LUKE 16:16 : Wala Na Bang Prophets?
By Bro. Nathan
" The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John came; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it." (Lk. 16:16) New American Standard Bible
By their poor understanding sa context ng text, ginagamit ng mga Anti-mormons ang Lk. 16:16 (cf Mt. 11-13) para sabihin na "we no longer need prophets". This is easy to refute because of the fact na hindi actual na person na Prophet ang tinutukoy dito pero yung isang part ng canon ng Tanakh or division ng Old Testament which is literally, the Prophets! —Mt. 7:12; Lk. 24:44; Jn. 1:45
First, let's break down yung Old Testament sa parts nito sa Jewish canon :
Torah - The Law
Nevim - The Prophets
Ketuvim - The Writings
Ang word dito na "prophets" do not actually refer sa office ng prophets but sa writings ng mga Old Testament Prophets. It's abook as confirmed by the following na passages sa Bible. Acts 13:15 reads na binabasa ang Law and Prophets :
"And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.”" (Acts 13:15) NKJV
Other verses say :
"Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?" (Acts 7:42) NKJV
"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets." (Acts 24:14) NKJV
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”" (Gal. 3:10) NKJV
Isang dahilan ay na dahil si John at yung ibang Jewish leaders ay naga-adhere sila sa Torah at Nevim. kumbaga ito yung naging theological "framework" and we also take note na ang Law ay ang preparatory law (Gal. 3:24) but when Christ came, there is no need for it (v. 25). building the kingdom of God ay ang nasa context and we see here na ang Kingdom of God can't be built upon the theological framework ng Law (Torah) at ng Prophets (Nevim) but through Christ. Ang proclamation ng Kingdom of God ay hindi nagsimula kay John the Baptist pero kay Jesus Christ (Mk. 1:15; Lk. 4:43; 8:1; 11:20; 17:21; Acts 1:6; Rev. 19:16). Tanging ang dalawang parts na ito ng Old Testament ang nagcame to pass but not the office ng isang Prophet that serves as the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.—1 Cor. 12:12-31; Eph. 2:19-20; 4:11-14
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