Lesson: Luke 16:19-31
Golden Text: “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16: 31).
INTRODUCTION. Some scholars don’t consider this account given in our lesson this week as a parable, but instead see it as a review of actual events. However, it’s not called a parable in the text, and it mentions persons by name unlike Jesus’ other parables. Although the rich man is not named, the beggar is called Lazarus, and Abraham also appears in the story. This narrative also speaks of specific places---Hades (or hell) and Abraham’s bosom (or paradise). It is possible then, that Jesus used actual events that He in His omniscience was aware of to teach certain spiritual truths. Whether parable or fact (and I believe it is a true story and not a parable), our lesson reveals a number of truths about life after death. It also gives insight into human nature with its tendency to reject God’s revelation.
BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON. Christ’s teaching here was directed toward the Pharisees. Jesus had taught by the illustration of the unjust steward that money could be used for good purposes, but He also cautioned against allowing money to become one’s master (see Luke 16:1-13). The Pharisees, who loved money, “derided him” or ridiculed Him (see Luke 16:14) for they believed that wealth was a sign of God’s favor. Jesus turned and rebuked them. Although the Pharisees had gained men’s esteem, their heart condition made them abominable to God (see Luke 16:15). Their loose treatment of God’s law, especially the marriage law illustrated their sinfulness (see Luke 16:18). Jesus followed up His remarks to the Pharisees with the account of the rich man and Lazarus. Note: Remember, we are viewing this as a real story and not a parable for two reasons: (1) Unlike other parables that Jesus gave, this is not called a parable and (2) Unlike other parables, names are given here, i.e. Lazarus and Abraham whom we know was a real person.
III. A CONTRAST IN PRESENT FORTUNES (Luke 16:19-21)
A. The rich man’s condition (Luke 16:19). In this verse, Jesus begins His story. He said “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.” Jesus didn’t identify the rich man as a Pharisee, but his values and attitudes coincided with theirs. The rich man was “clothed in purple and fine linen.” The description of his clothing as “purple” brings to mind a king’s apparel (see Judges 8:26). “Fine linen” was more expensive than wool, and Mordecai wore fine linen when he appeared before king Ahasuerus (see Esther 8:15). These garments were normally worn by the very rich. Not only did the rich man’s garments reflect his wealth, but he also “fared sumptuously every day.” This means that he lived splendidly, not just sometimes, but “every day.” The word “sumptuously” means splendidly or brilliantly. Nothing was lacking in food or fun to hinder this rich man from having the fullest measure of happiness. Note: Being wealthy was not in itself a sin for the rich man. Jesus was stressing the fact that this man was using his riches to benefit only himself. He was gorging himself with the best of food while a starving man lay at his gate. Again, wealth is not the enemy in this story. Instead, it is how wealth was used as well as how it was not used. The Apostle Paul commented that it is the love of money that is the culprit (see I Timothy 6:10). The Bible makes it clear that it is the coveting of riches, or anything else for that matter that is sin (see Romans 13:9).
B. The poor man’s condition (Luke 16:20-21).
1. (vs. 20). Jesus changed the scene abruptly saying “And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores.” The term “beggar” does not necessarily mean that he was a professional beggar. It can also mean that he simply lived in terrible poverty. Jesus said that the beggar’s name was “Lazarus” which is the same name “Eleazar” meaning “whom God helps.” This was an appropriate name for someone who was not helped by many human beings but was totally dependent upon God’s mercy for his daily needs. Note: It’s significant that Jesus mentioned Lazarus’ name, for it indicates Jesus’ values. Among men, it is the rich and famous who are remembered by name while the poor are often nameless statistics. Jesus reversed the emphasis, leaving the wealthy man unnamed and taking note of the beggar’s identity. God judges the worth of an individual on a different basis than man does. We are also told that the beggar, Lazarus (not the Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead), “was laid at his (the rich man) gate, full of sores.” This seems to indicate that the beggar was not able to walk to the rich man’s gate, but had to be carried and laid there. This may have been as a result of his physical condition described as “full of sores.” No doubt the “gate” had a hidden meaning that would become clearer later in the story. But at this point it was what separated the rich man from the poor man. At this gate, Lazarus, who had nothing could gaze daily upon a man who had everything.
2. (vs. 21). Still speaking about the poor man’s condition, Jesus said “And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.” Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s gate with the hope of getting something to eat. The word “desiring” is in the present tense revealing that the beggar constantly wished for “the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table,” yet undoubtedly even crumbs were denied to him. The rich man probably passed by Lazarus often, seeing him only as a beggar, hardly worth noticing. The rich man didn’t ridicule or hurt Lazarus, he just ignored him. Only dogs paid attention to him for they “came and licked his sores.” Some commentators claim that this only aggravated his sores, but scholar Kenneth E. Bailey notes that science has found that a dog’s saliva contains peptide antibiotics that speed healing (Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, InterVarsity). If this is true, (and I believe it is because I witnessed dogs licking a wound my brother had on his side, and in less than two weeks it was healed), the mercy of God is shown in allowing the dogs to provide Lazarus some relief. Note: Most of us don’t find beggars at our front doors, but many poor people live in our neighborhoods. Are we concerned about them, or have we hidden ourselves in a cocoon of self-sufficiency that leaves them outside our consciousness? Scripture teaches that this is a godless thing to do. I John 3:17-18 says “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
IV. A CONTRAST IN FUTURE FORTUNES (Luke 16:22-24)
A. Two new but different conditions for Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:22-23).
1. (vs. 22). Continuing the story, Jesus said “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried.” Eventually Lazarus “the beggar died.” If he had a burial, it was not worth mentioning. However, God took note of his death and Lazarus “was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.” Abraham’s bosom is a reference to paradise, or heaven (see Luke 13:28). While on earth, the beggar was carried to the rich man’s gate by humans, but now in death he is carried into heaven by angels. Jesus also said that “the rich man also died, and was buried.” This may suggest that he was given a splendid funeral with many friends to mourn his passing.
2. (vs. 23). Jesus, still speaking of the rich man’s condition says “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” At death, the rich man found himself in “hell” and “in torments.” The fact that the rich man was suffering in hell confirms that hell is really a place of fire (see Matthew 18:9) and those there are conscious, have all their faculties including their memory. Those in paradise are also fully conscious, but are experiencing bliss. The King James Version uses “hell” to translate sheol (the Old Testament word for hell) and Hades (the New Testament word for hell).The rich man looking up from hell, or the lower compartment of sheol (the grave), saw “Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Even though the grave may have had two compartments, the rich man was able to see both Abraham and Lazarus in the upper compartment or paradise.
B. The rich man’s request for relief (Luke 16:24). Being in torment from the fires of hell, Jesus said the rich man “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.” The rich man cried out for “mercy” from “Father Abraham.” No doubt he realized that his punishment was justified so he didn’t dare ask to be rescued. Instead, he asked only for a moment of relief from torment. His request to Abraham was “send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue.” At first glance, the rich man’s request appears extremely humble, yet it reveals a pathetic pride. He still saw Lazarus as inferior, and one who could be commanded to wait on him. He didn’t grasp the fact that the new order was in effect. The rich man, who in life refused to relieve Lazarus’s suffering now expected Lazarus to relieve his. If there’s any doubt that there is real fire in hell, the rich man’s words “for I am tormented in this flame” should remove all doubt. Note: Although this verse clearly indicates torture by fire in hell, there are other descriptions of this place scattered throughout Scripture. Some passages place emphasis on the eternal quality of hellfire (see Matthew 3:12; 25:41; Luke 3:17) and others emphasize conditions that accompany this torment (see Matthew 18:8; Revelation 14:9-11) such as darkness (see Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30), and worms (or maggots) which are also part of the torment in hell (see Mark 9:43-48; Isaiah 66:2-4). However, some people, including myself, believe that the primary punishment will be the emotional anguish of eternal separation from God (see Matthew 7:23; II Thessalonians 1:9). Nothing could be worse. Hell exists because of God’s wrath (see Revelation 14:10), which in eternity prevents victims from having any relationship with Him. The intense suffering on all these levels will result in weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 13:50).
V. PRINCIPLES OF REWARD AND JUDGMENT (Luke 16:25-26)
A. The principle of reversal (Luke 16:25). This verse says “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.” Abraham refused the rich man’s request to have Lazarus cool his tongue for two reasons. First, with the phrase “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things,” Abraham reminded the rich man that during his lifetime he had received “thy good things.” The word “thy” indicates that the rich man had determined for himself what good things were. For him they were fine clothes, food, friends and merriment. He could have had other good things such as fellowship with God and the satisfaction of sharing his goods with his neighbor, but he had despised those things as having no value. On the other hand, Lazarus had received “evil things.” There is no “thy” or “his” here because Lazarus didn’t choose his situation. It was forced on him by circumstances or by people like the rich man. Now everything was reversed. Abraham said “but now he (Lazarus) is comforted, and thou (the rich man) art tormented.” Note: Let’s not misinterpret the teaching here. It does not say that Lazarus reached paradise by virtue of his poverty or that the wealthy man suffered grief because he was rich. There are good rich people, and there are ungodly poor people. Lazarus had trusted the Lord and thus had become an heir of His kingdom (see James 2:5). However, the rich man, wallowing in his wealth had not used his opportunities to claim God’s wealth.
B. The principle of separation (Luke 16:26). Here Abraham gave the second reason why the rich man’s request for relief was denied. Abraham said “And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” Beside the principle of reversal, Abraham indicated that there was also a principle of separation which was “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot.” In other words, the rich man’s request was impossible to fulfill because there was a “great gulf fixed” or a great divide set so that no passage across it was possible. This is a reminder that one who has reached the afterlife cannot change his or her future. There are only two places where one can go---heaven or hell, and the destination, once reached is “fixed” or final. Therefore, it is imperative that people prepare now for the life to come.
VI. A PRINCIPLE OF REVELATION (Luke 16:27-29)
A. Request for his brothers (Luke 16:27-28).
1. (vs. 27). After being told why he could not receive any relief in hell, the rich man said to Abraham “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house.” Since he couldn’t get any relief for himself, the rich man wanted to send his brothers a warning. This may have been the first time he had shown concern for anyone else besides himself. However, the rich man still maintained a wrong attitude. He still held a superior attitude toward Lazarus, treating him like an errand boy. The rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house.
2. (vs. 28). The rich man continued to give his reason for wanting Lazarus to be sent to his father’s house. He said “For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” The primary problem with the rich man’s request was that it degraded God’s justice. It carried the bitter implication that God had not sufficiently warned him or his “five brothers” of “this place of torment.” As a result, the rich man thought more testimony was necessary for his brothers. What the rich man was really saying was “Send Lazarus to tell them what God never told me. If I had been warned, I would not be here now.” It seems that the rich man was more concerned about his brothers escaping “this place of torment” than he was about their repentance and conversion.
B. Abraham’s answer (Luke 16:29). Replying to the rich man’s request “Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” Abraham answered the rich man’s first request in verse 24 with pity and tenderness (see verse 25). But now he gave a stern rebuke. The idea that his brothers needed more testimony was preposterous prompting Abraham to say “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” The phrase “Moses and the prophets” refers to the entire Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets (see John 16:16). The Scriptures taken together provided enough teaching to lead anyone to salvation (II Timothy 3:15). This was true because the Old Testament gave testimony concerning the Savior (see John 5:39). Note: As already noted, Jesus was telling this story to the Pharisees so His appeal to the Scriptures as the basis for salvation should have pleased them, because they claimed to defend and expound the Law and the Prophets. However, the Pharisees had added so much rabbinic traditions to the Scriptures that their essential message was no longer recognizable. The rich man’s basic problem was neglect of the Scriptures. His wealth was not the cause of his ruin for Abraham himself had been a wealthy man. The rich man was unconcerned about God’s revealed will, and because of this, he had steered his life in a selfish, godless direction.
VII. HINTS OF THE HIGHEST REVELATION (Luke 16:30-31)
A. A final plea and answer (Luke 16:30). In this verse, the rich man said to Abraham “Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” The rich man disagreed with Abraham’s emphasis on Scripture and said “Nay (or no), father Abraham.” No doubt the rich man knew that if the Scriptures hadn’t moved him to repentance, they probably would not move his brothers either. Therefore, the rich man called for something more spectacular. He thought that if Lazarus “went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” In other words, if Lazarus rose from the dead and testified to his brothers of the life to come, surely they would believe. The rich man’s argument only demonstrated his unbelief. In fact, unbelief is the only reason people demand the spectacular from God. They want something visible to prove that His written revelation is true, but people of faith don’t need miracles, His Word is sufficient (see II Timothy 3:15-17).
B. The raising of Jesus foreshadowed (Luke 16:31). Abraham replied to the rich man emphatically saying “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” A miracle may validate God’s message, but anyone determined to reject God’s message will not be swayed or convinced by a miracle (see Matthew 12:22-24). Most of the Pharisees opposed Jesus. They plotted against Him often, and many helped orchestrate His crucifixion. Most of them continued in disbelief after Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection proved that the rich man’s idea that people would believe if someone rose from the grave bearing good news was wrong. Note: A short time after this teaching, Jesus actually raised a man named Lazarus from the dead (see John 11:43-44). Although some open-minded Jews accepted this testimony that Jesus is the Messiah (see John 11:45), others merely reported the event to the unbelieving Pharisees (see John 11:46) who then tried to remove the evidence by plotting the deaths of both Jesus and Lazarus (see John 11:47-53; 12:10-11). In addition, Jesus Himself eventually arose from the dead (see Matthew 28:5-10). The Jewish leaders reacted to this by bribing the guards to spread a false story (see Matthew 28:11-15). They also tried to silence the apostles when they testified of Jesus’ resurrection (see Acts 4:1-3; 5:27-28).
VIII. Conclusion. This story is not intended to teach salvation by works. That would go against the rest of Scripture. However, it does teach that there is a responsibility for those who have this world’s goods to realize that they have a duty to those who are not as blessed. As already stated, money was not the issue: it was how it was used or not used. The main problem for the rich man was his heart and a lack of compassion. Disciples of Jesus Christ are to have a new heart and be clothed with mercy (see Colossians 3:12).
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