The Rich Man and Lazarus
In Luke chapter 16 Jesus tells the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
Luke 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
The narrative begins with a wealthy man, impeccably dressed, indulging in a lifestyle of luxury and grandeur, living splendidly, just like one of the Pharisees. Jesus refers to him as a 'certain' rich man, suggesting that this could be a real account rather than a fictional one.
Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
It was customary to place impoverished and ailing individuals at the entrance of a wealthy person's estate, hoping that they would receive some form of assistance and support in their struggle for survival.
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.
Lazarus, the beggar, longed to eat the leftovers and crumbs that fell from the rich man's bountiful table. Moreover, he was afflicted with sores that dogs would come and lick. And so, he endured a life marked by hunger, sickness, and humiliation.
Abraham’s Bosom
Luke 16:22 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;
Lazarus passed away, and the angels transported him to Abraham's bosom. The term 'bosom' refers to the upper part of the front of a garment, between the arms, often a fold of loose clothing or a large pocket used for carrying things. The imagery here is of Lazarus, like a little child, resting peacefully in the fold of Father Abraham's clothing.
Remember that this story is set in a period before Christ's suffering and death at Calvary, before eternal salvation was offered. During this time, both the righteous and the wicked, upon dying, were held in a place known as Abraham's bosom. The good were in one location and the evil in another, awaiting the day when Christ would come to take the righteous captives to heaven with Him.
Recall that Jesus mentioned in John chapter three that no one had ever ascended to heaven except the Son of Man, who was in heaven and came from heaven. Before Christ's resurrection, no man had ever entered heaven; instead, they were kept in this holding area known as Abraham's bosom.
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Jesus states clearly that the rich man found himself in hell, a place of torment, while Lazarus was in a place of rest with Abraham, some distance away. The rich man's suffering had begun immediately after his death, while Lazarus had begun a time of rest and comfort.
Send Lazarus
Luke 16:24 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.
The rich man somehow identified the figure he saw in the distance as Abraham, who was revered as the father of the Jewish people. Desperate for relief, he begged Father Abraham to send Lazarus with a few drops of water on his finger to cool his tongue, as the surrounding flames tormented him.
Is Hell a Real Place?
Some may ask, is hell real? According to scriptures such as this one, it is a real place, and it has real flames of fire that torment.
Luke 16:25 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.
Abraham reminded the rich man, remember how during your lifetime you enjoyed good things and lived in luxury, while Lazarus faced hardships and suffering day after day. Now, he is in a place of comfort and peace, while you are being tormented.
Beware of Covetousness
Does this mean that enjoying good things in life is inherently wrong? Likely not. The core issue here was that the rich man was so engrossed in his luxurious lifestyle that he neglected Lazarus's suffering, even though he had the means to assist him and share his good fortune with him.
Before speaking this parable, Jesus had been addressing the topic of covetousness with the Pharisees, who, according to the Bible, were themselves covetous.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
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.
You Cannot Serve God and Mammon
The Pharisees, known for their covetousness, scoffed at Jesus' teachings about the dangers of greed and the folly of serving wealth, or Mammon, instead of God. In response to their mocking, Jesus shared this story of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man in the parable exemplified the Pharisees' behavior, being covetous and serving riches rather than serving God.
Luke 16:26 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.
Moreover, there is a vast chasm between us and you, preventing anyone from crossing over from here to you or from there to us. The two realms were distinctly separated.
Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luke 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
This man, despite being tormented in the fires of hell, retained full memory of his earthly life and his extended family, including his five brothers, who were evidently living in the same manner he had lived. And although his physical body had been buried and was now decaying, his mental faculties remained completely intact. People unfortunate enough to be confined to hell retain full mental acuity.
They have Moses and the Prophets
Luke 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
They, that is, all the Jewish people including your five brothers, have the Scriptures, specifically the writings of Moses and the prophets, who have already conveyed the truth to them about these things. Let them listen to them and heed their writings.
Luke 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
No, Father Abraham, they won't listen that way. They do already have the Law and the Prophets, but they ignore their teachings. However, if someone were to rise from the dead and just speak the truth to them, they would repent and lead godly lives.
Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
No, if they won't listen to and heed the words of Moses and the prophets, then they won't be convinced even if someone rises from the dead and speaks to them.
Interestingly, Jesus did indeed raise a man named Lazarus from the dead, a man who had been dead for four days, and rather than listening to him, the Pharisees plotted to have him killed, because many Jews believed in Jesus as the result of him being brought back to life.
They were indeed given the chance to hear from a man who had returned from the dead, but their response was exactly the opposite of what the rich man in hell had imagined.
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Meaning
What can we learn from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? First of all, we can understand that earthly prominence, wealth, and status in the eyes of men, do not equate to eternal blessedness. God does not look at those things, they are an abomination to Him, but He looks at the heart of an individual.
The rich man's sin was not the fact that he was wealthy, but his indifference to Lazarus’ suffering. The parable emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and helping those less fortunate than ourselves, a thing that is near and dear to the heart of God.
Eternal Judgment
Once the rich man and Lazarus died, their fates were sealed, one into the judgment of joy and peace, and the other into eternal torment. There was no crossing over from one place to another after death, emphasizing the urgency of making right choices and living godly in this life.
Hearing the Word of God
The rich man begged for Lazarus to be sent back to warn his brothers, but Abraham responded that they had Moses and the prophets. In other words, they had the Scriptures, which were in that time and they are still today sufficient for spiritual guidance into repentance and righteous living.
His brothers had the teachings of Moses and the prophets, but they would not hear them. In fact, the Pharisees twisted the scriptures to favor themselves. The story warns against rejecting God's word and living a life driven by worldly desires and carnal thinking.
The Righteous shall Live by Faith
This parable underscores that our actions and choices in this life have eternal consequences, reminding us to live a life of faith, a life of compassion toward the needy, and a life of obedience to God.