The rich man and the beggar at his gate?

Waiting on him said:

This would make for a good topic, because if we truly believe scripture as to be the infallible word if God,, then we also have too acknowledge that the wolves infact did rush in and they should be easy too identify?

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i agree; however, obv the wolves will not i guess, huh?

The illustration of "The Rich Man and Lazarus" at Luke 16:19-31, is Jesus response to the Pharisees taunting him after he had given another illustration of a steward who was accused of wasting his master's goods and then said "to make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches (or make wise use of them), so that when such fail (at Armageddon, Rev 16:16; see also Isa 2:10-12, 20, 21), they (God [whose personal name is Jehovah, Isa 26:4] and Jesus) may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places".(Luke 16:1-8)

Then Jesus continues his explanation of the wise use of money by saying: "Therefore, if you have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with the unrighteous riches (able to manage them appropriately, having no love of money, 1 Tim 6:9, 10), who will entrust you with what is true (or be entrusted with "Kingdom interests", see Matt 25:14-30) ? And if you have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with what belongs to another (such as managing another person's monies or goods without "dipping into the till", or taking money or goods for personal use), who will give you something for yourselves (because this person showed greed instead of loyalty) ?".(Luke 16:11, 12)

Now Jesus brings this "to a head", by saying: "No servant can be a slave to two masters (God and money), for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves to God and to Riches".(Luke 16:13)

But at Luke 16:14, it states: "Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him". Yes sir, the Jewish Pharisees were "money lovers" rather than lovers of Jehovah God, though in a covenant relationship (Ex 19:5, 6), so that Jesus now says: "You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men (see Matt 6:1, 2; 23:1-7), but God knows your hearts. For what is considered exalted by men is a disgusting thing ("abomination", KJV) in God's sight".(Luke 16:15)

Jesus now shows that a transition is in place, from the Mosaic Law covenant that will soon become "obsolete" (Heb 8:13) to the one that will replace it (the ' new covenant for a kingdom ', Luke 22:29), telling his Jewish audience (that includes the greedy Pharisees): "The Law and the Prophets were until John (the Baptist, that marked a "new era" or change). From then on, the Kingdom of God is being declared as good news, and every sort of person is pressing forward toward it. Indeed, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter (literally "iota", or the smallest of Greek letters, being basically no larger than a period at the end of this sentence) to go unfulfilled".(Luke 16:16, 17)

Now Jesus gives some "new" instructions concerning marriage, that the Pharisees had contested shortly before, asking: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on every sort of ground ?".(Matt 19:3-9; see also Deut 24:1) He says: "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery (restoring the original marital arrangement of one husband with one wife, so that they work together as "one flesh", with no divorce allowed on frivolous grounds, Gen 2:24)

So Jesus now gives an illustration exposing the Jewish religious leaders for who they really are, saying: "There was a rich man (the Jewish religious leaders, especially the Pharisees, which title meant "separated ones") who used to dress himself in purple and linen (or the finest material, with purple being a color of royalty), enjoying himself day after day with magnificence. But a beggar named Lazarus (or the common Jewish people who began to accept Jesus, called by Pharisees the contemptuous Hebrew term of ‛am-ha·’a´rets, that literally meant "the people of the land", John 7:47-49) used to to be put at his gate, covered with ulcers and desiring to be filled with the things ("crumbs", KJV) dropping from the table of the rich man (or Jewish religious leaders). Now in the course of time, the beggar died (or died with respect to their former spiritually deprived condition, receiving "true food" from Jesus [see John 6:55], and come into a position of divine favor) and was carried off by the angels to Abraham's side (that pictures Jehovah God or his favor)".(Luke 16:19-22)

"Also the rich man died (or died with respect to their favor with God and now comes under divine disfavor because of their consistent failure to provide any spiritual food at all, just "crumbs" or really nothing at all spiritually) and was buried (or lost all their spiritual privileges, due to being totally negligent, and wanting to be "somebody" in the common people's view, sticking their noses in the air and looking down on the common Jew, and refusing Jesus Kingdom message)".(Luke 16:22b)

"And in the Grave he lifted up his eyes, being in torments (from the scathing judgments pronounced against the Jewish religious leaders by Jesus, see Matt 16:5-12; chapter 23), and he saw Abraham from afar and Lazarus by his side (or "in his bosom"). So he called and said, ' Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue (or give the Jewish religious leaders some "relief" by letting up on the scathing judgment messages against us), for I am in anguish in this blazing fire".(Luke 16:23, 24)

"But Abraham said, ' Child, remember that you had your fill of good things in your lifetime, but Lazarus for his part, received bad things (or "crumbs" from the Jewish religious leaders, so that they were spiritually sick). Now, however, he is being comforted here (being in Jehovah's favor, accepting Jesus Kingdom message), but you are in anguish (or tormented by Jesus strong judgment messages against them)".(Luke 16:25)

How just and proper for such a dramatic reversal take place between the Jewish religious leaders ("the rich man") who despised Jesus and the common Jewish people ("Lazarus") who now looked to Jesus for "true food" instead of the "crumbs" from the Jewish religious leaders.
This reversal or change was accomplished at Pentecost 33 C.E., when the old Law covenant was replaced by the "new covenant".(see Jer 31:31-34) The Jewish religious system was now "obsolete" (Heb 8:13), being replaced by Christianity with its "new covenant for a kingdom".(Luke 22:29)

Jesus establishes that there would be a "great chasm" or divide between the soon-to-be obsolete Jewish false religious system and that of true Christianity, so that the two cannot be crossed or mixed together, such as what is called "interfaith".(Luke 16:26; see also Matt 9:16, 17)

The "rich man" now asks for "Abraham" to send someone to the ' house of his five brothers ' in order to "give them a thorough witness so that they will not come into this place of torment". But "Abraham" tells the "rich man", that ' they have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these".(Luke 16:27-29)

But the "rich man" replies: "No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent". But "Abraham" responds: 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead".(Luke 16:30, 31)

Jesus establishes that Jehovah God will not provide special signs or miracles to convince people. They must read and apply the Holy Scriptures if they want his favor, going to "house of the mountain of Jehovah".(Isa 2:2-4)

bbyrd009 said:

Notice how it’s not “Lazarus and the rich man,” as normal sentence structure would dictate? And for what it’s worth Lazarus is a Greek name, Not a Hebrew one

How is it you did not know I was not talking about bread?

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Jesus and his disciples spoke Greek predominantly.

Truther said:

Jesus and his disciples spoke Greek predominantly.

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ha

Waiting on him said:

In this parable are they two separate individuals, or are they one in the same?

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How could they be the same person?

Waiting on him said:

Isaiah 45:7 KJV
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

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Yes!! Most would feel and see their own judgment as a evil.

Waiting on him said:

Isaiah 45:7 KJV
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

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I'm not sure how this relates. I just don't see how anyone can read it as them being the same person.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

The begger died then later the rich man died. Where are you getting that the rich man was Lazurus? Or did you mean something else?

Waiting on him said:

When and if judgement comes we should rejoice.

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OH! Get ready.