Luke 16:16-17
What is written? (ESV)
The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.
What does it say?
The Law and Prophets were until John (the Baptist), but since him the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces their way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of the Law to fail.
What is its immediate context?
During the public ministry of Christ when he is sharing various truths and parables. Here Jesus makes points about the dangers of riches and the sin of divorce – two everlasting and Covenant-transcending truths – to make the ultimate point about the everlasting nature of God’s eternal word. This is stated by Jesus elsewhere, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:11-15)
How Luke 16:16-17 is applied across Bible answers
Are Christians under the Ten Commandments today?
Jesus heralds a new covenant to replace the old covenant that was "until John" and describes it as the gospel of the "kingdom of God". He wants to contrast His message and the precedence it takes over the Mosaic law with its Ten Commandments, but makes the point that God's word as a whole will never become void.
Importantly, Jesus qualifies the transition of the Old Covenant (e.g. "Ten Commandments") with the New Covenant by emphasizing that "God's Law"6 will remain forever.
Do the “heavens and earth” equal the Law? (Preterist John Watson)
Jesus uses the "heaven and earth" (literally) as a testimony to the permanence of God's word. He contrasts and marks the transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant, but His bigger point (and main point here) is to stress God's moral law (vs 17 "the Law") and His word generally is everlasting. In other words, His creation will cease before any of His Word would become void.
This is in the midst of two everlasting moral truths pertaining to God's moral law - a haughty and puffed-up spirit (vs 15 and the parable of the "Rich Man and Lazarus" that follows) and the marriage covenant between one man and one woman (vs 18). Both of these are principles that supersede and are constants to both Old Covenant and New.
How will heaven and earth pass away?
The passing of the heavens and earth is used by Jesus to contrast the eternal nature of God's word. Jesus is effectively saying, "Even the seemingly fixed nature of the heavens and earth will pass away before God's word."
