Lesson 238 . The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Reading Luke 16:19–31, we find an interesting account of certain events. When studying this story, we should understand one very important thing that changes the meaning and our understanding of what is written in this passage. Did Jesus tell a parable, or did He reveal the mystery of life after death and give His followers a new teaching? I can understand it one way or the other, but then the conclusions will be completely different.

Yet we should make it a rule that our conclusions must correspond to the general direction of the Bible and not contradict the truth.

For example, let us consider this story as a teaching. And since it is a doctrine about life after death, everything should be understood literally, with attention given to every detail.

Then many questions arise that reveal contradictions with Scripture.

Is it evil to be rich and dress decently—an evil for which there will be severe retribution? Is it wrong to receive good things during one’s lifetime and joyfully enjoy one’s food, so that one must suffer for it? Jesus does not give the rich man a name, thereby generalizing this category of people.

Is it a great blessing and a sure path to bliss to be poor and neglect personal hygiene?

Judging by the story, Lazarus did not work and desired to eat the crumbs from the rich man’s table. Is idleness good?

Scripture teaches that wealth is a blessing, while poverty is a curse. Labor is a blessing, while sickness is a punishment for departing from the truth.

Luke 16:22: “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.”

Strange things happen in this verse. Lazarus’s corpse was not committed to the earth; it was carried away and placed upon Abraham’s knees, while the rich man was given a proper burial.

It is worth noting that there is not a single word about the soul in this story, so we should not speculate or add what is not there.

Nor is any reason given for why these deceased men ended up in different places. We can only guess.

Then, in some astonishing way, the two corpses come to life and begin a conversation.

We read that the rich man was in hell, in torments, in this flame. Nothing is said here about eternal torment, anyone being there beside him, or the dreadful judgment. The man simply died and found himself in hell. At the very least, justice requires that a judicial verdict be rendered and the measure of punishment declared. But this is absent. Is this some kind of arbitrary action without trial or investigation?

And so the two corpses begin a conversation. It is strange that God is absent from this entire story. The rich man addresses Abraham with a small request: to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. It is a strange request. I think anyone who found himself in flames would want to escape as quickly as possible. Abraham’s persistent hardheartedness is also surprising. He responds rather indifferently to the rich man’s request, although he is within reach and could have fulfilled the request himself out of love.

For some reason, however, love is absent from these relationships. The very proximity of the place of torment to the place of bliss is also astonishing. Does this mean that everything will be visible? Will we communicate with those who are burning in hell and, at the same time, receive comfort?

The conversation then turns to the idea that the dead Lazarus could come back to life, appear to the rich man’s brothers, and tell them about their brother’s torments in order to warn them as well. After all, apparently Abraham could raise the dead and release them back into the world. Once again, Abraham’s answer is strange. He refuses the rich man, explaining his refusal by the brothers’ unbelief, without even trying to do it. Predestination to destruction?

I will say honestly that such a prospect of life after death is distressing to me. It completely contradicts the teaching of the Bible. There are so many questions for God. Why does this teaching, when understood literally, so strongly contradict the spirit of the Bible and distort the truth? Where are love and truth? Where are compassion for humanity, sympathy, and mercy?

Now let us consider the same story as a parable.

To whom did Jesus tell it? We read in Luke 15:1–3: “Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And He spake this parable unto them, saying.” The Lord decided to speak to these people in language they understood, using illustrations from their worldview and speaking in parables. None of us perceives these parables as doctrine, for that would raise many questions and contradictions. The purpose of every parable, however, is for a person to remember the meaning of its central thought, which is clothed in easily remembered images.

If I quote verses from Scripture to you or tell you an example from my life, then a year later you will not remember a single verse I read, but you will repeat my entire life story word for word. Our minds quickly remember vivid moments and do not forget them.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus ridicules the superstitions of the Pharisees and demonstrates the absurdity of their faith in Abraham, whom they had begun to deify and worship. It also speaks of the depth of their unbelief—that no miracle would convince them. In the events that followed, we see that the resurrection of the real Lazarus hardened the hearts of the Pharisees even more, and they did not repent. We read in John 12:10: “But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death.” Christ’s parable described the spiritual condition of His listeners with great precision.

Why are we examining this parable? A literal interpretation of this story distorts God’s love, His mercy, and His justice taken together. They are simply absent. Yet many Christians have seized upon this parable and made it a dogma of their errors, justifying this by saying that it is Christ’s teaching. Yes, Jesus said it, but it is not a teaching. It is an illustration of an error that dominated society at that time and a rebuke of the evil spirit that burdened the hearts of His listeners.

Christ’s love and compassion for humanity do not contradict God’s character or run counter to the truth. I do not think that those who interpret the story of the rich man and Lazarus interpret the preceding parable of the unjust steward literally; otherwise, they would have many problems with the authorities and with honest people.

And if one is going to be honest and interpret the parable of the rich man and Lazarus literally, one should not introduce into it what is not there and then use those speculations to convince people of something that is written nowhere.

Who will be tormented forever? The one who is still alive and conscious. These torments of the soul are called eternal as long as the soul is alive and a person is unable to renounce them if he has no connection with God. If a sinful person lived forever, then these torments of conscience would also be eternal. But when the soul dies, the torments also cease. In this, too, there is the justice of love toward unfortunate sinners. Proverbs 5:22: “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”

There is torment in fear and sin—an unending torment of conscience. It is a very heavy burden that a person is unable to bear. Godforsakenness is what broke Christ’s heart when He drank the bitter cup of our sins. Christ’s soul could not endure such a condition, and He died in the torments of the second death in our place so that we would never experience this horror.

Some teach that the souls of sinners will remain forever in the torments of Godforsakenness. But love will not permit such cruel punishment throughout all Eternity. In justice and mercy, Love will punish everyone according to their deeds and completely destroy them. This is what Love counsels everyone to avoid, offering Herself in exchange.

Homework 238

1. In the light of our lesson, please read Luke 16:19–31; 1 Kings 3:13; Proverbs 14:24; Ecclesiastes 5:18; Proverbs 15:15; Song of Solomon 2:4; Exodus 34:6–7; Psalm 88:10; Ecclesiastes 9:5; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 52; Isaiah 26:19; 1 John 4:16; Revelation 14:11; Jude 1:7; Genesis 19:28; Isaiah 34:8–10; Revelation 19:3; 20:10; Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 50:40; and Matthew 10:28.

2. Did you learn anything useful in this lesson?

3. How do you understand this parable?

4. What meaning, in your opinion, was embedded in this story?

5. What was the rich man’s name? Genesis 32:27.

6. Can a biblical doctrine be built upon the fifth question and its answer?

7. Why have many movements taken the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as the foundation of their belief in life after death?

8. Do you believe in an afterlife?

9. Can dead people speak?

10. Who was actually speaking with King Saul in 1 Samuel 28:8–20? Would God use the services of a witch to reveal His will?