Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
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Who are the characters:
The Rich Man
Lazarus who is a poor beggar
Abraham
A couple of things that I want to go back and pickup from when we studied the “Parable of the Shrewd Manager”
I want to reiterate these concepts and apply them to studying the next section of Matthew 16 dealing with the “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.”
“C.H. Dodd defines a parable as “a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its application to tease it into active thought” (Dodd, Parables, 16)”
“The Lexaham Bible Dictionary states “Apparently Jesus spoke in parables so that the unenlightened might become enlightened while the hard-hearted (who are the hard-hearted…..what does it mean to be hard-hearted?) might become still more hardened in their unbelief. When people responded appropriately, Jesus offered additional teaching and insight. On the other hand, hardness of heart prevented further revelation.”
“Finally most of Jesus’ parables contained a shocking punch line or concluded in a shocking manner. Parables were not stories that merely educated, entertained, or satisfied curiosity.”
First question of the night, what is this parable about and what lesson is Jesus trying to teach from teaching this parable?
Because remember he is teaching…..right? But He is teaching in a parable.
So what, first of all…..or rather who is Jesus talking to? Why is Jesus teaching this?
What lesson does he want his audience to learn?
Finally what can we take from Jesus’ lesson and apply?
Because again:
The closing punch line was designed (take this end and hear this) the closing punch line was designed to CONVICT……SOMEONE SAY CONVICT His listeners and ALTER THEIR COURSE…..SOMEONE SAY ALTER THEIR COURSE.
What is the Parable about?
What is the Parable about?
Quick summary of the parable or how do you understand the parable? I want to hear from the preachers too as to how you interpret this scripture.
Answer: Surface level - the parable is about a rich man and a beggar, the rich man refuses to give him scraps from his table…..I mean stuff that he isn’t eating that could have helped this hungry poor man.
Both die, the poor man goes into eternal rest and reward, the rich man dies and goes into eternal damnation.
The rich man is in agony, but in his prior life he lived extravagant. The poor man suffered in his former life but was rewarded in the after life.
The rich man begs someone to go and warn his five brothers about this place (Gehanna or Hell).
The reply of Abraham is that “the prophets have warned them, your brothers can read what they wrote.”
In which the Rich Man said “But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.”
In which Abraham said “If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.”
And that is the punch line right there…..that last verse 31.
Now there is a whole lot of meat in this so let me break this down to you so you can gather what you need from this parable that Jesus is teaching.
NONE OF THIS COMES FROM A COMMENTARY…..THIS COMES FROM THE HOLY GHOST. It may be in a commentary…..I would like to go back and just read to see what they say to see if they are in line with what the Holy Ghost gave me.
First off, who is the audience? ANS: Luke 15:1-2
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Also:
And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
But the main scripture we want to focus on is verse 14:
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Then verse 15
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
So Jesus is talking to a mixed multitude: Chapter 15 and Chapter 16 is a both together as one conversation or one teaching.
Jesus is talking to publicans and sinners, Jesus is also talking to his disciples, and Jesus is also talking to the Pharisees.
The conversation pivots because in chapter 16 his is talking or directing his attention to the disciples but then in verse 14 scoffed at him and his teaching, why? Because they felt convicted, they didn’t like what he had to say, so now he directs his attention to them.
He tells them “You like to APPEAR righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”