Dec 24
8
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 72
“OF SOLOMON. Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor! May they fear you while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more! May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him! For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live; may gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all the day! May there be abundance of grain in the land; on the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field! May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed! Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.” (Psalm 72)
New Testament Reading: Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 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.’ 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. 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.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 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.’” (Luke 16:19–31)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
Here in Luke 16:19-31, we find a parable from Jesus.
Those familiar with this passage and the history of its interpretation may know that there is a debate over the question, is this a parable— a fictional story filled with spiritual meaning—or was Christ telling us about the real experiences, in this life and the life to come, of two real individuals—a rich man (who is not named) and poor man, named Lazarus?
Those who think this is a true story will point to the fact that Luke does not explicitly call it a parable. And that is true… sort of. Luke does not say, “So Jesus told them this parable”, immediately before telling this story. But it must be remembered that beginning in Luke 15:3 we find a string of parables. First, there is The Parable of the Lost Sheep. Next, we find The Parable Of The Lost Coin. After that, there is The Parable Of The Prodigal Son followed by The Parable Of The Dishonest Manger. None but the first of these parables is explicitly introduced as a parable. In Luke 15:3 we read, “So he told them this parable…” (Luke 15:3), and four parables follow. This string of parables is briefly interrupted by the passage immediately preceding this one. In Luke 16:14-18, Christ confronts the Pharisees for their love of money and worldly ways.
Though Luke does not introduce this story with the words, “So Jesus told them this parable”, I would argue that this story about the rich man and Lazarus belongs to the previous string of parables. In fact, I do believe it is very much related to the parable of the dishonest manager found in Luke 16:1-13.
What was the parable of the dishonest manager about? It was about money, and the right use of money. At the conclusion of that parable, Christ said, “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 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” (Luke 16:9–13). Immediately after this, Luke tells us that the Pharisees were lovers of money. Jesus rebuked them. And then he told another parable. It is the parable that is open before us today. And what is this about? It should be no surprise that it is about money and the right use of money. It is about a rich man who loved money and lived for earthly pleasures while neglecting the poor and the needy around him. In this parable, Christ shows us what the result of a life lived for money and pleasure will be.
Now to be clear, by calling this story a parable, I do not mean to suggest that this story is disconnected from reality. The scene of the afterlife that Christ described was true. Friends, a parable might be fictional, but it is not fantasy. A parable is a fictional story, rooted in reality, intended to convey spiritual and eternal truths.
Was this rich man a real person? No. But he represents real people. Was Lazarus a real person? No. But he represents real people. And what about the scenes—the earthy scene and the scene of the afterlife? Were they real? Not in the specifics. But what is described here does correspond to reality. On earth, there are large estates with gates and with poor beggars suffering outside the gates, and prior to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, Sheol (or Hades) was both a place of torment and a place of comfort with a great and impenetrable chasm fixed between the two. This is a parable. And like all parables, the story and the symbolism are rooted in reality. And like all parables, the purpose is to communicate spiritual and eternal truths.
The Story
So let us now consider the story.
It begins, “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.” Can you picture him? He’s dressed like a king. He is clothed in the finest and most comfortable apparel. And he eats the very best food—a lot of it!
In verse 20 we read, “And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.”
In this verse, we learn a little more about the rich man. He lived in an estate surrounded by a wall. Within the walls he erected, he enjoyed his life of luxury while keeping the needs and sufferings of others a safe distance away and out of his view. The rich man loved his money and his comforts, but he did not love his neighbor, as we will soon see.
Christ tells us that at the rich man’s “gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus…” Lazarus means, “helped of God”. What an interesting name for a person who suffered so greatly. This man was laid at the gate of a rich man. This implies that he was looking for assistance from him, but no assistance was given, and yet he has a name that means, “helped of God”.
You know, those who deny this is a parable and wish to say that it is a true story will also point to the fact that Lazarus is named by name. The idea is that this is too fine of a detail for a parable. This Lazarus fellow must have been an actual person – a person named Lazarus. But it seems to me that the name Lazarus is used by Christ in this parable because of its meaning. Though it seemed like no one cared for this man or was willing to help him, the truth is, he was helped by God. By this name, we are reminded that we should not judge by the appearance of things. Judging by the earthy and external circumstances of these two men, who would you expect to have the name “Lazarus” – helped by God? Not the poor man, riddled with sores, and laying helpless and hopeless at the gate, but the rich man! The opposite is true. It was the poor man who was given the name Lazarus. And what was the rich man’s name? No name is given. This is also significant. The message is clear. Though it appeared that God’s favor was on the rich man and his disfavor was upon the poor man, the opposite was true. Lazarus was helped by God and the rich man was not.
In verse 21 we learn more about the miserable condition of Lazarus. He was in a very low place —the lowest of places. He was so hungry that he “desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.” All he wanted was the crumbs! And so alone was he, that only the dogs cared to bring him comfort, a comfort that was likely unwelcomed.
In verse 22 we read, “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.”
What is this place? Many have puzzled over this question. Clearly, we are now considering the afterlife. Both the rich man and Lazarus are said to have died. But what is this place? On the one hand, it seems that Lazarus and the rich man are in the same place. They can see one another. And there is communication taking place between the rich man and Father Abraham, who has Lazarus at his side. But the experiences of the rich man and Lazarus are very different. Lazarus is comforted in this place, while the rich man is in torment.
Look at verse 23. There we read, “And [the rich man] 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.’ 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. 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.’”
What is this place? It is Sheol or Hades (or hell) as it existed before the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
You see, before Jesus was raised, Sheol or Hades was the common abode of the dead. The bodies of those who died were laid in the grave, and their souls went to Sheol or Hades. You say, but the rich man said that he wished to have water to cool his tongue! The tongue is apart of the body, not the soul. That’s true. So the language is clearly accommodated and metaphorical. The meaning is clear. The rich man was in torment in his soul. This, friends, is Sheol or Hades. And this is where everyone went prior to the resurrection of Christ from the grave. Notice that Abraham, the father of the faith, was there. And so too was the rich man. But as you can see, Sheol or Hades consisted of two parts. In one part, there was anguish. In the other part, there was comfort. And a great impassable chasm separated the two parts of Sheol.
Who went to the place of anguish? Answer: All who died in their sins and did not trust in the promises concerning the coming Messiah. Stated differently, it was those who lived for this world and for the pleasures of this world whose souls were cast into the place of anguish within Sheol upon death.
And who went to the place of comfort? Answer: Abraham went there and all who had the faith of Abraham— that is to say, faith in the promises of God concerning the coming Messiah. This place of comfort in Sheol is sometimes called Abrham’s bosom. Bosom means “chest”. The idea is that those who had the faith of Abraham—faith in the Messiah who was promised to Abraham and in whom Abraham believed—would be warmly embraced and comforted by Father Abraham when they passed from this life to the next.
While the lower compartment of Sheol was a place of hellish torment, the upper compartment (if I may speak in this way) was a place of heavenly comfort and peace. I’m sure you notice I’m speaking in this past tense. The reason is simple. When Jesus the Messiah accomplished salvation for those who have faith in him (the faith of Abraham) and when he was raised from the dead, he set a host of captives free from Sheol (see Ephesians 4:8) and opened up the way into the heavenly holy of holies (see Luke 23:45). Where do the souls of those who trust in Jesus the Messiah go now that Jesus has risen from the dead and ascended to the Fathers right? They do not go to that place of comfort in Sheol, but to an even better place—heaven! And who are they comforted by in heaven? Into whose loving arms are they received? They are not embraced by Abraham but by Jesus!
So then, a great change took place in the spiritual realm when Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to the Father’s right hand. Those who were waiting with Abraham for the accomplishment of their redemption were set free from Sheol (Hades or hell) and were granted access into heaven when Christ died and rose from the dead. Sheol is only a place of anguish now. Heaven and hell will remain as they are until Christ returns on the last day. But in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, this is what Sheol was like. The common abode of the dead consisted of two parts. There was a place of anguish and a place of comfort. A great and impassable chasm separated these two parts of Sheol.
The rich man could see Lazarus comforted at Abraham’s side. 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.’ 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. 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.’”
Friends, if the chasm that separated the wicked from the faithful prior to Christ’s resurrection was impassable, how much more is the chasm fixed now that Christ has ascended to lead his people into the very presence of God in heaven?
Questions 40 and 42 of the Baptist Catechism help us to understand how different the destinations of the wicked and those who have faith in Christ are.
Q. 40. What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death?
A. The souls of believers are at death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection. (Heb. 12:23; Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; Luke 23:43; 1 Thess 4:14; Is. 57:2; Job 19:26)
Q. 42. But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?
A. The souls of the wicked shall, at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day. (Luke 16:22-24; Ps. 49:14)
Back to our parable. In verse 27 the rich man responds after being told that Lazarus is not able to come to him, saying, “‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 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.’”
There are few things that need to be said about this section of the parable.
One, the rich man now shows some concern for others, but it is only his brothers that he is concerned for. He wants them to be warned lest they also come into that place of torment.
Two, Abraham declared that all of the information they needed to escape that place of torment could be found in Moses and the prophets, that is to say, in the Old Testament Scriptures. Isn’t that interesting? This agrees with what Christ told his disciples after his resurrection and before his ascension—that the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms found their fulfillment in him and in his work of redemption (see Luke 24:44).
Three, when the rich man objected saying, “if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent”, and when Christ replied, saying, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead”, it is a reminder that a person will not be brought to faith and repentance through any other means then by the preaching of the gospel and the powerful working of the Holy Spirit.
Four, the words, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead”, recalled the actual resurrection of Jesus’ true friened, Lazarus, from the dead (see John 11), and anticipated Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead which would take place not many days from the telling of this great parable. As you likely know, many of these Pharisees to whom Jesus spoke remained in hard-hearted unbelief even after seeing Lazarus raised, and they would remain in unbelief even after receiving word of Christ’s resurrection from the grave.
As you can see, there were likely a number of reasons why Jesus selected the name Lazarus for the poor man in this parable. Jesus’ dear friend Lazurus had been “helped by God” when Christ raised him from the dead. This parable was meant to remind his audience of that historical event. And Jesus Christ would be “helped by God” when God would raise him on the third day after his crucifixion. So then, the real Lazurus, and the Lazarus of this parable, are types of Christ. Jesus Christ would be rejected by the Jews. He would be despised, rejected, wounded, and crucified outside the gate. His body would be laid in the grave. His soul descended to Sheol. When Christ descended to Sheol, he comforted Abraham and all who had been comforted by him, who were awaiting the accomplishment of their redemption and deliverance from that place to heaven. And on the third day, Christ was raised. And when he was he was raised to life incorruptible, he led a host of captives free.
The Meaning
Though this parable has layers of meaning, what is the main point of it? Primarily, I think we must see it as a complement to the parable of the dishonest manager told in Luke 16:1-13. Again, I’ll remind you of the meaning of that parable. It is about money and the right use of money. Christ concluded that parable with these words: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings”. A little later he warned, “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” (Luke 16:9–13).
The Pharisees were lovers of money, we are told (see Luke 16:14-18).
And here in this parable, we see where the love of money will get us. This rich man represents all who live for the attainment of wealth and the pleasures of this world. He lived in luxury. He feasted sumptuously every day while ignoring the needs of those around him. And then he died. And look at how sad and miserable his eternal condition was.
What does it look like to “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings”? It looks like the opposite of the behavior of this rich man.
Friends, the meaning of this parable is not that the rich are wicked and the poor are righteous! No, the meaning is that those who are rich must not “be haughty, nor… set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19).
