Luke 16:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

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

NASB: Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

CSB: "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

NLT: For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.'

KJV: Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.

NKJV: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Jesus has been explaining how the Mosaic law is not salvation, all by itself, but the teacher that leads the Jews to salvation (Galatians 3:24). The Law revealed that man could not be righteous enough to earn salvation; they had to be saved by grace through faith in what God promised. But the Law also taught Israel how to live in light of their identity as God's people. Even in Jesus' time, obeying the Mosaic law was how the Jews lived out their faith in God and how they loved God and others.

Jesus' words here are more strict than what is given in the Mosaic law. He has said that the Law will not "become void" or "fail" (NASB) (Luke 16:17). That doesn't mean His disciples have to follow each individual command in the Mosaic law but that we must apply the spirit of the Law—love God and love others (Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27)—to our own time and place. The context of most of the chapter is generosity with money (Luke 16:1–8). Here, the application is to take marriage very seriously and love each other well.

In Mark 10:12, Jesus also talks about a wife divorcing her husband. In Luke, He is speaking directly to the Pharisees who are all men. In Matthew's extended version (Matthew 19:3–12), the disciples respond, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry" (Matthew 19:10). Even the disciples assumed that if they didn't like their wives, they could divorce and find another. Paul will later say that if a couple divorces for reasons other than infidelity, they should remain single or remarry each other (1 Corinthians 7:10–11). We easily forget how seriously God takes marriage.

Luke 16:14–18 exposes the Pharisees' twisted relationship between their hearts, the Mosaic law, and the kingdom of God. They love money, and so reject Jesus' assertions about the antagonistic relationship between chasing wealth and following God. Jesus points out that this is a problem with their hearts, not the Law. He then gives another example: the callous way in which men divorce their wives. Next, Jesus will tell the story of the rich man and Lazarus, warning the Pharisees to let the Scriptures lead them to Him (Luke 16:19–31).

Teaching His disciples and confronting the Pharisees, Jesus offers several lessons about wealth and devotion to God. The first is a parable about a dishonest manager. This illustrates the value of being careful and clever with earthly resources. Jesus then uses remarks about the Law and marriage to introduce the story of the rich man and Lazarus. This not only highlights the dangers of greed, but it also debunks the common claim that a non-believer would submit to God if only they saw "a little more evidence" or a miracle.

The prior chapter included Jesus' teachings centered on lost things: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. Luke 16 includes several of Jesus' lessons about living in the kingdom of God compared to the world system, beginning and ending with parables (Luke 16:1—17:10). Chapter 16 includes the parable of the dishonest manager, Jesus' teaching on how money reveals faith, and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 17:1–10 teaches about whether Christ-followers bear responsibility for others' sin, lessons about faith, and the parable of the unworthy servants.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.