The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

[David in NJ]

As shown in this thread, this Parable is the conclusion to all the parables contained in 15 & 16 . If you want to deal with the evidence already put forward by all means do so; but from my perspective all you have put forward is ????

So lets continue with this Parable study shall we?

Post #19 updated

 

[face2face]

Luke 16:20 But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores , who longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table .

Now significantly, this beggar is outside the gate and the reason why it is significant is that this man is the only person NAMED in ANY parable of the Lord’s ministry!!

Lazarus is the Greek for “Eleazer” or “God is my help”.

And how true that was! God was his ONLY help!

He didn’t have anyone!

Another point which adds to the weight of this being a Parable....the NAME has a desired meaning!

The poor man is representative of all those who the Pharisees oppressed.

 

[David in NJ]

As shown in this thread, this Parable is the conclusion to all the parables contained in 15 & 16 . If you want to deal with the evidence already put forward by all means do so; but from my perspective all you have put forward is ????

So lets continue with this Parable study shall we?

You just proved the fallacy of your claim.

 

[face2face]

Did you get what was happening here in this Parable?

So everyday they brought him there and flung him down at the gate. So that rich man could NOT miss him!

If we can walk past a brother or sister in need see what John says:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:16-17

Jesus is asking the Pharisee to examine their motives?

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18

Opportunity was flung at his gate, but he ignored it!

Judgement is easy to discern when we look at how Jesus crafted this story!

It's perfectly woven!

 

[face2face]

You just proved the fallacy of your claim.

Sorry David, you have said nothing and offered nothing - I cant put that any clearer.

 

[face2face]

Adding to the drama of the Parable you have the poor man covered with “ulcers” – perhaps leprosy as per Lev 13:15

This was a picture Jesus would have seen in everyday life but its what he does with it which holds us in awe of his story telling skill.

 

[David in NJ]

Sorry David, you have said nothing and offered nothing - I cant put that any clearer.

Of course you can't because you have no choice = you blinded yourself.

 

[face2face]

Lets take a pause for a moment.

If you read the story from start to finish there is a notable absence stark in its omission.

Do you know what that is?

 

[face2face]

Of course you can't because you have no choice = you blinded yourself.

Speak to the evidence David (plenty there) all the rest is meaningless ramblings!

 

[David in NJ]

Speak to the evidence David (plenty there) all the rest is meaningless ramblings!

As i mentioned to you before = the clear evidence is in ch16

I really do not see meaningless ramblings in ch16..........

 

[face2face]

As i mentioned to you before = the clear evidence is in ch16

I really do not see meaningless ramblings in ch16..........

More meaningless ramblings David - surely you can see your annoyance here? You must have some self awareness, surely?

 

[face2face]

Lets take a pause for a moment.

If you read the story from start to finish there is a notable absence stark in its omission.

Do you know what that is?

The notable feature in this parable of the rich man and Lazarus is NOT ONCE is there any mention of the rich man giving Lazarus so much as a mustard seed!!

Every aspect of this Parable is calculated to prick the conscience of the Rich Man!

 

[face2face]

Now the Lord brings our attention to this Lazarus who is “afflicted”! Again this is Isaiah 58 ! And Isaiah 53 by the way! Luke in writing this account and being a doctor uses the word (1669) “helkoo” = “ulcerated”.

Jesus could well have leprosy in mind!

Lev 13:15 “And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: [for] the raw flesh [is] unclean: it [is] a leprosy.”

All Lazarus wanted was to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table!

Well the Pharisees had got around this by allowing beggars to WATCH him eat!

What a remarkable compassion (said sarcastically!)!

 

[face2face]

When a rich man did happen to spot a maggot or something in the bread, he would chuck it away!! Lucky for the poor beggar! But don’t forget he had to compete with the DOGS that were there also!!

But look what Luke says!

Luke 16:21 “And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”

No doubt we all have the same reaction! Ugh!!

Imagine a mangy, unkempt, snarling filthy brute, that roamed the streets as scavengers liking your sores?

Again, the Lord is drawing on real life experiences as he was oft to do in his ministry.

He was ever observant to his surrounding and carefully crafted these stories just at the right time!

F2F

 

[face2face]

Maybe dogs licking his sores was his only comfort from these filthy brutes, yet nothing from the elegant Pharisee! (compare the Parable of the good Samaritan with Priest and Levite!!!) Similar teaching, but nowhere near the rebuke they will receive in this Parable!
F2F

 

[David in NJ]

More meaningless ramblings David - surely you can see your annoyance here? You must have some self awareness, surely?

Absolutely as you just gave me a great laugh - here....

 

[face2face]

Seriously though, you would need to be a little clueless if you couldn't see Jesus here PAINTING a damning scenario!

It is not at all surprising that the beggar died!! And note that there is no mention of a burial here!

You see burial was a ceremony that conveyed great respect to the person concerned. And this poor fellow? Thrown on the smouldering garbage of Gehenna!!

Warning: Figurative and highly symbolic language coming!

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Before we begin this section of Scripture its worth considering the Masters teaching (intended audience) leading up to this record.

It's really important we see the sequence of thoughts leading up to this complex parable from Luke 15 - 16. The intended audience was clearly and squarely aimed at the Pharisees (a consistent rebuke):

Luke 15:1-2 Parables arose because of Jesus’ associations with publicans and sinners
Luke15:28 Churlish eldest son refuses to feast with repentant brother
Luke16:1 Unjust steward wastes his Lord’s goods
Luke16:4-7 Unfaithfully writes down debts owed to his Lord
Luke16:14 Parable applied to Pharisees as “lovers of money”
Luke16:19 Parable of rich man and Lazarus, consequences of their actions

Further to this, the Parable of the Rich man & Lazarus is based upon the Pharisees own false teachings, and as we shall see, the Master revealed with great skill how they would be condemned by their own parable!

Possibly one of the most cleverly crafted parables in all the Gospel record.

The Bible reader must accept two facts before starting this study:

1. It's a parable that uses real names
2. It's a rebuke of the Pharisees

Warning: this parable contains extreme symbolism and highly figurative language - care is required!

So lets begin.

IT IS NOT A PARABLE!
This is not symbolic language, and is to be taken literally. Why?
Parables DO NOT include specific names of real people, like Abraham, nor his spiritual location. Prior to Christ death and resurrection, Sheol was divided into two locations, one for the faithful to God and the other for the unfaithful, wicked reprobates.
It is also clear that the Rich man and Lazarus are real souls as well.

The Rich man's location is therefore real.

>Why describe two separate and distinct locations that exist after death _ in detail _ to symbolize something else if they did not exist?
>What moral truth would be gained from something abstract?

Jesus' parables were always about common experiences that people could relate to and draw meaning out of. His parables did not use detailed descriptions of fictional, abstract territories!

The message to all is a stark warning. This Rich man died and went to a place of loneliness, fire and torment. This wasn't his grave or tomb. He didn't become extinct when he died nor was he asleep. He was conscious! He asks for water, a drop, because when Lazarus was alive, he begged for scraps of food. Notice how the Rich man's pride is no longer with him - he is humbled. I don't know if it's real humility or just an act of manipulation? He was hoping for mercy, to receive more than a drop. When he realized there would be no relief for him, he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers ( who were also real people) to warn them of this place.
> Abraham also made it clear that these two locations were separated by a gulf(chasm) that no one from either location could pass over!

> The last line of the story points to another reality and parallel to this story, Jesus death and resurrection.

This whole story alludes also to judgments throughout the Bible that speak of fire and torment that ultimately leads to destruction. There is no hope for that Rich man or anyone else who is cast there, no second chance, no Purgatory, no, no redemption. This is what death means without faith in God, which is the primary reason we have a Savior. But we must believe that He is our Savior.

 

[David in NJ]

Seriously though, you would need to be a little clueless if you couldn't see Jesus here PAINTING a damning scenario!

It is not at all surprising that the beggar died!! And note that there is no mention of a burial here!

You see burial was a ceremony that conveyed great respect to the person concerned. And this poor fellow? Thrown on the smouldering garbage of Gehenna!!

Warning: Figurative and highly symbolic language coming!

SEE, i told you it was not a parable and that it was SELF-EVIDENT by the very words of Christ = Post #38

Simple Truth = the LORD Jesus Christ transitions from a parable 16:1-13 to DIRECT REALITY in 16:14-18 and HE finalizes HIS parable of 16:1-13 with the ACTUAL REALITY in 16:16-31

 

[dev553344]

I would tend to agree with everyone else, this is not a parable. A parable uses symbolism and metaphors which this story does not. It is a direct example of two people, where one goes to paradise for having lived a painful existence and begging for scraps, the other goes to spirit prison for not having charity as the Sheep and Goats points out.