There is much question and debate over whether the words of Jesus in Luke 16:19-31 were intended to be understood literally or as a parable. Some people feel that Jesus was offering a glimpse of what existence in the afterlife is like. But then we have numerous passages of Scripture that seem to contradict the portrayal of heaven and hell contained in this passage, so was Jesus teaching an altogether different kind of lesson. Lets take a look and see if we get a better understanding what lessons there are for us in the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
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.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The Websters describes a parable as 'a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle' and another 'a short, allegorical story designed to convey a truth or moral lesson.' Whatever form the parable took, it was only a vehicle for the moral lesson being taught.
Jesus recognized the value of parables in teaching the people. He desired to stimulate their deepest thought and contemplation, and He knew that if He spoke too literally, certain of His hearers would not understand or quickly forget His words. Not only that, but others, for whom certain of His parables contained stern rebuke, would be so angered by straight speaking that they would attempt to silence Him. Christ made use of them to veil the truth from those who were not willing to see it. Those who really desired to know would not rest till they had found out the meaning.”
So to whom Jesus was speaking in this parable and which kind of people was He dealing with. The last verse before He begins in this passage tells us.
Luke 16:14
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, and you can see right here they 'derided him', so we have a group who were notorious for their refusal to deal with Christ honestly and the truths He taught. So we can see Jesus dealt with them with what was distinct but truthful. The safest way for Him to do this was by parable and allegory, and this is what He did here. Lets look at the text..
Luke 16:19-21
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 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.
You see how it begins, its like the other parables
Matthew 21:33
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
So lets look at the text and who was the symbolic rich man. The Jews had been blessed by God so felt themselves above other nations. And only a Jew would pray to “Father Abraham,” so its clear the Jewish nation was represented by this character. By contrast, Lazarus symbolized all those people in spiritual poverty, or the Gentiles who they really were supposed to share what God had given them.
But the Jews had not shared their spiritual wealth with the Gentiles at all. Instead, they considered them unclean or as 'dogs' that would have to be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table. The metaphor was known. Jesus had used it before in testing the faith of the Canaanite woman and we see the response.
Matthew 15:26-27
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
The rich Jews had hoarded the truth, and in so doing, they had corrupted themselves. Only moments before relating this parable, Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees for their spiritual conceit in verse 15.
Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
So we continue in the parable with verse 22..
Luke 16:26
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
The Jews, rich in spiritual blessing, had enjoyed 'the good life' while on earth but had done nothing to bless or enrich their neighbors. Conversely, the poor in spirit, symbolized by Lazarus, would inherit the kingdom of heaven. The Gentiles who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled. The “dogs” and sinners, so despised by the self-righteous Pharisees, would enter heaven before they would.
The parable concludes with the rich man begging for his brethren to be warned against sharing his fate. Asking Abraham to send Lazarus on this mission, he alleges “if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” in verse 30 and Abraham replies, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Verse 31.
Jesus was using the parable to rebuke the Pharisees for their disregard of the Scriptures, foreseeing that even a such an event would not change the hearts of those who would not hear or rejected the teachings of “Moses and the prophets.” The miracle of raising the real life Lazarus from the dead soon afterward confirmed the accuracy of Jesus’ words. One did rise from the dead, yet the brothers of the “rich man” did not repent. In fact, the Pharisees even plotted to kill Lazarus after his resurrection.
John 12:9-10
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
His very life was a reminder to them of their own hypocrisy, as the simple people believed, but those who should have known, did not..
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
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.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The Websters describes a parable as 'a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle' and another 'a short, allegorical story designed to convey a truth or moral lesson.' Whatever form the parable took, it was only a vehicle for the moral lesson being taught.
Jesus recognized the value of parables in teaching the people. He desired to stimulate their deepest thought and contemplation, and He knew that if He spoke too literally, certain of His hearers would not understand or quickly forget His words. Not only that, but others, for whom certain of His parables contained stern rebuke, would be so angered by straight speaking that they would attempt to silence Him. Christ made use of them to veil the truth from those who were not willing to see it. Those who really desired to know would not rest till they had found out the meaning.”
So to whom Jesus was speaking in this parable and which kind of people was He dealing with. The last verse before He begins in this passage tells us.
Luke 16:14
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, and you can see right here they 'derided him', so we have a group who were notorious for their refusal to deal with Christ honestly and the truths He taught. So we can see Jesus dealt with them with what was distinct but truthful. The safest way for Him to do this was by parable and allegory, and this is what He did here. Lets look at the text..
Luke 16:19-21
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 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.
You see how it begins, its like the other parables
Matthew 21:33
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
So lets look at the text and who was the symbolic rich man. The Jews had been blessed by God so felt themselves above other nations. And only a Jew would pray to “Father Abraham,” so its clear the Jewish nation was represented by this character. By contrast, Lazarus symbolized all those people in spiritual poverty, or the Gentiles who they really were supposed to share what God had given them.
But the Jews had not shared their spiritual wealth with the Gentiles at all. Instead, they considered them unclean or as 'dogs' that would have to be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table. The metaphor was known. Jesus had used it before in testing the faith of the Canaanite woman and we see the response.
Matthew 15:26-27
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
The rich Jews had hoarded the truth, and in so doing, they had corrupted themselves. Only moments before relating this parable, Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees for their spiritual conceit in verse 15.
Luke 16:15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
So we continue in the parable with verse 22..
Luke 16:26
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
The Jews, rich in spiritual blessing, had enjoyed 'the good life' while on earth but had done nothing to bless or enrich their neighbors. Conversely, the poor in spirit, symbolized by Lazarus, would inherit the kingdom of heaven. The Gentiles who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled. The “dogs” and sinners, so despised by the self-righteous Pharisees, would enter heaven before they would.
The parable concludes with the rich man begging for his brethren to be warned against sharing his fate. Asking Abraham to send Lazarus on this mission, he alleges “if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” in verse 30 and Abraham replies, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Verse 31.
Jesus was using the parable to rebuke the Pharisees for their disregard of the Scriptures, foreseeing that even a such an event would not change the hearts of those who would not hear or rejected the teachings of “Moses and the prophets.” The miracle of raising the real life Lazarus from the dead soon afterward confirmed the accuracy of Jesus’ words. One did rise from the dead, yet the brothers of the “rich man” did not repent. In fact, the Pharisees even plotted to kill Lazarus after his resurrection.
John 12:9-10
9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
His very life was a reminder to them of their own hypocrisy, as the simple people believed, but those who should have known, did not..
