The Rich Man and Lazarus

“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.

What sort of reasoning is it that denies that a scripture qualifies as a parable because it happens to contain a couple of names? This one is in the midst of a bed of other parables.

This parable is not like Christ’s other parables, in which spiritual things are represented by similitudes borrowed from worldly things. . .But here the spiritual things themselves are represented in a narrative or description of the different state of good and bad in this world and the other.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary (unabridged) volume 5, page 757

Let’s do a simple comparison with another parable found in the previous chapter. The account of the prodigal son is attested by all as a parable, is it not? Both parables have certain characters: first, in the parable of the Prodigal son we have the father; in this parable, Father Abraham. Second, we see two sons in each parable: the elder son in the Prodigal and the rich man in the other, both representing the Pharisee; third, the Prodigal, the son in want, perishing with hunger, while the other parable presents a beggar, perishing with hunger. Fourth, the Prodigal whom the father declares to have been dead is returned unto him and is now alive: he is comforted at the father’s house. In the other parable the beggar is declared dead, but he is very much alive in Abraham’s bosom!

The “rich man” is very pious: Abraham is his Father; he is the Son of Abraham! Thus the satire used by our Lord in this parable. The rich man cries out: “Father Abraham” and Abraham addresses him as “Son!"

Just prior to teaching the parable of the “rich man and Lazarus” Christ rebukes the Pharisees for their love of mammon. The scripture makes known their covetousness. The Lord exposes them as “they which justify yourselves before men. . .God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." The line of thought continues: “There was a certain rich man. . .” Similar beginnings to yet other parables are to be found in the scriptures.

In John chapter eight the Pharisees, as on other occasions, boast that Abraham is their father; to which Jesus replies, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. . .Ye are of your father the Devil.”

In light of this, (and again we stress) Jesus uses the terms, Father Abraham, and Son (relating the Pharisees as sons of Abraham in the flesh, but certainly not in the spirit of Faith.) Notice too, that the cry of the rich man is to Abraham; not to the God of Abraham! Thus do we have a picture painted for the Pharisees by our Lord, using satire; making a mockery of those "religious leaders," the "children of Abraham!"

This account might well be called “A Tale of Two Beggars.” The first lay outside the gate and did what comes natural to a beggar: he cried out, Have mercy on me! Allow me but the crumbs from the table of bounty! I am afflicted with these sores!

The other “beggar” likewise was separated: he lay as it were outside the gate of Paradise. He also cried out: Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Allow me but a drop from the fountain of refreshment! I am afflicted in this flame!

Though the (ex) rich man cries for mercy, their is no hint of a repentant heart; neither a cry for deliverance from the torments, but only for some degree of comfort in his infirmity. “. . .thou in thy life time receivest thy “good” things [mammon] and likewise Lazarus “evil” things.” Kakos: injurious, destructive, and grievous.

Observe: Lazarus was a beggar. He “made of himself no reputation.” Yet is he afforded the distinction of being named. In comparison, the rich man was indeed a man of reputation; one who “justified himself before men.” Yet here, he is without honor; he remains nameless. The beggar lay at his gate. He might step over or around “that beggar,” but to touch him would cause him, under the law, to be defiled. Yet in Hell he addresses “that beggar” as Lazarus. And he would have Lazarus take his finger and touch histongue with a drop of water? Aren’t you afraid of being defiled, Mr. Rich Man?

The charges leveled against the rich man are worse in comparison to the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” He did not perchance “happen to stumble across him as he traveled down the road;” he lay right at the gate, at the entrance to his estate. He need not “take him to an inn” where another could nourish him back to health. He might have brought him through the gate and into his own house, there to wash and anoint his sores; to set him at his own table; not to offer crumbs, but his best. Not only did the rich man allow the beggar to die outside his gate (probably from starvation and dehydration) but refused to offer any medical help. The only treatment afforded him in his affliction was the licking of his sores by a pack of dogs.

The latter part of the Lord’s discourse in Matthew 25 clearly pictures the rich man in our text: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: [fitting, is it not, that these whom Christ declares to have Satan for their father, be where he is!] “For I was hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked and ye clothed me not: sick. . .” “Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick. . .and did not minister unto thee?”

“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.” We must look at this in the sense in which it is given. These are according to the flesh; they most assuredly are not the sheep of His pasture!

There appear to be several similarities shared by the Lord Jesus and Lazarus.

Lazarus was a beggar. Jesus made of Himself no reputation; was born and lived in humble surroundings.

Lazarus apparently had no place to call home. Jesus said that the foxes had holes and the birds nests, but “the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.”

Lazarus was afflicted with sores; Jesus was sorely afflicted.

Lazarus “suffered without the gate.” “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate” Heb. 13:12.

Lazarus cried out, asking only the crumbs from the rich man’s table. Jesus cried out, “I thirst” but there was no response from the rich man [the scribe, the priest, the Pharisee] to minister to Him.

The beggar died. Jesus died.

The beggar was carried by the angels to Paradise [Abraham’s bosom]. Jesus commended His spirit into the Father’s hand; He likewise entered Paradise.

The final verses in Luke chapter 16 contain prophesy given by our Lord concerning Himself. The plea is made by the rich man: “I pray thee therefore, father, [Abraham] that thou wouldst send him [Lazarus] to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them. . .” In that they know not God, they seemingly have deified Abraham, enthroning him as God. In John 8:58-59 “Jesus said unto them. . .Before Abraham was, I AM. Then took they up stones to cast at Him.“ Need we ask why?

“And he said. . .Father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” And He said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets neither will they be persuaded though One rose from the dead.” Listen, Mr. Pharisee: “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” “And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life“ John 5:39-40.

“they will not be persuaded though One rose from the dead” Here Jesus turns from the rich man and confronts the Pharisee: it is not that they would not, but “they will not be persuaded.”

“though One rose from the dead.”

“More than coincidental is the account given us of the raising from the dead of another “Lazarus,” the brother of Mary and Martha. Sure enough, the rich man’s “brethren” did not believe; rather sought to kill him whom Jesus had just made alive!

“though ONE rose from the dead?”

“The God of Abraham and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus. . . But ye denied the Holy One and the Just. . .and killed the Prince of life, whom the Father hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” Acts 3:13,14,15.

Prophesy fulfilled? “neither will they be persuaded though One [Christ] rose from the dead.”