Unjust Steward, Jesus shows that the man was commended for making preparation for the time when he would no longer have an income. But the real lesson points to the necessity of preparing for the eternal home. In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (assuming that it is a parable) Jesus contrasts the rich man and the beggar in this life, but elaborates on their states after death. It would seem, therefore, that riches, about which Jesus said some important things, was not the primary lesson to be learned from the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Eternal life, a subject that seemed to be taken lightly by the Pharisees, was not to be taken for granted by the disciples. Joy in heaven is stressed in the parables of grace, and the thought continues in the parables of chapter sixteen. What Jesus said about riches in this chapter is not, of course, to be minimized.

*There was a certain rich man.*The dishonest steward is the central character in this story; he was not commended for his dishonesty, but for his wisdom in preparing for the future. Dishonesty was the occasion for his losing his position. The fact that he was about to lose his income made it necessary for him to do something about his future. Everyone faces the necessity of doing something about life after death, for it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that cometh the judgment. The vital question is: Where will you spend eternity? The second parable of the chapter indicates that there are but two places in which to spend it.

*the same was accused unto him.*Someone had reported to his master that he was wasting his master’s goods. There must have been truth to it, for the steward immediately took steps to provide for himself when he was no longer privileged to serve his master.

*render the account of thy stewardship.*The master demanded a statement of his accounts. He was to turn in a report of his stewardship since he was no longer to be steward.

Since the lesson deals with eternal life, it is well to think of it as having to do with one’s relationship to God. It does not suggest that all men are dishonest in life’s work; but all must render account of the things done in the body, whether they are good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

*I am resolved what to do.*The steward said to himself, I do not have the strength to do hard physical labor and I am ashamed to beg. What shall I do? Suddenly the idea struck him! I know, he said, I-’ll arrange it so they will take me in when I lose the stewardship. They were the ones who owed his master. This is the central idea of the parable: providing for the future.

*And calling to him each of his lord’s debtors.The example of what he said to two of them is sufficient to indicate his action with reference to the rest. To the one who owed a hundred measures of oil, he said, Take your bill and write fifty. To another who owed a hundred measures of wheat, he said, Make it eighty. The debtors apparently entered into the dishonest deal without protest. We need not be concerned about the two words for measure; one of them refers to liquid and the other to dry measure. It would be difficult to determine exactlyeven if there were a point in doing sohow much they represent in our measures. Neither do we know why he discounted one 50% and the other 20%. It has nothing to do with the lesson of the parable. What the steward did was enough to gain his point, making friends who would later take him into their homes.

and his lord commended the unrighteous steward.*The master of the steward who added dishonesty to his wastefulness commended the servant because he had acted intelligently in providing for the future. It was certainly not for dishonesty that he was commended, and he had already been discharged for wastefulness.

*for the sons of the world are for their own generation wiser.*These words are added as Jesus-’ own comment on the situation. People of this agethis life as compared to the spiritual life that extends into heavenare wiser toward those of their generation than the sons of light. How often the sons of light act unwisely! They let the things of this material world keep them from preparing for the heavenly experience. In the parable of The Sower, Jesus spoke of those who allow the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches to choke out the implanted Word of God. The sons of light should know how to please the Heavenly Father; they should know the importance of doing His will; they should be aware of the necessity of preparing for the life after death.

*Make to yourselves friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness.*Mammon refers to material riches. It is called mammon of unrighteousness because it is so often used in unrighteous ways. There is no suggestion in this expression that material wealth is in itself unrighteous. Neither is there, for that matter, any virtue in poverty in itself. It is the use to which wealth is put that determines its value.

Those women who accompanied Jesus and the apostles were, no doubt, people of some financial standing. Joseph, the man who buried the body of Our Lord, was rich. Abraham, for his day, was certainly a rich man, but he was a man of faith and looked for the city that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. With whom, then, are you to make friends by the proper use of wealth? Jesus indicates that it is with those who can receive you into the eternal tabernacles, heaven itself. Who are they who will receive you? The Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

How can one use wealth to gain such an end? There are several ways in which money can be used to the glory of the Lord: (1) don-’t worship riches; (2) use wealth to promote the welfare of the needy (Matthew 25:40); (3) use it to promote the kingdom of God on earth (Philippians 4:1-6).

Of course, the Bible indicates that there is more to the matter of entering the heavenly tabernacles than the right attitude toward wealth. It is this plus complying with the terms of salvation under the New Covenant as set forth in the nine cases of conversion in the book of Acts. It is this plus a life that actually produces the fruit of repentance. See Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 4:7-32; Colossians 3:1-17; 2 Peter 1:5-11. These are but a few of the many statements of Scripture on the necessity of living the Christian life. The person who does have the Scriptural view of money will, in all probability, take the other issues into consideration also.

He that is faithful in a littleThe principle that is involved in this statement holds good whether one has little or much. If you have not been faithful in handling the wealth of this life, who will commit true riches to your trust? Jesus restated the principle in another form, If you have not been faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give you what belongs to you? This was the problem of the unrighteous steward; he was not faithful in managing his masters possession and could not expect him to give him a home after he was discharged. Is Jesus suggesting that the things of the world really do not belong to us? It seems so. Then the possession of heaven really does belong to the saints, for they are heirs of God and joint-heirs of Jesus Christ.

*Ye cannot serve God and mammon.*This removes any doubt about what was commended in the steward’s conduct. It was not dishonesty, but the wisdom of the dishonest servant who had the foresight to prepare for the day when riches would fail. The really wise person will see that this calls for preparation for life after death.

As a servant cannot serve two masters, Jesus said that you cannot serve God and mammon. Why try the impossible? Apparently Judas tried it, but he failed.

*And the Pharisees.*Jesus had been instructing His disciples, but the Pharisees who were lovers of money heard what He said and began to scoff at His views on wealth. Literally, they turned up their noses at the idea He presented. Their disgust must have shown in some manner on their faces.

*were lovers of money.*Evidently they were loving money and trying to make it appear that they also loved God at the same time. But this was impossible, for Jesus said, You cannot serve God and mammon. They were so sure that the favor of God rested on them that the words of Jesus seemed ridiculous to them.

*that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.*The Pharisees were exalting material riches; but this was an abomination in the sight of God who knew their hearts.

*The law and the prophets.*Why did Jesus mention the law and the prophets? Evidently because the Pharisees prided themselves on keeping them, but Jesus had showed how they were failing to do so. They were pretending to obey the Law of God, but, in reality, were serving material wealth.

There are several problems of interpretation in this verse. Take for example the first clause as it reads in Greek: The law and the prophets until John. There is no verb in this clause because it is implied in the verb of the main clause. We must understand it to read, The law and the prophets were preached until John; after that the gospel of the kingdom is preached. This avoids the error that assumes that the jurisdiction of the law and prophets extended only to the time of John. The facts are that it extended to Pentecost, the beginning of the jurisdiction of the New Covenant. What Jesus said, then, is that the gospel of the rule of God in the hearts of men which John preached and which He also preached held exactly the same view toward exalting material riches as the Law of Moses which forbade having any other god before the God of Israel.

What is meant by saying Every man entereth violently into it? This is to say that every man was attempting by force to enter the kingdom in his own way. In reality, it is impossible to force one’s way into the kingdom. No man comes to the Father but by me, said Jesus. Were the Pharisees, by setting up their own standards, trying to take over the kingdom by force? The context seems to suggest that they were. Others were also trying it. After the feeding of the five thousand, the people came to take Jesus by force and make Him their king. He prevented it by withdrawing into the mountain to pray (John 6:15). Even Peter and James and John had their own ideas of what Jesus-’ kingdom should be, but they couldn-’t persuade Him to adopt them.

A similar statement is given in Matthew 11:12, From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force, that is, they were trying to do so.

*But it is easier for heaven.*What God had said in His law about riches stands. Jesus lived and taught under the jurisdiction of the Law, but this principle is not changed under the New Covenant. See James 5:1-6.

*Every one that putteth away his wife.*Apparently, this is another one of those things which men were advocating that was an abomination before God. Jesus said that every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he that marries the divorced woman commits adultery. Divorce did not end the marriage contract. The Pharisees had been scoffing at Jesusand there are many who scoff at His teaching on divorce todaybut He did not hesitate to let them know exactly what the Law of God said on the matter.

What is said on the subject of divorce in Matthew 19:3-12if we are to assume that there is any difference between that account and this one in Lukedoes not affect the teaching of the New Covenant on the issue of marriage. According to Romans 7:2 and 1 Corinthians 7:7. A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth. Only death severs the marriage bond. Jesus made it plain that from the beginning divorce and remarriage was not a part of the plan of God. Divorce was permitted by Moses because of the hardness of their hearts, but it was not so from the beginning. There is a serious question on which there is no uniform opinion as to whether or not remarriage was permitted by the regulation of Moses. See STUDIES IN FIRST CORINTHIANS, chapter seven, for further discussion of the problem.

Divorce is having a serious effect on the home in our time. Civil authorities are beginning to see the evil effect of it and are suggesting ways of coping with it. But the church has the answer in the Bible. It is the duty of Christian people to teach and practice what is written in the Word. It is the only way to restore the home to the original standard of God. The future of the nation and of the church demands a return to the divine regulation for the home where children may be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1-4). Divorce is not the only problem, but it is a major one.

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.