Lazarus and the Rich Man

The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” - English Standard Version

It should be noted that this parable was the last one in a series of parables which this Gospel puts in the mouth of Jesus beginning in chapter fourteen. Now, although the afterlife is definitely an integral part of this story, notice that the point of the story was that even someone rising from the dead would not convince the close-minded and incorrigible to repent! In other words, Jesus knew that his own resurrection would have no impact in bringing some of his Jewish brethren to God. On another occasion, we are informed that Jesus told his Jewish brethren: "For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” - John 5:46-47, ESV

Now, turning to what the parable reveals about Christ's view of the afterlife, the first thing that we notice is that both men DIED (Lazarus and the wealthy man). Next, we are told that the angels came and carried Lazarus to Abraham's bosom (as the KJV renders it). It does NOT say where Abraham was located. In the case of the rich man, we are told not only that he died, but we are also informed that he was buried. In "hades" (Greek for place of the dead), and that he was "in torment." He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to him to give him even a drop of water. He also relates that he is "in anguish in this flame." Was the wealthy man in Gehenna - the Lake of Fire? Were Abraham and Lazarus in heaven? The passage doesn't elaborate. Abraham then proceeded to explain to the rich man that it was impossible to pass between the two places. Once again, the story clearly takes place in the context of the resurrection of the dead. Does it have any applications/meanings beyond this? We simply don't know - if anything more was intended or implied!

What do you think?