A Warning to Lovers of Money. (Luke 16: 14-31)

Some years ago, the government mandated warning labels on cigarette packs. Since that time, possibly due to increased litigation, warning labels seem to have proliferated too almost everything. 

If you by a copy today in a take-away-cup you will now see a warning printed on it that the contents might be hot.

This happens today because someone sued McDonald's after spilling hot coffee on themselves.

Even hairdryers come with warnings not to submerge them in water. I once saw a ladder with a label cautioning against working at height.

Probably the most strange to me was a packet of nuts I bought in a supermarket which contained the advice “Warning this product contains nuts”.

The ubiquity of warning labels raises the question in my mind is if we have warning for things I don’ think we need to be warned about are there some things that don’t contain a warning, that perhaps should.

Well, I believe there is something in our lives that need a warning label, something many people carry in their pockets—money. 

Jesus himself cautioned about the dangers of wealth, as recorded in Luke chapter 16 so today let,s explore his teachings on that today beginning in verse 14. 

Before we start to day let me just point out that, it might not be immediately apparent that the central theme of this whole passage is money. It begins with a discussion of a rich man, but nestled within are some puzzling statements about divorce. How did that topic find its way here? And then it finishes with a parable.

Let's unpack this passage together and see that the overarching theme is indeed money. It all starts with a rebuke from the Pharisees.

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 

(Luke 16: 14-14)

Verse 14 tells us that these Pharisees, who had a fondness for money, heard Jesus' teachings. But what exactly did they hear? It's evident that they heard what was just spoken, particularly what he had just said at the closing of yesretrdays epsidoe in verse 13: 

"No servant can serve two masters. 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 both God and mammon" (another term for money).

(Luke 16: 13)

The Pharisees, who cherished wealth, ridiculed Jesus. The Greek word used for "sneering" is quite vivid; it implies ridiculing with scorn. 

Essentially, they looked down their noses at Jesus' teachings because they believed wealth was a sign of divine favour. 

They couldn't reconcile Jesus' poverty with their perception of God's blessings.

This situation presents a fascinating dichotomy: religious devotion intertwined with a love for money. It's akin to having devout followers who are also fervent materialists. 

We see it in the form of prosperity preachers. These individuals constantly emphasize wealth, portraying it as a divine entitlement. Their message often revolves around sowing financial seeds or making donations, with promises of prosperity in return. 

To add a layer of absurdity, one prosperity preacher I heard even suggested that Jesus Himself was wealthy. How could anyone read the Gospels and come to such a conclusion?

Here's how this line of thinking goes: 

Jesus must have been wealthy because he had a treasurer, a luxury typically inaccessible to the poor. 

Another prosperity preacher even went as far as to declare that being poor was a sin. So, what's happening here?

We have these religious leaders who meticulously adhere to external laws while also being avid money enthusiasts. 

They convince themselves that their wealth is a sign of God's favour, while Jesus' poverty signifies the opposite. In response to this exact mindset, Jesus launches into a dialogue, starting from verse 16 onwards.

15: He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. 

(Luke 16: 15)

So, what does Jesus say? In verse 15, He confronts their tendency to justify themselves before men, while God sees into their hearts. Essentially, they parade their righteousness through acts of charity, seeking recognition.

However, God isn't impressed by outward displays; He examines the motives behind their actions. In God's eyes, what humans hold in high esteem, especially the pursuit and flaunting of wealth, is detestable/ abhorrent to God.

The word used here both in Hebrew and Greek, reveals a meaning of disgust and repulsion. It's a visceral reaction—God finds the idea of equating spirituality with wealth utterly repugnant. 

The very thought of justifying oneself through material possessions churns His stomach.

So, in this passage, we see a seamless transition from the introduction of the subject of money in verse 14 to Jesus' critique of their misguided values in verse 15. It sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the topic as the passage unfolds.

Verse 16 presents a seemingly abrupt shift as Jesus references the law and the prophets. One might wonder why he suddenly brings up scripture. At first glance, it appears disconnected, leaving us scratching our heads. Listen

16 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

(Luke 16: 16-17)

The phrase "the law and the prophets" encompasses the entirety of the Old Testament scriptures, particularly emphasizing the law.

Here lies one of the Bible's most intriguing verses, shedding light on the relationship between the old and the new covenants. Jesus states that the law and the prophets were in force until the time of John the Baptist.

This statement holds profound theological significance, challenging the notion of a seamless continuation of the Old Testament into the New. We are no longer under the law; its purpose was fulfilled he said with John's arrival.

Since John's ministry, Jesus declares, the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed. 

Think about the opening of any of the synoptic gospels, and you'll find John the Baptist heralding the arrival of the Kingdom, followed by Jesus and His disciples. 

In verse 17, Jesus emphasizes the unyielding validity of the law. Not even the tiniest stroke of a pen will disappear until all is fulfilled. 

However, this fulfilment is no longer about following the legalistic minutiae of the law. It's about Jesus fulfilling the law's ultimate purpose through His life, death, and resurrection. 

This is meant to be a wake-up call to those who misunderstand its fulfilment in Him. Their preoccupation with wealth has blinded them to the spiritual truths embedded within the scriptures. 

Jesus is essentially saying, "You've missed the point. The scriptures find their fulfilment in me, and the Kingdom they promise is here now, as people embrace faith and are reborn into it. Your love of money has obscured your understanding of these profound truths."

At the outset, I emphasized the need for a warning label on money. What's the warning? It's that you can become so enamoured with wealth that you neglect spiritual truth. 

Jesus' message underscores this, cautioning against the peril of prioritizing material gain over spiritual understanding. Interestingly, you don't have to be wealthy to fall into this trap. In fact, poorer individuals might be even more susceptible, craving what they lack.

Materialism, I believe, is a prevalent sin in much of the world these days, infiltrating even the church.

We place excessive value on possessions, deriving our worth and status from them. Money has a way of blinding us to deeper spiritual realities.

The passage then takes a strange sort of left turn. So, let's try and unravel why Jesus suddenly discusses divorce in verse 18. 

18 “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

(Luke 16: 18)

Now you might say that money often plays a role in divorces, a valid observation. 

However, I propose another  much deeper layer to this discourse: it being about their misunderstanding of scripture affected their views on marriage and divorce.

To grasp the significance of Jesus' statement on divorce, we must understand the context of divorce in his time. Rather than the gut reaction of most to this passage in these days it is helpful to understand that Jesus intention here was to protect woman and find a safe environment for men and women to enjoy marriage and raise children within it.

The prevailing attitude was shockingly casual, divorce was as easy as signing a piece of paper. Some rabbis even permitted divorce for trivial reasons, such as burning a meal or speaking disrespectfully. The situation had become so dire that many women were hesitant to marry, and family life in Israel was suffering.

So, the connection between verses 16, 17, and verse 18 now can becomes clearer.

Jesus exposes their warped understanding of scripture, which, in turn, distorts their perspective on marriage and divorce. 

The broader principle outlined in verses 16 and 17 informs the specific application in verse 18. It's a sobering reminder of how our interpretation of scripture can profoundly impact our lives and society as a whole.

So, Jesus's assertion is clear: by disregarding the sanctity of marriage and divorcing for any reason, you're as good as committing adultery if you remarry. 

It sounds absolute, doesn't it? Yet, other passages seem to suggest exceptions. Matthew 5 and 19, for instance, mention "fornication" as grounds for divorce. 

Additionally, 1 Corinthians 7 discusses separation if an unbelieving spouse desires it. 

In my view, if these conditions are met, remarriage is permissible for a Christian believer. 

This interpretation was clarified for me by J. Vernon McGee, who in his studies of early New Testament culture highlighted the purpose of divorce decrees allowing remarriage prior to the era into which Jesus was born.

Jesus's stance in this passage might seem strict, but it was likely tailored to address the specific audience's scriptural misconceptions. 

However, in other contexts and passages we see him acknowledges the complexities of marital relationships.

Now, onto the unexpected shift to a story about two men—one in heaven and the other in Hades or hell.