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Luke 16:19-31
Who was Luke?
- Born in Antioch between 1 A.D. – 16 A.D.
- Died between 84–100 A.D. (aged 84) by being hanged from the branches of an olive tree (according to lore).
- “Not of the circumcision” (Gentile) Col. 4:10-14
- Identified by Paul as a physician. Most scholars agree (from the way he wrote) that he was highly educated.
- Credited with writing both Luke and Acts. Both were addressed to “Theophilus” (meaning loved by God) and used similar phrasing. Lk 1:3, Ac 1:1. It is believed that they were distributed together as one placement. (This would have been a great help for the early church.)
- The only Gentile writer (other than Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4) in all of Scripture.
- Companion of Paul from Troas to Macedonia (Ac 16:10), stayed in the “house of Lydia” when Paul and Silas departed, rejoins him in Philippi (Ac 20:6), and travelled with him from that point until Paul’s martyrdom (II Tim 4:11).
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The Book of Luke
- Luke 1:1-4, Luke was not present for the ministry of Christ, he gathered together accounts from multiple eyewitnesses and ministers of the word “and gained ‘perfect’” Gr. Akribōs—highest level of accuracy gained by investigation. “understanding” he wrote the Gospel (By the direction of the Holy Spirit) “that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.”
- Inspired and Infallible; Luke—writings had to rely upon the Holy Spirit to choose what would be included. We know from John 21:25 that “if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.”
- Unique narratives within the book of Luke; over 20:
- The Good Samaritan (10:29-37)
- The rich man who built bigger storehouses (12:16-23)
- The Prodigal Son (15:11-32)
- The Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19-31)
- The Samaritan Leper (17:11-19)
- Jesus weeping over Jerusalem (19:41-44)
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Jesus dining with Pharisees
- We are going to look at one of those unique stories from Luke, “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” To get the context correct, we must begin in Luke 14.
- This is on Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem to be crucified. He is in the region of Perea on the Sabbath when He is invited to eat at the home of a chief Pharisee. It was not out of their desire to do kindness that they invited Him, but to watch Him to see if they could entrap Him with the law. However, what they meant for evil, He turned around for good. Jesus knew that the Pharisees favored and followed the “Oral Law” later written down as the “Talmud” and considered it equal with Scripture. It was man’s attempt to add to God’s law (Legalism). They had a version of a prosperity gospel, where wealth was a reward for righteousness and poverty proved that you had sinned. (Ethical Wealth is not a Paradox: The Talmudic Guide to Prosperity, M. Friedman) that is recorded in the Talmud.
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The Judgement
- Jesus sets out to correct their beliefs with a series of parables that culminates with a true story (there is no character named in any recorded parable. Name = story of reality).
- There are two main characters here and two parts of this story; the rich man’s life, the life of Lazarus, the eternity of the rich man, and the eternity of Lazarus. Read 19-22.
The Rich Man’s life:
- V. 19—not named, naming denotes respect, prominence.
- “rich man” wealthy beyond the average man.
- “clothed in purple and linen” purple dye was the most expensive, comfort and wealth were his trappings.
- “fared sumptuously every day” had an excess of food constantly.
- “laid at his gates” was wealthy enough to live in a large home (perhaps with excess rooms).
- A wealthy man with excess in every avenue of his life, the Pharisees must have believed that he was exceedingly righteous due to his wealth, and he might have thought the same.
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Physical reality mirrored all of humanity’s spiritual reality
The life of Lazarus:
- Named by Jesus (I’m glad that He knows my name)—God is my help.
- “a beggar”—completely reliant upon the gifts and kindness of others for survival.
- “laid at”—no mobility, others laid him here hoping that he would receive help, but he was not able to leave when no help came.
- “full of sores”—disfigured, stinking, not a man who the world would like to look upon.
- “desiring to be fed”—starving, willing to eat even crumbs, but even the food that would otherwise be thrown away was given to him.
- “dogs licked his sores”—he received more help from the dogs than the rich man.
- The Pharisees would have seen Lazarus as a man deserving of this fate due to some unrighteousness. The only help he received was from dogs, but we know from his name where he looked for help.
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“Now for the rest of the story” as Paul Harvey would say
The death of the rich man:
- “died and was buried”—he had a burial, perhaps like many of the wealthy he was buried at the East gate to await the entrance of the Messiah. The Pharisees would have praised this man for his righteousness if they were present.
- “and in Hell”—no matter what the Pharisees in his life, the rich man himself, or the Pharisees hearing the story from Jesus thought about his righteousness, the reality is that he opened his eyes in Hell.
- “being in torments”—multiply, in burning, biting, terrible torments; when we read the words that come after this remember that they were screamed in agony.
- “seeth Abraham afar off”—here is the greatest torment, a complete and utter separation from God. Lazarus was in Heaven with God, but he was in the bosom of Abraham at this moment.
- “Father Abraham”—here we confirm that the rich man was a Jew. The rich man is appealing to him based on his family.
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Continued…
- “have Mercy on me”—Mercy: undeserved kindness that withholds deserved punishment. He knew that he deserved to be there, he never asks why he is there or if he can leave. (He knew his name)
- “send Lazarus”—he still sees Lazarus as a servant, those that go to Hell will still be depraved and sinful and common grace will not be present to restrain them.
- “Son”—Abraham acknowledges his heritage, but denies his request.
- “In thy lifetime receivedst thy good things”—his good things are over, all that remains is torment for eternity.
- “a great gulf”—there is no relief or escape from his torments.
- “send him to my father’s house”
- “They have Moses and the prophets”—the rich man makes a second request that Lazarus would be sent to his brothers to warn them, but the reply given is that “they have Moses and the prophets.”
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- “if one went unto them from the dead”—Abraham reiterates that if Moses and the prophets (the Word of God) are not sufficient that a man rising from the dead will not convince them either. (Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God) Ro 10:17.
- This is the last that we hear of the rich man, but for the last two thousand years he has been in torments, and will continue to be for all time with no relief or escape.
The death of Lazarus:
- Also died, likely buried in a paupers grave with no mourners to testify of him.
- “was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom”—how gently was he treated? Not taken to the streets of gold, but to a place of honor and comfort.
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- Now, there are parts of this story that I, and you as well, want more details about. One day, all of these questions will be answered, the question is “Who will answer those questions for you?” Will it be Lazarus, at perfect peace and in perfect comfort, or will you hear the rich man’s laments in the midst of torments?
- This is not purely a story about refuting the prosperity message of the Pharisees while also warning of judgement, but a story of effective versus ineffective faith.
- The faith of Lazarus was effective because it was in God and His promises.
- The faith of the rich man was ineffective because it was not in God.
- It’s that simple tonight, if your faith is in Jesus, you will spend eternity with Him. If it’s in anything else you will spend eternity without Him.
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In Conclusion
- One day, we will be in Heaven with perfected minds, and we will have the opportunity to hear every trial that every believer ever endured, the Disciples, all martyrs, Lazarus, and the end result will be that we glorify God forever.
