Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

Introduction

Biblical Context (Luke 15:1-17:10)

Jesus’ Mission to the Lost, rejected by the Pharisees (Luke 15)

Historical Setting

Luke 15:1–2 (ESV)

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Jesus is going to share parables to address this situation.

Parable - “a narrative or saying of varying length, designed to illustrate a truth especially through comparison or simile, comparison, illustration, parable, proverb, maxim. ⓐ in the synoptics the word refers to a variety of illustrative formulations in the teaching of Jesus (in Mt 17 times, in Mk 13 times, in Lk 18 times)” (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 759. Print.)

A Parable is a story with one main point that addresses the situation in which it is said. It is important to know the situation to understand the Parable.

Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7) - Jesus did not come for the righteous (99), but for the sinners that are Lost (one).

Parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) - There is rejoicing when the Lost is found.

Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) - The Pharisees are like the Older Brother, who are angry instead of Rejoicing over his lost brothers return.

Continuation of Conversation (Luke 16)

Parable of the Dishonorable Manager (Luke 16:1-13) - Jesus turns and addresses His disciples about being faithful servants of God.

Luke 16:13–15 (ESV)

13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” 14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

“In spite of their strict religious practices, they loved money and cultivated values that were godless. They professed to trust God, but they measured life by wealth and possessions, the same as the unbelieving worldly crowd.” (Wiersbe, Warren W. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996. Print.)

Jesus addresses the ridicule of the Pharisee (Luke 16:14-31)

Jesus Challenges the Pharisees wicked and selfish hearts. (Luke 16:14-17)

Jesus teaches on Divorce and Adultery (Luke 16:18) - I don’t understand why.

Parable of rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Parable or Actual Event? I believe this is a parable and not a depiction of actual event. The parable is a story that people understood. (Shepherd/Sheep, Woman’s ring, Prodigal Son, Hades/Sheol)

Jesus is challenging the Pharisees, who are using their religious influence as means to receive wealth and honor. (lovers of money…14)

In the parable, Jesus is showing clear contrast between the rich man and Lazarus in life, death, and afterlife. This is to show the Pharisees, who love money, as well as those present, the need to serve God fully and not money.(vs 13)

In this parable, Jesus is addressing the topic of death and afterlife with the main point on faithful ness to God alone. (vs.13) Jesus is pointing out that how we live on earth will affect our afterlife.

A contrast in life (Luke 16:19–21)

Rich Man (19)

Luke 16:19 (ESV)

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

The rich man enjoyed his fine cloths, house, and foods.

Sumptuously - pertaining to living in ostentatious luxury—‘luxuriously, with ostentation, showing off. (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 768. Print.)

Lazarus (20-21)

Luke 16:20–21 (ESV)

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.

Lazarus - He is the only character in any of Jesus’s parables to be given a personal name, a Greek abbreviated version of the Hebrew name “Eleazar,” meaning “God has helped.” (France, R. T. Luke. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

Dog - This translation is misleading: the Greek says, “But also the dogs.…” This is not an escalation of his suffering, but a welcome (and therapeutic) relief. Dogs, unclean as they were in Jewish eyes, did their best for this beggar, whom the respectable company refused to help. (France, R. T. Luke. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

A contrast in death (Luke 16:22-23)

Luke 16:22–23 (ESV)

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.

Poor man

“Died and was carried...”

Showed that when Lazarus died no one was there to take care of burying him. God took care of Him.

Abraham’s Side

“The Roman custom of reclining at meals was common among the Jews. Such positioning placed one in the bosom of the neighboring person. To be next to the host, that is to recline in the bosom of the host, was considered the highest honor. Lazarus was comforted after death by being given the place of closest fellowship with the father of the whole Hebrew nation (Luke 16:22–23).” (Brand, Chad et al., eds. “Abraham’s Bosom.” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 14–15. Print.)

“The presence of Abraham—Israel’s patriarch (Gen 17:5–8)—implies a state of blessedness. Lazarus’ proximity to Abraham also might indicate that he obtained an honorable position in the afterlife.” (Barry, John D. et al. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016. Print.)

“The Old Testament used the expression “to be gathered to one’s people (or fathers)” (see Gen 25:8; 49:33; Judg 2:10; 2 Kgs 22:20). All individuals—just or unjust—could be “gathered to their people.”” (Barry, John D. et al., eds. “Abraham’s Bosom.” The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. pag. Print.)

Abraham’s side is seen as a place of Honor and Rest, and not necessary a location. In this parable, where Lazarus is located is distinct from Hades where the rich man is.

Rich man

“Died and was buried.” - someone took care of burying him.

Hades

I am going to camp here for a little while to look into Hades.

“HADES (ᾅδης, hadēs). A word that in ancient Greek literature could refer to the Greek god of the netherworld or the netherworld itself. By New Testament times, “Hades” could refer simply to death or the grave, as opposed to gehenna (“hell”), which was always a place of judgment. ... In the Septuagint, hadēs is almost always used to translate the Hebrew שְׁאוֹל (she'ol) (sheol; e.g., Psa 9:18 LXX [Eng. 9:17]; Prov 1:12; 15:11; Job 14:13).” (Barry, John D. et al., eds. “Hades.” The Lexham Bible Dictionary 2016: n. pag. Print.)

When Jesus talks about Hades, the Pharisees would understand that He was talking about the OT understanding of Sheol.

“In most of the Old Testament “Hades” represented the abode of the dead, a place of neither joy nor punishment, but a shadowy survival to which no one looked forward except as an escape from earthly suffering. But Daniel 12:2–3 shows a developing idea of differing fates after death, and by the first century the ideas of heaven and hell were widely accepted, though pictured in quite a variety of ways. In Jesus’s teaching “hell” (geenna, “Gehenna” [see on 12:5]) is a place of destruction and/or punishment, but in this parable Hades seems, unusually in the New Testament, to have the same connotation.” (France, R. T. Luke. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

Afterlife in Scripture

Sheol - wasteland, void, underworld; sheol n., the place where the dead reside (The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible 2017: n. pag. Print.)

Paradise/Heaven - transcendent abode, heaven: ⓐ as the dwelling-place (or throne) of God; ⓑ Christ is from heaven, of a heavenly nature and has come down from heaven. He returned to heaven, Christians await his return from heaven: ⓒ as the abode of angels. ⓓ Christians who have died also dwell in heaven. (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 739. Print.)

Hades/Gehenna - a place of punishment for the dead—... The Greek term γέεννα is derived from a Hebrew phrase meaning ‘Valley of Hinnom,’ a ravine running along the south side of Jerusalem and a place where the rubbish from the city was constantly being burned. According to late Jewish popular belief, the last judgment was to take place in this valley, and hence the figurative extension of meaning from ‘Valley of Hinnom’ to ‘hell.’ In most languages γέεννα is rendered as ‘place of punishment’ or ‘place where the dead suffer’ or ‘place where the dead suffer because of their sins.’” (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 5. Print.)

Righteous go to be with the Lord.

Righteous are those who humbly trust in the Lord to save them. By righteous, I am referring to those who meet the perfect moral standing of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

After death, the righteous go to be with the Lord. Location is called Heaven or Paradise. (Abraham’s Bosom, only used here and addressing blessedness)

2 Corinthians 5:6–9 (ESV)

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Wicked/unbelieving are those who do not humbly trust in the Lords and are separated from Him. I think that Hades/Gehenna only refer to the afterlife of the wicked. Hades represents the current location of the wicked until Judgment. Then, after judgment they are sent away from the Lord into Gehenna.

Revelation 20:11–15 (ESV)

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Jesus is making it clear to the Pharisees that the Location of the rich man in the parable is a place of separation from God and of torment.

Torment -

“infliction of severe suffering or pain associated with torture or torment, tormenting, torture Rv 9:5b.” (Arndt, William et al. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature 2000: 168. Print.)

Luke 16:24 (ESV)

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.’

Torment in the afterlife in contrast to Lazarus’s blessedness and honor.

A contrast in the afterlife (Luke 16:24–26)

Suffering of the rich man (24)

Luke 16:24 (ESV)

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.’

Separation of the righteous and wicked (25-26)

Difference in afterlife (25)

Luke 16:25 (ESV)

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.

There is a difference in the afterlife based on the life that was lived on earth.

This is related to the main issue being addresses, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (13) Jesus is making it clear that their afterlife is affected by their commitment to their master.

No change in afterlife (26)

Luke 16:26 (ESV)

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.’

After Judgment there is no change in judgment.

“a great chasm. The geography of heaven and hell was variously pictured in Jewish writings, but the “chasm” serves here not so much as a topographical feature but rather to picture the complete separation of the two, and thus to emphasize that the division after death is permanent. There seems no room here for any idea of purgatory or of a second chance after death.” (France, R. T. Luke. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV)

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Matthew 25:46 (ESV)

46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus is making known to the Pharisees that if they die committed to money and not God their afterlife will be a permanent judgment.

Point of the Parable (Luke 16:27-31)

Avoid Hades (27-28)

Luke 16:27–28 (ESV)

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.’

Rich man has 5 brothers that he is concerned will follow him into Hades and experience. He is wanting to warn them so they would change and avoid that place.

Jesus is addressing the horror of entering the afterlife separated from God. If the Pharisees love money more than God, they will be like the rich ma in the parable.

Listen to the Word of God (29-30)

Luke 16:29–30 (ESV)

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.’

God has given them his revelation in the writings of Moses and the Prophets (OT).

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)

29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

God has given us the light of his revelation to us and preserved them for us in the Scriptures. Jesus is the living word of God fulfilling God’s plan of redemption. The rich man is saying that they will not repent through the word of God, but if a person comes back from the dead they will repent.

Gospel (31)

Luke 16:31 (ESV)

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.’ ”

Jesus pointing them to Himself through the Gospel.

John 5:39–40 (ESV)

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

“Within the story the point is simple: those who will not listen to Scripture are beyond help; even a miracle will not convince them. But it may also be read as a weary reflection on Jesus’s own experience. Neither his fulfillment of the law and the prophets nor his miracles have convinced the Pharisees, and when the ultimate miracle of his rising from the dead takes place, many of those whom these Pharisees represent will remain unmoved.” (France, R. T. Luke. Ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013. Print. Teach the Text Commentary Series.)

The main message of the Bible is pointing to God fulfilling His plan of redemption of mankind through His Son Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:16 (ESV)

16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.

The OT (Law and Prophets) were pointing to the Good News of the Kingdom of God which is preached to them by John and Jesus.

The resurrection of Jesus is important to the Gospel message to the World.

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 (ESV)

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

1 Corinthians 15:16–17 (ESV)

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Jesus, the one resurrected, makes all the difference in where we spend eternity. That is the main point of the parable. If they reject the message of the scriptures up to John and the Gospel through John and Jesus, they will spend eternity separated from God.

Lesson from the Parable

We cannot serve two masters. We need to be faithful to the Lord.

In the afterlife there are two possibilities: happiness or suffering.

This is based on our response to the Gospel.

There is no possibility of a second chance after death.

The key to eternal happiness is repentance during this life.

To avoid separation from God in the afterlife is through hearing the message of the Bible and the Gospel to believe in Jesus Christ the Savior of the world.

Benediction

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (ESV)

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.