כ"ו בשבט ה'תשס"ט (Feb 20, 2009) (Print )
Understanding Luke 16:16-17 (The Law Until John)
Matthew 11:13
παντες #G3956 γαρ #G1063{FOR ALL} οι #G3588{THE} προφηται #G4396{PROPHETS} και #G2532{AND} ο #G3588{THE} νομος #G3551{LAW} εως #G2193{UNTIL} ιωαννου #G2491{JOHN} προεφητευσαν #G4395 #G5656{PROPHESIED.}
προεφητευσαν #G4395 #G5656{PROPHESIED.}
If one realizes that prophecy is simply the speaking of God to man through men, then it’s not the Law that ceases, but rather God’s prophecy, and specifically only that which John prophesied concerning the Kingdom of God – the Messiah. In short, the need for prophecy concerning who the Messiah is what ceases because the Messiah (the Kingdom of God) has now come.
Interestingly enough, if one were to take this verse to mean that the Law and Prophets and the Writings were until John, then that could be taken as an unequivocal statement from Messiah Yeshua himself that the TaNaKh is a closed canon – thus nullifying the Latter Writings of the talmidim of Yeshua as being scripture. But we know this is not what he means, since it is prophecy concerning himself is what he is talking about.