Luke 16:17

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall.

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Other translations

WEBBE

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall.

BSB

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

ASV

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall.

Original Greek

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The early church

But lest they should suppose that in His words, the Law and the Prophets were until John, He preached the destruction of the Law or the Prophets, He obviates such a notion, adding, And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law should fail. For it is written, the fashion of this world passeth away. (1 Cor. 7:31.) But of the Law, not even the very extreme point of one letter, that is, not even the least things are destitute of spiritual sacraments. And yet the Law and the Prophets were until John, because that could always be prophesied as about to come, which by the preaching of John it was clear had come. But that which He spoke beforehand concerning the perpetual inviolability of the Law, He confirms by one testimony taken therefrom for the sake of example, saying, Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery; that from this one instance they should learn that He came not to destroy but to fulfil the commands of the Law.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Not that the Law failed, but that the preaching of the Gospel began; for that which is inferior seems to be completed when a better succeeds. For the Law delivered many things according to nature, as being more indulgent to our natural desires, that it might call us to the pursuit of righteousness. Christ breaks through nature as cutting off even our natural pleasures. But therefore we keep under nature, that it should not sink us down to earthly things, but raise us to heavenly.
Ambrose of Milan · d. 397Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 13–18

To this parable our Lord added a solemn warning. Ye cannot serve God and the world, so divided are the two interests. When our Lord spoke thus, the covetous Pharisees treated his instructions with contempt. But he warned them, that what they contended for as the law, was a wresting of its meaning: this our Lord showed in a case respecting divorce. There are many covetous sticklers for the forms of godliness, who are the bitterest enemies to its power, and try to set others against the truth.

Read Matthew Henry on Luke 16 →

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Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.