*Luke 16:19-31
Jesus describes a wealthy man who ignores a poor beggar named Lazarus, and their fates are reversed after death.
- The Rich Man’s Life:
- The rich man lives in luxury, wearing fine clothes and enjoying daily feasts.
- He remains oblivious to Lazarus, a beggar lying at his gate, who is covered in sores and longs for scraps from the rich man’s table.
- Lazarus’s Life:
- Lazarus endures extreme poverty and illness, receiving no help from the rich man.
- Dogs come to lick his sores, underscoring his helpless state.
- Afterlife Contrasts:
- Both the rich man and Lazarus die.
- Lazarus is carried by angels to Abraham’s side (often referred to as “Abraham’s bosom”), a place of comfort and honor.
- The rich man finds himself in torment in Hades, where he sees Lazarus with Abraham from a distance.
- Plea for Relief:
- The rich man begs Abraham to have Lazarus dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue, as he suffers in agony.
- Abraham reminds him of his lifetime of comfort and Lazarus’s suffering, pointing out that a great chasm now separates them, preventing passage.
- Request for Warning:
- The rich man pleads with Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his five brothers about this place of torment.
- Abraham replies that the brothers have Moses and the prophets to guide them, meaning the Scriptures should be sufficient.
- Final Rejection:
- The rich man insists that a messenger from the dead would convince his brothers to repent.
- Abraham states that if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.
Luke 16:19-31 reminds us to care for others, especially those in need, and to pay attention to God’s truth while we still have time. The rich man ignored the suffering of Lazarus, and in the end, he regretted it. This teaches us that wealth and comfort in this life are temporary, but our actions have eternal consequences. We should be kind, generous, and willing to help those around us. Most importantly, we should listen to God’s Word and live by it, rather than waiting until it’s too late to change.
Luke 16:19-31 (WEB)
16:19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 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 in anguish in this flame.’25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But here he is now comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’ ”