The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: Luke 16:19-31
by Owen Borville
June 4, 2019
Bible
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus gives a unique account of the afterlife, as Jesus Christ explains. The Parable is only found in the Gospel of Luke and is the only parable in which the people associated with the parable are named, prompting some to suggest that this parable is an actual event or based on an actual event. The Parable describes a rich man who lived in luxury while at his gate laid a beggar named Lazarus. When Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The parable describes that after the rich man's death, he was in Hades in torment, and begged Abraham for mercy:
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. Luke 16:24. KJV
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. Luke 16:25. KJV
Abraham explained that there is a barrier between them that cannot be crossed, between where he is and where Abraham and Lazarus were. The rich man then begged Abraham to warn his brothers of the torment that he was experiencing, but Abraham explained that Moses and the prophets would teach them and that if they would not listen to them that they would not be persuaded otherwise. The rich man requested that a man from the dead be brought back to life in order to warn his brothers or give a sign to his brothers, but Abraham explained that if they did not believe Moses and the prophets that they would not believe even if a man was brought back from the dead.
Scholars have associated this parable with two other events in the Bible, specifically related to Jesus Christ and his raising of another Lazarus, the Lazarus of Bethany from the dead, which was described in the Book of John and did earn Jesus many followers but did not convince the religious leaders of the day, such as the Pharisees or the Sadducees. Some believe that the two Lazarus references could be the same person but others disagree, and this disagreement is related to the belief by some that the beggar Lazarus is not a real person while the resurrected Lazarus was real. The fact that Lazarus the beggar was named in the parable gives greater support for the belief that he was a real person.
Others have associated the parable with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and how many of the religious establishment still did not believe after this miraculous event. Therefore the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus is a warning to those who have the chance to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that not believing will have strong consequences. The parable could also be a warning to those who do not help the poor and how Jesus cared strongly for the poor. The parable teaches that Hades and eternal torment are a real thing and that mankind has an opportunity of escaping this torment by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
by Owen Borville
June 4, 2019
Bible
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus gives a unique account of the afterlife, as Jesus Christ explains. The Parable is only found in the Gospel of Luke and is the only parable in which the people associated with the parable are named, prompting some to suggest that this parable is an actual event or based on an actual event. The Parable describes a rich man who lived in luxury while at his gate laid a beggar named Lazarus. When Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The parable describes that after the rich man's death, he was in Hades in torment, and begged Abraham for mercy:
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. Luke 16:24. KJV
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. Luke 16:25. KJV
Abraham explained that there is a barrier between them that cannot be crossed, between where he is and where Abraham and Lazarus were. The rich man then begged Abraham to warn his brothers of the torment that he was experiencing, but Abraham explained that Moses and the prophets would teach them and that if they would not listen to them that they would not be persuaded otherwise. The rich man requested that a man from the dead be brought back to life in order to warn his brothers or give a sign to his brothers, but Abraham explained that if they did not believe Moses and the prophets that they would not believe even if a man was brought back from the dead.
Scholars have associated this parable with two other events in the Bible, specifically related to Jesus Christ and his raising of another Lazarus, the Lazarus of Bethany from the dead, which was described in the Book of John and did earn Jesus many followers but did not convince the religious leaders of the day, such as the Pharisees or the Sadducees. Some believe that the two Lazarus references could be the same person but others disagree, and this disagreement is related to the belief by some that the beggar Lazarus is not a real person while the resurrected Lazarus was real. The fact that Lazarus the beggar was named in the parable gives greater support for the belief that he was a real person.
Others have associated the parable with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and how many of the religious establishment still did not believe after this miraculous event. Therefore the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus is a warning to those who have the chance to believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that not believing will have strong consequences. The parable could also be a warning to those who do not help the poor and how Jesus cared strongly for the poor. The parable teaches that Hades and eternal torment are a real thing and that mankind has an opportunity of escaping this torment by believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
