Luke 16:19-31
19-There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and linen, enjoying himself day after day with magnificence. 20 But a beggar named Lazʹa·rus used to be put at his gate, covered with ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, even the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in the course of time, the beggar died and was carried off by the angels to Abraham’s side.
“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in the Grave he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and he saw Abraham from afar and Lazʹa·rus by his side. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazʹa·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you had your fill of good things in your lifetime, but Lazʹa·rus for his part received bad things. Now, however, he is being comforted here, but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to go over from here to you cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘That being so, I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
So many people try to convince me this was an actual historic event that literally happened.That Luke 16:19-31 has to be taken literally. Now how other people choose to see or take Luke 16:19-31 either literally as some actual historic event or some illustration or parable is their choice. Many people don't agree on the scriptures, or the beliefs that make up the true Christian belief. That's why there are so many religious organizations called Christian religions and denominations. It's always been a personal choice of what people choose to believe is true, who the True God is, whether Jesus is God or the Only Begotten Son of Son, these are matters of personal choice. The Bible is full of scriptures that tell us to study his word. Us means God is telling us as individuals to study his word to make sure for ourselves what the truth is.
I believe Luke 16:19-31 is to be taken as a parable or illustration. Jesus told his Apostles and disciples that he would talk to the majority of the Jews, especially the ones such as the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees in illustrations or parables. Matthew 13:10-15; 13:34, 35; Mark 4:33, 34; The scriptures show us that many disregard the scriptures especially the commandments of God in order to keep there tradition, or their preconceived ideas of what the truth is. Mark 7:9 So many of the Jews such as the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees had some preconceived opinions and wrong motives.
For the sake of argument, lets say that Jesus listeners did think it was an actual incident, that doesn't prove that it was, instead it proves just the opposite. Because as the scriptures explicitly tell us that the reason Jesus spoke in parables or illustrations was, that they might not understand. The scripture says at Luke 8:10: “To you [his disciples] it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of God, but for the rest it is in parables/illustrations, in order that, though looking, they may look in vain and, though hearing, they may not get the meaning.” Obviously, whatever meaning his listeners got from the illustration was bound to be the wrong one.
Now i know some may object because they may say something like, "Jesus did not indicate in so many words that this was an illustration." But is it really necessary that Jesus do this every time, when we have the plain statement at Matthew 13:34 that says “without an illustration he would not speak to them." The mere fact that names are given cannot be used as an argument against its being an illustration after all the rich man isn't given a name. In view of all the evidence that proves that to take it literally is to go against reason and common sense and it contradicts the rest of God’s Word.
In this illustration or parable we read of a rich man clothed in purple and fine linen who lived in magnificence and of a beggar named Lazarus who sat at his gate, full of ulcers, and who craved the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Each in their own time died. Lazarus was taken by angels to recline upon Abraham’s bosom whereas the rich man was buried, and in Hades suffered torment and from which place he saw Lazarus. Luke 16:19-23,
What we need to understand here is that not one word is said about Lazarus’ having been a good man, about his having had faith and proving it by works; both of which are necessary to gain everlasting life. (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 2:14-26) and where in the scriptures does it say mere wretchedness, poverty and disease are a guarantee of salvation?
Also there is not a word about the rich man’s having been wicked. What kind of reasoning and by what principles of justice are we going by that says simply because a man enjoyed the good things of this life to the full for many years he must suffer the agonies of a burning hell for billions times billions of years, yes, for eternity? Even fallen, imperfect man appreciates that justice requires that “the punishment fit the crime,” and certainly God is more just than man. Abraham, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, all had great wealth; That fact doesn't doom them to eternal torment.
Also Jesus in his arguments with the Jewish clergy there was evidence of a fine sense of logic, second to none. Would he give such a dire warning on the wages of sin and not even mention sin, or tell of the rewards of faith and obedience and not even mention faith and obedience.Had Jesus meant to warn his listeners about eternal torment he certainly would have stressed these points; but he said nothing about sin, faith or obedience.
Not only that, but we read that Lazarus was carried off to Abraham’s bosom. His bosom, we suppose to take that literally that all righteous people who are saved are literally in Abraham bosom. So we're to just forget about heaven right, it doesn't exist because all who are saved are literally in Abraham bosom, and if someone says, we are to take Abrahams bosom as a figure of speech, why do they insist that what befell the rich man be taken literally? It simply does not make sense to take one part of the account literally and another part figuratively.
Another thing I find interesting is that this is the only place in all the Scriptures where consciousness and suffering are associated with Hades. Neither can it be claimed that before Jesus’ death Hades had two compartments, one for the good and the other for the wicked, and that after he died for man’s sin then the good went to heaven, for at the time Jesus spoke this illustration he had not yet died. That Hades is used figuratively is apparent from Revelation 6:8, 9, where Hades is shown as riding horseback, and also at Revelation 20:14, where Hades is shown, not as being the lake of fire, but as being itself cast into the lake of fire.
19-There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and linen, enjoying himself day after day with magnificence. 20 But a beggar named Lazʹa·rus used to be put at his gate, covered with ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, even the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in the course of time, the beggar died and was carried off by the angels to Abraham’s side.
“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in the Grave he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and he saw Abraham from afar and Lazʹa·rus by his side. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazʹa·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you had your fill of good things in your lifetime, but Lazʹa·rus for his part received bad things. Now, however, he is being comforted here, but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to go over from here to you cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘That being so, I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
So many people try to convince me this was an actual historic event that literally happened.That Luke 16:19-31 has to be taken literally. Now how other people choose to see or take Luke 16:19-31 either literally as some actual historic event or some illustration or parable is their choice. Many people don't agree on the scriptures, or the beliefs that make up the true Christian belief. That's why there are so many religious organizations called Christian religions and denominations. It's always been a personal choice of what people choose to believe is true, who the True God is, whether Jesus is God or the Only Begotten Son of Son, these are matters of personal choice. The Bible is full of scriptures that tell us to study his word. Us means God is telling us as individuals to study his word to make sure for ourselves what the truth is.
I believe Luke 16:19-31 is to be taken as a parable or illustration. Jesus told his Apostles and disciples that he would talk to the majority of the Jews, especially the ones such as the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees in illustrations or parables. Matthew 13:10-15; 13:34, 35; Mark 4:33, 34; The scriptures show us that many disregard the scriptures especially the commandments of God in order to keep there tradition, or their preconceived ideas of what the truth is. Mark 7:9 So many of the Jews such as the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees had some preconceived opinions and wrong motives.
For the sake of argument, lets say that Jesus listeners did think it was an actual incident, that doesn't prove that it was, instead it proves just the opposite. Because as the scriptures explicitly tell us that the reason Jesus spoke in parables or illustrations was, that they might not understand. The scripture says at Luke 8:10: “To you [his disciples] it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of God, but for the rest it is in parables/illustrations, in order that, though looking, they may look in vain and, though hearing, they may not get the meaning.” Obviously, whatever meaning his listeners got from the illustration was bound to be the wrong one.
Now i know some may object because they may say something like, "Jesus did not indicate in so many words that this was an illustration." But is it really necessary that Jesus do this every time, when we have the plain statement at Matthew 13:34 that says “without an illustration he would not speak to them." The mere fact that names are given cannot be used as an argument against its being an illustration after all the rich man isn't given a name. In view of all the evidence that proves that to take it literally is to go against reason and common sense and it contradicts the rest of God’s Word.
In this illustration or parable we read of a rich man clothed in purple and fine linen who lived in magnificence and of a beggar named Lazarus who sat at his gate, full of ulcers, and who craved the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Each in their own time died. Lazarus was taken by angels to recline upon Abraham’s bosom whereas the rich man was buried, and in Hades suffered torment and from which place he saw Lazarus. Luke 16:19-23,
What we need to understand here is that not one word is said about Lazarus’ having been a good man, about his having had faith and proving it by works; both of which are necessary to gain everlasting life. (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 2:14-26) and where in the scriptures does it say mere wretchedness, poverty and disease are a guarantee of salvation?
Also there is not a word about the rich man’s having been wicked. What kind of reasoning and by what principles of justice are we going by that says simply because a man enjoyed the good things of this life to the full for many years he must suffer the agonies of a burning hell for billions times billions of years, yes, for eternity? Even fallen, imperfect man appreciates that justice requires that “the punishment fit the crime,” and certainly God is more just than man. Abraham, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, all had great wealth; That fact doesn't doom them to eternal torment.
Also Jesus in his arguments with the Jewish clergy there was evidence of a fine sense of logic, second to none. Would he give such a dire warning on the wages of sin and not even mention sin, or tell of the rewards of faith and obedience and not even mention faith and obedience.Had Jesus meant to warn his listeners about eternal torment he certainly would have stressed these points; but he said nothing about sin, faith or obedience.
Not only that, but we read that Lazarus was carried off to Abraham’s bosom. His bosom, we suppose to take that literally that all righteous people who are saved are literally in Abraham bosom. So we're to just forget about heaven right, it doesn't exist because all who are saved are literally in Abraham bosom, and if someone says, we are to take Abrahams bosom as a figure of speech, why do they insist that what befell the rich man be taken literally? It simply does not make sense to take one part of the account literally and another part figuratively.
Another thing I find interesting is that this is the only place in all the Scriptures where consciousness and suffering are associated with Hades. Neither can it be claimed that before Jesus’ death Hades had two compartments, one for the good and the other for the wicked, and that after he died for man’s sin then the good went to heaven, for at the time Jesus spoke this illustration he had not yet died. That Hades is used figuratively is apparent from Revelation 6:8, 9, where Hades is shown as riding horseback, and also at Revelation 20:14, where Hades is shown, not as being the lake of fire, but as being itself cast into the lake of fire.
