Lazarus & The Rich Man

You may have gone through all the verses proving humans do not possess an immortal soul. You may have gone through all the scriptures that clearly show that after death humans don't resume conscious life until they are resurrected... either in the resurrection of the just at the return of Christ... or in the resurrection for the rest of the dead who do not come to life until the 1,000 rule of Christ on earth are ended.

At the end of all that sound biblical teaching someone says "what about Lazarus and the rich man"? Doesn't the parable of Lazarus and the rich man clearly depict the blessings of heaven or the torments of hell as what lays ahead? Either the scriptures are contradictory, or you are wrong!

Today I would like to take an in-depth look at the parable of Lazarus and the rich man and walk through the parable to demonstrate that it is perfectly in-sync with the biblical teaching that death is like a long period of unconscious sleep after which we will be resurrected John 5:28-29.

Let's Read The Parable

Luke 16:19-31.

Who Is Jesus Talking To?

Luke 16:1 Jesus is talking to the disciples.

Luke 16:9 He teaches them through the parable of the "unjust steward" that we should use our worldly wealth in a way that will build up good favor and reward for our eternal future [dwellings = tabernacle or tent referring to spirit bodies see 2 Peter 1:13-14 for use of tent as metaphor for body].

Luke 16:14-15 Jesus is teaching His followers, but He does it in a public setting where what He says can be heard by a larger group of onlookers… including some Pharisees… who laughed at what Jesus taught. They might have said something like "wealth is God's blessing upon the righteous”, or, “My riches are a proof that I am leading a good life and have God's favor".

Jesus tells God sees matters differently. To expand upon that point He tells them what we now know as the parable of Lazarus and the rich man.

What is the purpose of a parable?

A parable is a colorful story used to teach about a spiritual concept. Parables use symbols and metaphors to depict types of people, or situations in an indirect or enigmatic way. They illuminate truth for some and obscure truth for others.

Jesus’ parables were most often not meant to be understood unless they were explained by Him. He did not explain them to just anyone. Jesus only explained His parables to those who were sincere, willing to listen, wiling to act on what they learned, and those who actually asked. Matthew 13:34-36.

Note:  in verses 9-13 Jesus explained the meaning of the parable of the unjust steward to disciples to whom it was directed. However, He did not offer an explanation of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man the the Pharisees to whom it was directed.

Changing Your Paradigm

What you see is greatly affected by what you expect to see. What you expect to see can be greatly influenced by what you are told to expect.

1. [slide 1] Here is a silhouette of a fancy wine goblet
2. [slide 2] Here is a silhouette of two people facing one another

What you see first is affected by what I lead you to expect. 

So… let me tell you what to expect in the parable:

1. The rich man is like the Pharisees enjoying their wealth and the praise of others for their righteousness. Lazarus is like the followers of Christ who build character through what they  suffer and are despised. Both of them, rich and poor alike, die in the flesh.
2. The believer [Lazarus] is gathered together among those who are Christ's at His return and participate in the inheritance promised to the faithful, eternal life in the family of God
3. The rich man is resurrected to physical life after the 1,000 year rule of Christ. He is very distressed to learn he is now under the judgment of God and could end up in the lake of fire.
4. Scripture warns you of this in advance and shows you what to do in this life to affect your circumstances after death.

That’s the biblical paradigm to have in mind when you read the parable. But why is it so hard?

The challenge with this parable is that presuppositions from people, tradition, and translation bias precondition you to expect the "go to hell" doctrine in these verses. Even the suggestion that the parable is a proof of the “go to hell” doctrine preconditions you to see it that way.

Let’s Go Through The Parable With the Biblical Constructed Paradigm

Luke 16:19-21 the rich man represents those who think of themselves as spiritually rich but were really pitifully naked and blind. Being clothed in fine, or white, linen is frequently used to depict righteousness and good works... the Pharisees were esteemed for their long prayers, strict  Sabbath observance, rigorous fasting, any avoidance of unclean people or things.

Then we have Lazarus who must endure suffering, trials, and hardship in this life. He is not esteemed by others  [unclean dogs lick his unclean sores]. But, his suffering is building in him righteous character, pleasing to God.

Luke 16:20-21 both men die but what happens to them after death is very different.

Remember this is a parable; a short pithy story meant to convey a spiritual lesson or warning. Parables often breeze through years or centuries in a single sentence. Because of the preconceptions folks have when they read this parable they presume Lazarus is whisked off to Abraham’s side [in heaven] minutes after his last breath. But, this timeline would be a contradiction to other scriptures that clearly say otherwise.  Which scriptures?

We have two clues to indicate the scriptures that show us there is a huge time gap:

1. The phrase, Abraham's bosom (at Abraham’s side)
2. The phrase, Lazarus is carried away by the angels

When do the angels gather up and carry away those who have died? Matthew 24:30-31 Lazarus is gathered together with God's chosen/elect at the time of Christ's return... so they may be raised to life.

Who are the chosen/elect? Galatians 3:7-9, 14 those who through faith overcome the trials, tests, hardships, and suffering of life to enter into the family of God. The children of faith, the children of Abraham are the chosen and elect. Note: Lazarus is depicted as being placed in a close intimate relationship with Abraham. The old rendering "Abraham's bosom" indicates this closeness.

Where was Abraham when Jesus delivered this parable? John 8:52 Abraham was dead, not living in heaven John 3:13. Abraham has not yet received the promise. Along with all the faithful who have died over the centuries and millennia, Abraham and the faithful await the receipt of the promise as a FUTURE event Hebrews 11:39-40, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

Lazarus is in the first or better resurrection!

What about the Rich Man?

Luke 16:23-24 here is another instance where there is a huge time gap covering thousands of years but in the format of the short pithy parable could be presumed to occur right away. The time of the rich man's resurrection is at the end of the 1,000 years of Christ reigning on earth.

Revelation 20:4-5 since the rich man was not among those gathered by the angels for resurrection at the time of Christ's return he must therefore be part of the "rest of the dead" who are raised to life much later. This is a resurrection back to life in the flesh for a time of judgment before the great white throne of God.

Hell or Hades

The KJV used the word hell in this verse which allows people to throw this parable in your face and say LOOK, SEE, ITS RIGHT THERE! Most modern translations back away from this and more accurately use the word Hades… because they know it has a very different meaning. Hades is a Greek word meaning the state of the dead, not the place of the dead but rather the state of the dead. The spirit is separated from the body, it has no body, it cannot be seen, it has no meaningful existence... we would add to that: it has no thoughts, it is in a state much like sleep Daniel 12:2.

Acts 2:31 the word Hades is only used 7 times in the NT depicting the state of the dead not a place for the dead. For example: Jesus' spirit did not go to some subterranean torture chamber called hell after He died in the flesh. But He entered the state of the dead. He was in the tomb... not alive in some other place (either heaven or hell). His spirit was not conscious, or what we would call alive, because it had no living body.

Torment & Fire

Torment - in verse 23 the word is basanos - which literally means a touchstone, a type of stone you would rub gold of silver on to test its purity. The rich man is raised to his time of judgment before the God.  He will be put to the test using the touchstone of God’s word Revelation 20:24-25.

Basanos came to be used to mean inflicting pain in order to get at the truth... also as the mental and emotional stress associated with pain, trial, and loss:

1. people brought their sicknesses and pains (basanismos) to Jesus for healing
2. demons cried out "why are you tormenting/basanizo me?" when they knew Jesus was going to cast them out of a person. The mental torment of impending doom.
3. Revelation 9 shows God allowing people to be tormented/basanizo by Satan with pain and plagues so they might repent

When the rich man is resurrected he will see the tables turned, he has missed out on the resurrection of the just... and he is going to be tormented or distressed by the idea that he could permanently destroyed in the lake of fire. Note: in this fire could also be translated by this fire.

Will he perhaps experience physical as well as emotional trial and tribulation at that time? Jesus indicates people who rejected him in this life are going to have a harder time when they rise up n the resurrections than those who never knew any better. I expect God will try an test them before writing them into the book of life.

A Drop Of Water

Water is often used to depict the holy spirit of God. The rich man wants what Lazarus has. He asks that Lazarus be allowed to give him just a drop of that living water to ease his distress.  But can he have what Lazarus has? The answer is NO.

Luke 16:25-26 there’s a great divide between these two men; one  is of the flesh, one is of the Spirit…  and flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of God. People like the rich man may find themselves written into the book of life and presumably receive eternal life when this judgment is complete... but they will not have a part in the better resurrection... and they will not share in the special status of the bride of Christ seated with Him in positions of authority and judgment over the universe.

I believe such people have good things to look forward too... but not those two things.

A man who thought himself spiritually rich and in need of nothing... righteous and chosen... now finds himself to have missed out on the greatest opportunity every offered to a created being.

Luke 16:27-31 when the rich man arises doesn't seem be aware that thousands of years have passed and everyone he ever knew is also dead. He proposes that the sight of Lazarus returning from the dead to warn his family would get their attention so they don't end up in the same predicament he finds himself in.

The answer: No. The only warning people get is the warnings, instructions, inspiration and promises found in God's word.

Conclusion

The story of Lazarus and the rich man is actually a story that fits squarely and comfortably within the resurrection sequence and the great white throne judgment spelled out in multiple other places in scripture.Read it with the right paradigm... Read it with the goal of harmonizing into the larger picture clearly spelled out in your bible.

Do this and the parable of Lazarus and the rich man will not be a confusing conundrum but a powerful warning and call to action.