|
The Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus
Luke 16:19-31 we see the parable of the rich man and
Lazarus, in verse 23 we see that the rich man is in hell, but the parable doesn’t
clearly say why, however as we analyze the parable closely,
we see several things.
19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and lived in luxury every day.
20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with
sores
21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table.
Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
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 hell, 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 fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you
cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27 "He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus
to my father's house,
28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they
will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets;
let them listen to them.'
30 "`No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from
the dead goes to them, they will repent
31 "He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and
the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone
rises from the dead.'"
In verse 23 we see that he is in hell and in torment.
In verse 24 he makes a simple
request, “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”.
His request is denied
Verse 26 Abraham tells him
“a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here
to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us”.
Verse 27 he begs Abraham “Then I beg
you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house “
Again, his request is denied
We
see that no amount of begging,
or negotiating changes one thing.
Was the rich man in hell because he was
evil, a murderer, sexual immorality, or idolatry? No, that’s
not mentioned in the parable
Was he in hell because he
was rich? No, the bible does not teach us that being rich
is a sin.
Was he in hell
because he did not believe?
No, he did believe, in verses 23 & 24 we see
that he recognized Abraham, in verse 27 he addresses Abraham
as father, and does so again in verse 30. In order to recognize
him he had to know who he was.
We see in verse 27
& 28 he begs Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s
house to warn his five brothers, warn them of what? To Believe?
NO, in verse
30 we see what he wants to warn them to do. (Repent) “
Verse 30 “But if someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent”.
Note: he did not ask
that Lazarus warn them to Believe
and Repent. Why?
Because they, like him believed, that was the problem, that’s
all they did was believe
Comment from
Bible Scholar John McGarvey
16:21
and desiring to be fed with the [crumbs] that
fell from the rich man's table1; yea, even the dogs come and licked his sores2.
And desiring to be
fed with the [crumbs] that fell from the rich man's table.
The contrast here is sharp. Lazarus is naked and clothed
with sores instead of rich apparel, and desires crumbs instead
of a banquet. That he limited his desire to crumbs suggests
a freedom from both worldly lust and envy.
Whether he got the crumbs
is not stated. His sufferings may have been as unmitigated
on earth as those of the rich man were in Hades (Luke 16:24), and it is certain
that even if he received the crumbs they did not count as
a gift, being mere refuse, utterly worthless in the sight
of the rich man.
The
very point of the parable is that the rich man "gave"
him nothing.
Yea, even
the dogs come and licked his sores. The dogs also suggest
a contrast. The rich man is surrounded by the loyal brethren
and attentive servants, while Lazarus is the companion of
dogs, the scavengers of the streets, who treat him with
rude compassion as one of their number, soothing his sores
with their saliva.
If we go to Matthew
25: 31-46
we see what Jesus has to say about lack of compassion. Note,
not once does Jesus mention that the condemned were non-believers. They were guilty of the same sin as the rich man, who totally lacked
compassion for Lazarus.
Matthew: 25-31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in
heavenly glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will
separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats.
33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his
left.
34 "Then
the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who
are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was
thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger
and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did
we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you
something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing
clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The
King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did
for me.'
41 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from
me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed
clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison
and you did not look after me.'
44 "They also will answer, `Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick
or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you
did Not do for one of the least of these, you did
Not do for me.'
46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but
the righteous to eternal life."
Comment from
Bible Scholar John McGarvey
25:35
for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat1;
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and
ye took me in; Matthew 25:35,36
For I was hungry,
and ye gave me to eat, etc. The acts here enumerated
indicate more than a mere outlay of money. They are not
such are the offspring of impulse, but such as call for
the sacrifice of time, strength, sympathy, etc., and clearly
demonstrate the fullness of the Christian life. Moreover,
Jesus does not mean to teach that mere works of benevolence
are a sufficient ground for salvation. The meaning is that
none can be saved "without" these fruits of faith
and love. The passage
must be construed in the light of other Scriptures which
teach the further necessity of forgiveness on the part of
God and of obedience on the part of man.
Comment
from Bible Scholar B. W. Johnson
35,
36. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat. The
reason why those on the right
hand are given the kingdom is now shown. They had ministered
unto the Savior. The deeds of loving kindness that the truly
benevolent do his needy disciples are named as having been
done to Christ.
It should be noted (1) that
the duties named are such duties as every one can perform.
Chrysostom says: "He said not I was sick and ye healed
me; or in prison and ye set me free; but ye visited me and came unto me." (2) A real, personal service
of Christ is implied, one
involving some sacrifice of ease, time and property.
|
