LUKE 16: 19-31 [PARABLES IN LUKE]
THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
[John 11:45-53; 12:10-11]
After challenging the pharisees and scribes Jesus told the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus to show that being rich should not be equated with being righteous. The rich man had everything he wanted. But he didn't have what would get him to heaven. [This parable further illustrates the point made in the previous about the money manager about preparing for the future here and now.]
The parable is about two contrasting individuals. One material possession and the other served God in this life (16:13). It depicts the permanent reality of the hereafter in contrast to the temporary present.
The details in the story are colorful and the contrast is sharp. For the rich man earthly life is a daily feast. For the poor man, clothed in running sores, who lies among the dogs, life is torturous. Both die but only the rich man is buried. In eternity their roles reverse and the outcome is unalterable.
[The second parable raises the question of stewardship versus entitlement. We are in a time in America where we all think we are entitled. Charles W. Bray III as Deputy Director of the U.S. Internal Communication Agency, wrote something perceptive about entitlement in Quote magazine (Jan. 15, 1981). We have come to a time where we say, "You deserve a break today." Too many of us believe that. If we're poor, we deserve welfare; if we're rich, we deserve a tax break; if we are workers, we deserve better fringe benefits; if we own Chrysler or GM, we deserve a bail-out; if we are a special interest, we deserve a special hearing."]
The Pharisees thought they were entitled. They had the strange idea that money was deserved. Money was a sign that they were blessed by God, and poverty was the result of God’s curse. Jesus repudiates that whole idea. [Larson, Bruce, The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1983, S. 244.] All of us are stewards of what we have, and we are to use it to bless, to bring life, to bring health, to bring hope and to bring salvation to others (CIT).
Let's use the following outline to help us work our way through Jesus' story.
I. A SUMMATION OF TWO LIVES, 19-21.
II. A TRANSITION TO THE NEXT LIFE, 22-23.
III. TWO DESTINATIONS IN DEATH, 24-26.
IV. A PLEA FOR GREATER PERSUASION, 27-31.
The parable begins in verse 19 by contrasting two lives. "Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
Both the clothing, made of purple cloth, and the fine linen, worn for underclothes, were expensive. Both are indicative of opulence in antiquity. For the rich man, dressed in robes of royalty and fine Egyptian undergarments, life is a daily feast and party. He is a picture of a rich, indulgent, care-free lifestyle.
In verse 20 a poor man was daily laid just outside the rich man's gate. "And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,"
Just outside the gate of the rich man was laid a sick, hungry, neglected beggar. [Perhaps Jesus picked the name Lazarus because it is the Greek form of the Hebrew name which means "the one whom God helps."] His sickness had robbed him of the strength to move himself. The family carried and laid the sick beggar at the rich man's gate probably because he had the resources to do more than just give him a little food to sustain his life which was all the community could do.
The rich man could have been on the cover of People magazine. Lazarus? No one would have even known his name. But God records Lazarus name while the rich man remains nameless. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 382.] Note that Lazarus is counted as righteous not because he was poor but because he depended on God. Yet his poverty and inability to help himself gave him the opportunity to become great in faith which Jesus' brother taught us in James 2:5. [Also see Jas 1:9.]
The poor man's longing is recorded in verse 21. and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; but the dogs were coming and licking his sores.
The poor was longing for the crumbs which were falling off the rich man's table. [The same longing is said of the lost son in 15:16.] Regrettable, the wealthy man had no concept of stewardship and thought only about his comfort or he would have done something at least to help the suffering beggar Lazarus. Obviously he didn't recall such Scriptures as Proverbs 14:21; 19:17: 21:13; or 28:27. The one who enjoyed feasts and parties had no concern for the one who was suffering at his door step.
Though the rich man showed no interest or concern but [alla] the dogs did. Dogs lick people as a sign of affection. Recent scientific research has discovered that saliva contains "endogenous peptide antibiotics," which facilitate healing. Though the wealthy man felt no compassion toward Lazarus, the dogs did.
Bear in mind that Jesus is not using this parable to condemn the rich nor suggesting that all the poor will all go to heaven. Jesus doesn't question how the rich man got his money or that he has it. The rich man isn't even necessarily a bad man. But whatever else he was, in this story he is blind to the person in need who is sitting outside his gate.
II. A TRANSITION TO THE NEXT LIFE, 22-23.
Verse 22 indicates that both men died. "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried."
In the course of time both men died. Lazarus, though too poor to afford a funeral, was transported by angels into the presence of Abraham, a place of blessedness. In heaven he was given a place of honor in proximity to Abraham's bosom. "Abraham's side apparently refers to a place of paradise for Old Testament believers at the time of death (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4).
In spite of his wealth the rich man also died and was given no doubt a fine burial. I imagine he too was expecting to arrive to be with Abraham and continue to enjoy the good life.
Verse 23 contrasts the eternal destiny of the rich man with the eternal destiny of the beggar. "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom."
At death the rich man receives no heavenly escort but finds himself in hades. Hades, the Greek word some translate "hell" (NIV) is used 11 times in the New Testament. The Septuagint used had to translate the Hebrew šeôl (the place of the dead) on 61 occasions. Here hades refers to the abode of the unsaved dead prior to the great white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).
[Apparently everyone who died before Jesus was crucified to pay for the sins of mankind went to sheol, "the place of the grave." Jesus' parable divided it into two compartments, separated by a great divide. One side was filled with fire and torment. The other side was a place called "Abraham's bosom" or "paradise." Those who loved God would go to the paradise, or Abraham's bosom side of sheol. The reason they couldn't go directly to heaven is because the blood of Christ had not yet been shed. So paradise was simply a waiting room. And Abraham, the Father of Faith, the Friend of God, would greet them there. Those who did not believe in God went to the torment side of sheol. And although there was a great gulf between the two, as seen in this passage, those on both sides could call out to one another, which would make the flaming side even more hellish.
Ephesians 4:8-9 tells us that before Jesus ascended into heaven, He first descended into the lower parts of the earth and led those in Abraham's bosom up to heaven. That is why Abraham's bosom no longer exists today.] Hades is not the final destiny of the unbeliever, but rather only a temporary holding tank until after the Great White Throne Judgment when he will be cast into Gehenna, or outer darkness (Revelation 20). Contrary to popular belief, hell is not going to be one big New Year's Eve party. Gehenna is a place of heat without light, of eternal isolation, of interminable torment. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 382.]
In hades the rich man finally saw "afar of" or saw the bigger picture of existence. [Makrothymia is a composite word from makran, far away and thymos, anger, literally far away from anger.] The world says, "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die," because they only see what is in front of them. In death they'll finally see afar off; they'll finally see the big picture of eternity. But it will be too late.
In the context of this chapter, the rich man's sin was not that he hated Lazarus, but simply that he neglected him. The Bible says there are sins of commission, things we do that are wrong, and sins of omission, failing to do that which is right (James 4:17). There was a person in need at the rich man’s gate, but he didn't offer to help. And that was his sin, indicative that because he cared not about the man at his gate, he had not the love of God in his heart (1 John 3:17). [Courson, S. 382.]
III. TWO DESTINATIONS IN DEATH, 24-26.
Verse 24 interestingly indicates that the rich man began to pray. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame."
The rich man is depicted as being able to converse with Abraham, even calling him father. First he prays for himself. He begs Abraham to have mercy on him and allow Lazarus to bring him a touch of water. Extreme thirsts is one of the most terrible pains we can suffer.
Another kind of agony or torment is the flame (Mt. 3:10-12). Despite his circumstances he still sees Lazarus as someone to be ordered around someone who should relief his circumstance when he did nothing on earth to relief the circumstances of Lazarus.
[If he had only realized his thirst while living he could have come to Jesus the Living Water. Jesus said in John 7:37 that any man, brokenhearted or out-cast, atheist or idolater, forsaken or forgotten, poor or rich may come and drink of this Living Water. Yet we must come to Him. It’s not enough to wish or resolve or hope; we must act. We must acknowledge our thirst and come to Jesus and partake of the life that only He can give. Have you come to lay your life before Jesus?]
Abraham gives two reason that comfort could not be brought to the formerly rich man in verses 25 & 26 . In verse 25 the formerly rich man could not be helped because his character has now become unalterable. "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
These words capture the reversal of fortunes or circumstance to which Jesus is speaking.. Abraham replied that it was not possible that he could be help and that he should remember that during life he had everything he wanted while Lazarus had had nothing. Even so, the rich man had never helped Lazarus during the course of his life. The man had lived for the good things of earth only caring about experiencing an abundance of earthly blessings. It is too late after death to change the way you lived because of who your were on earth. [Jesus elevates the man disdained by the Pharisees and humbles the man they would have considered blessed.]
Although people mistakenly believe that, at worst, when they die they will cease to exist, the fact is that not only will they continue to exist, but they will be able to remember the good things they received on earth, the blessings God poured out upon them, the patience God showed to them, the many opportunities He gave them to turn to Him. Therefore, I suggest that one of the most horrendous aspects of hell is the memory people will have of the times they could have received the free gift of salvation, but chose to harden their hearts instead. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 382.]
Again Jesus uses the word agony or torment. He uses it four times in this parable. It indicates real and definite pain.
Abraham gives another reason in verse 26 that comfort could not be brought to the formerly rich man. "And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us."
Additionally a great chasm separated paradise and hades so that no one could cross from one to the other. Jesus [doesn't seem to be describing a literal gulf between paradise and Hades; rather, He] seems to be using the great chasm imagery to describe the permanence of our characters' eternal destinies. Torment is one's eternal recompense and comfort is Lazarus eternal blessing.
IV. A PLEA FOR GREATER PERSUASION, 27-31.
[Up to this point all that has been said in warning and in instruction about material things comes vividly to mind. Lazarus enjoys the bliss of Abraham's bosom while the rich man lies in Hades.] In verses 27-31 a second vital point is made. The Scriptures are sufficient for faith and when they are rejected, as the rich man has done (Mic. 2:9; Isa. 58:7), not even an event as extraordinary as a resurrection will generate belief. That proved true in the case of Jesus.
The rich man next in verse 27 begged that Lazarus be sent to earth to warn his brothers. "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house"
"If Lazarus can't come over here, send him back from the dead to tell my family that this place exists," begged the rich man. Explain the terrible reality of hell and the glory of heaven to them.
I find it interesting that the rich man realized the power of a testimony or witness. He didn't say, "Send a theologian, a Bible teacher, or a preacher." He said, "Send the one who[, although he was poor and covered with sores,] believed in God and is now in His presence that he may share his testimony."
If you haven't already, you will hear Satan whisper in your ear, "You can't witness because you don't know enough about the Bible; you're not that solid in your own walk; your understanding of theology is too elementary." That's a lie! The most powerful thing you can share is your own testimony (Rev. 12:11).
After he was cornered by the Pharisees, the once-blind man simply said, "I can't answer all of your questions concerning the nature and Person of Jesus. But this I do know: Once I was blind, but now I see." And none could deny it (John 9:25). So, too, the most powerful thing you can tell your unsaved parents or a lost neighbor is simply what the Lord has done for you. [Courson, S. 382.]
In verse 28 the rich man now wants to prevent his family members from having to share his torturous fate. for I have five brothers 'in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment."
The formerly rich man now has a concern for his lost brothers, he wants to warn them, but he could do nothing about it. After we die it is too late to do anything to lead people to eternal salvation in Jesus Christ.
Also notice that the rich's man concern had not changed in spite of his tormented condition. He was still self-centered. He prayed only for his comfort and the safety of his family. He was not concerned about the lost, only about his five brothers. How tragic that even the reality and torment of hell does not change condition the lost's heart.
On April 19, 1995 at 9:02 a.m., the Federal Building in Oklahoma City was BOMBED resulting in the death of 168 people. Three men were ultimately arrested and tried for what at that time was the his worst act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Do you remember them? They were Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, and Michael Fortier. Timothy McVeigh was found guilty and sentenced to death, Terry Nichols was found guilty as a coconspirator and sentenced to life in prison.
The third defendant, Michael Fortier, was found guilty and sentenced to pay a $200,000 fine and serve 12 years in prison. He was not found guilty of developing, deploying, or detonating the bomb. His crime was that he knew about the bombing before it occurred and failed to inform anyone.
Are we guilty of knowing the reality of hell and the opportunity of heaven and failing to warn others of the coming judgment?
Verse 29 calls us to realize that the Scripture is all we need to lead people to faith in Jesus. "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'"
Abraham points out that they already have the Word of God. The Word of God is not only sufficient, it is the most powerful means in existence to bring people to faith.
If one will not be convince about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the reality of eternal existence in either heaven or hell, nothing else could convince them. That is the supreme power and authority of the Word of God.
The California-based FLAT EARTH Research Society, founded in 1800, is devoted to the purpose of proving that the earth is flat and that modern astronomical science is a fraud. When photos of Earth were televised from American spacecraft more than 20 years ago, confirming the spherical shape of our planet, the Flat Earth Society said the photos were fakes.
Human beings have an uncanny ability to reject what they don't want to believe, regardless of the evidence. For example, nurses report that they sometimes find emphysema patient smoking in bed, alternating between puffs of smoke and whiffs of oxygen despite the overwhelming medical evidence that the practice is killing them. And it is not uncommon for "worst-case" alcoholics to deny that they have a drinking problem.
The five brothers of the rich man in Jesus' parable knew the-law given through Moses, and had refused to obey it. Confronted by prophetic warnings, they had turned their backs. Their problem was not hardness of hearing, but hardness of heart. And the pleas of a resurrected beggar would not have changed anything. May we pray for the courage to accept what is true even when it is more comfortable to ignore it.
Yet it was the rich man's contention in verse 30 that if one came back from the dead then his brothers would listen then. "But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'"
The man reasoned, "Even though they're not listening to the Word, if someone comes back from the dead, surely they will listen and repent." In hell people finally realize the need to repent, not to believe in theology, but to repent from iniquity. Tragically, there will be those who believe in the existence of Jesus and in the inspiration of Scripture who will be lost eternally because of their refusal to repent, to change direction, to follow Jesus. The devils and demons believe, James tells us (2:19), but they're not saved because their belief is based on intellectual acknowledgment rather than humble, personal repentance that leads to a change of life. [Couson, 383]
Jesus makes it clear in verse 31 that people have enough light but still miss the obvious truth. "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Abraham replied that if they refused to listen to the Scriptures [Moses and the Prophets represents or was the common designation for all the O.T. (v. 16)], then they would refuse to listen to one who came back from the dead.
If God's prophetic Word cannot convince and crack a hard heart, neither will great miracles. Jesus own resurrection is proof that only an open heart sees the evidence for God’s presence and hears His pleading voice.
[Jesus' implication was that the rich man symbolized the Pharisees. They wanted sign-signs so clear that they would compel people to believe. But since they refused to believe the Scriptures, they would not believe any sign no matter how great.]
Just a short time later Jesus did raise a man from the dead, another man named Lazarus (John 11:38-44). The result was that the religious leaders began to plot more earnestly to kill both Jesus and Lazarus (John 11:45-53; 12:10-11). [It could also be a veiled reference to Jesus’ resurrection. In that case neither did Jesus’ resurrection change their thinking.]
IN CLOSING,
Living presumptuously with no compassion for people and no thought of eternity caused the rich man to end up in a real place called hell. The wicked do not just cease to exist but go to a place of torment. Jesus said hell is real indeed. God desires none should perish (2 Peter 3:9) there. In fact, if you insist upon going there, you will have to do so over Jesus dead body, and His shed blood.
In considering this passage, may we be renewed in our compassion and commitment. First, may we be renewed in our compassion and commitment to share what the Lord has given us. May we be willing to share what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose. Second may we be renewed in our compassion and commitment to share the good news with the lost. May we be reminded of the big picture of eternity and the power of a testimony. In other words, because we've considered hell, may we become more mindful of heaven.
I believe there are many people within 5 miles of this spot that would like to go to heaven but God can't find anyone to tell them how. Can He count on you to share your testimony with someone before its too late?
