Luke 16:16

The law and the prophets. That is, the canonical writings of the OT (see Matt. 5:17; 7:12; 22:40; Luke 24:27, 44; Acts 13:15; 28:23; see on Luke 24:44).

Until John. That is, John the Baptist. “Until” (Gr. mechri) in no way implies — as some superficial exponents of Scripture would have us believe — that “the law and the prophets,” the OT Scriptures, in any way lost their value or force when John began to preach. What Jesus here means is that until the ministry of John “the law and the prophets” were all that men had. The gospel came, not to replace or annul what Moses and the prophets had written, but rather to supplement, to reinforce, to confirm those writings (see on Matt. 5:17-19). The gospel does not stand in place of the OT, but in addition to it. This is clearly the sense in which mechri (also translated “to”) is used in such passages of Scripture as Matt. 28:15 and Rom. 5:14.

Throughout the NT there is no instance in which the OT is in any way belittled. On the contrary, it was in the OT Scriptures that NT believers found the strongest confirmation of their faith; in fact, the OT was the only Bible that the first-generation NT church possessed (see on John 5:39). They did not despise it, as do some today who call themselves Christians, but honored and cherished it. In fact, upon this very occasion Jesus set forth the writings of the OT as sufficient to guide men to heaven (see Luke 16:29-31). Those who teach that the OT Scriptures are without value or authority for the Christian, teach contrary to what Christ taught. Paul affirmed that his teachings included “none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come” (Acts 26:22). In his teaching Paul referred constantly to “the law of Moses” and to “the prophets” (see Acts 28:23).

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus made it clear that His teachings in no way set aside those of the OT. He emphatically declared that He did not come to take from the OT Scriptures the least “jot” or “title” (see on Matt. 5:18). When He declared, “but I say unto you” (see on v. 22), the contrast He drew between the teachings of the OT and His teachings was not intended to diminish the value or importance of the former, but rather to free them from the narrow concepts of the Jews of His day and to amplify and strengthen them.

Since that time. Since the proclamation of the kingdom of God by John the Baptist, additional light had been shining upon the pathway of salvation, and the Pharisees had no excuse whatever for being “covetous” (see v. 14). There had been sufficient light for them in the OT (see vs. 29-31), but they had rejected that light (see John 5:45-47); now they took the same attitude toward the increased light shining forth through the life and teachings of Jesus (see John 1:4; 14:6).

Every man. Probably Jesus is here referring to the vast throngs that followed Him wherever He went in Peraea (see on chs. 12:1; 14:25; 15:1). There was tremendous, though sometimes misguided, interest in Him personally and in His miracles and teachings.

Presseth. Gr. biazd, “to use force,” or “to apply force.” See on Matt. 11:12, 13 for a discussion of the meaning of Luke 16:16.