Advent Readings: Luke 16

Luke 16

This chapter is a part of continuation of the previous conversation with the Pharisees. Here Jesus shifts his attention to the disciples. He teaches them an important lesson – one cannot serve God and money (Lk. 16:13).

That’s where Pharisees interfere – making snarky remarks about money… Jesus’ responds with somewhat an ambiguous statement on self-justification. It gets clearer as He talks about the Law and the Prophets – two main parts of the Hebrew Scriptures of Jesus’ time. Sometimes people contrast the books of the Old Testament with the books of the New Testament. I don’t think that this reading is correct. What Jesus leads people to understand is the texts of the Law and the Prophets are going to be followed up with the Gospel – the Good News, which is first preached then it was recorded by the four Gospel-writers.

Yet, to give the Pharisees an idea that there is no contradiction between the parts of the Scriptures, Jesus teaches them a parable. Technically, it doesn’t have a title of “parable,” but it has all the properties of the parable. Regardless, the story of the Rich man and Lazarus tells that people of Jesus’ times have Moses and the Prophets to read and meditate upon (Lk. 16:29-31). The Scripture is quite sufficient to bring one to the proper relationship with God. No “extra-curricular” or magical experience can substitute for the pure, written, and inerrant Word of God. Listening and adhering to the Word will bring one to repentance and reconciliation with the Creator (2 Cor. 5:19).