Dear Greg

Dear Greg,

Would you please explain to me what the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man means? I can not understand it. My wife says the rich man was sent to Hades because he didn't help the poor man.  Below are my thoughts on what it means but I can't believe I'm right. What is between () are my thoughts. As you will see below I totally don’t understand this.

Thank you and God bless PTM,

John

Luke 16: 19-26-The Rich Man and Lazarus

19        Now there was a certain man of great wealth, who was dressed in fair clothing of purple and delicate linen, and was shining and glad every day.

(Being rich is not a sin, it was God that blessed him.)

20        And a certain poor man, named Lazarus, was stretched out at his door, full of wounds,

(Being poor is not a sin, but he was evil)

21        Desiring the broken bits of food which came from the table of the man of wealth; and even the dogs came and put their tongues on his wounds.

(Desiring food is not a sin, what does the reference to dogs mean)

22        And in time the poor man came to his end, and angels took him to Abraham's breast. And the man of wealth came to his end, and was put in the earth.

(What did Lazarus do to go to Abraham’s breast?)

23        And in hell, being in great pain, lifting up his eyes he saw Abraham, far away, and Lazarus on his breast.

(Verse 22 says the rich man was put in the earth. How was he able to lift up his eyes without a body?)

24        And he gave a cry and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may put the end of his finger in water and put it on my tongue, for I am cruelly burning in this flame.

(What good would that have done? One drop of water wouldn’t quench his thirst.)

25        But Abraham said, Keep in mind, my son, that when you were living, you had your good things, while Lazarus had evil things: but now, he is comforted and you are in pain.

(Why was Abraham talking to the rich man instead of God? Where Abraham says that when you were living , you had good things. Is being blessed by God a sin? Lazarus had done evil things and was rewarded.)

26        And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us.

(Based on this parable, is it to be taken literally or figuratively?  What did the rich man do to deserve to go to Hades and what did Lazarus do to go to Heaven. I don’t think this can be taken literally. Is not giving  Lazarus food a crime worthy of being put in Hades to suffer for eternity?