LUKE 16:19-3119There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And 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; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he 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. 25But 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. 26And 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. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:19‑31).
Verse 19. "Now there was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously [literally, making merry, splendidly] every day.”
THIS rich man, instead of making friends by means of the mammon which he possessed, in the prospect of eternity, which our Lord recommends His disciples to do, spent his wealth on himself, and in self-indulgence, in luxury, and splendor, living only for time, and neglecting the eternity beyond. We do not find any vices or crimes laid to his charge; no doubt he had his friends and companions who shared in his entertainments. He was not wicked in the ordinary sense of the word, but he was worldly. Not cruel, it may be, but living in the neglect of the poor and the suffering. Living and walking in the flesh, and not in the Spirit.
This appears to have been his daily and habitual course: the choice of this present world for his portion, the enjoyment of the gifts of Providence, but living in forgetfulness of God, the good and bounteous Giver.
Verses 20, 21. "And there was a certain beggar [poor man] named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.”
The same Providence which gave the rich man his riches, with an opportunity for employing them for the glory of God, and to his own eternal gain, placed the poor man at his gate, in affliction and suffering, with an opportunity for patient endurance and acquiescence in the will of God, by fixing the eye on the things unseen and eternal, and by enduring as seeing Him who is invisible.
The Greek word does not convey the idea of begging, but of poverty. His trust was in God. This his name implies. "Lazarus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Eliezer," the meaning of which is, "God, my helper": his hope and trust were in his God. Probably his friends laid him daily at the rich man's gate, thus bringing him under his notice, and the notice of his friends and companions. In his poverty he had learned contentment. He was not desirous of the rich man's dainties, but simply that his bread might be given him and his water might be sure; and this the promise secured him, for he was a pensioner upon Divine bounty. He was a son of Abraham living by faith, walking in the Spirit, the heir with Abraham of the same inheritance, looking for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God.
Of such the world is not worthy, and the world overlooks them, or passes them unheeded by; even to such the animal creation may prove more friendly than their fellowmen.
Verse 22. "And it came to pass that the beggar [poor man] died, and he was carried [and he was carried away] by the angels into Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died, and was buried.”
The patience of the poor man having had its perfect work, the trial of his faith came to an end, but that ending was the beginning of a brighter day. Those ministering spirits which had been sent forth to minister unto him as an heir of salvation, unseen by him during his lifetime, now fulfilled their mission by bearing him away from the scene of his suffering and sorrow to join the spirits of the just made perfect in the heavenly Jerusalem, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God.
In the present dispensation the believer departs to be with Christ, which is far better.
The soul, also, of the rich man was required of him; his worldly enjoyment, also, had an end. The attendance on his splendid funeral might have been numerous, his body might have been conveyed to the tomb with due honors, but his soul on departing from the earth was solitary; no angel convoy awaited him to convey him to the regions of the blest. The fool may prefer to be without God in this world, but to be without God in eternity is terrible indeed.
The remembrance of pleasures enjoyed without God in this life will afford little satisfaction in the world to come.
Verses 23, 24. "And in hell [hades] he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom; and he 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.”
Hades is the place, or state, of separate spirits. It expresses the condition of the soul as separated from the body. It is a state of conscious existence; the body alone slumbers in the tomb. It is also a place of spiritual intelligence; the realities of the unseen world are apprehended and realized. To Lazarus it was a place, or state, of highest enjoyment and heavenly communion. To the rich man after death it was the place, or condition, of suffering and woe. The scene of heavenly enjoyment and fellowship was beheld, but it was seen afar off.
According to the flesh Abraham was his father, but not being a partaker of Abraham's faith, they are now forever separated. What he asks is some little alleviation of his sufferings; he evidently entertains no hope of entire deliverance. Even now there is no turning of the heart to God; it is Abraham, and not God, he appeals to.
Of course, the terms "finger," "water," "tongue," "flame," are symbolic, figures drawn from things natural to express what is spiritual. In the parable "hades" is contemplated, and not the resurrection state.
Verses 25, 26. "But Abraham said, Son [child], remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now here he is comforted and thou art tormented. And beside ell this, between us and you there is a great gulf [chasm] fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence.”
In this world and in this life man is placed in a state of probation; a choice has to be made, and the results of that choice are eternal. On the one hand, the world without God; on the other hand, God, and leaving God to give, or to withhold, worldly goods. The choice of this world without God involves the loss of God, and separation from Him throughout eternity.
But when God is chosen as the portion of the soul in time, He becomes the satisfying portion of the soul throughout the ages to come. In the unseen state the broad line of demarcation between the children of this world and the children of faith is fixed, immovable, and eternal; the gulf, or chasm, is impassable.
Solemn truth! This leaves no room whatever for any "larger hope.”
“Verses 27-31." Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify [earnestly testify] unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hew them.' And he said,. Nay, father Abraham; but it 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 [from among] the dead'.”
“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
The belief of doctrines, creeds, or the testimony of men, apart from faith in God, availeth nothing to the saving and sanctifying of the soul, whether that testimony be borne by men, by angels, or by men risen from the dead. It is God's testimony to His beloved Son, as recorded in the inspired Word, brought home to the soul by the Holy Spirit. This is the life-germ of immortality to the soul, the Word of God living and abiding forever. The resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany from the dead did not convince or convert the Pharisees or scribes; they consulted that they might put him to death a second time.
And the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, though borne witness to by the men who had eaten and drank with Him after He had risen, failed to convince the Jews that He was their Messiah.
The salvation of the soul is threefold. It is the result of the sovereign love of the Father, the atoning work of the Son, and the regenerating, sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost.