Jesus has been teaching about materialism and money -- the unjust steward, serving Mammon, and stewardship. His audience includes his disciples (16:1) as well as "the Pharisees who loved money" and ridiculed his stand on money (16:14). Jesus affirms the validity of the Law, rightly interpreted (16:16-18) -- important to the Pharisees. This parable condemns the Pharisees for their love of money and neglect of showing compassion for the poor.
Portrayal of the Rich Man (16:19-20)…
First, Jesus paints a quick portrait of the rich man, a very, very rich man. Purple dye was extremely expensive, obtained from the shellfish murex. A purple wool mantle was costly. A finely-woven linen tunic was considered the height of luxury. The rich man doesn't need to work so he feasts like this every day. Jesus pictures a rich man living opulently. The rich man is not named.
Portrayal of the Poor Man (16:20-21)…
Jesus contrasts the rich man with a beggar, the poorest of the poor. The beggar's name is Lazarus, the only character in any of Jesus' parables who is given a name. Lazarus is short for Eleazar, which means "He (whom) God helps," perhaps hinting at the man's piety. He is lying at a suitable place for begging, next to the rich man's gate, probably placed there by friends. He is sick, as evidenced by his numerous ulcerated sores. And he is hungry, longing to eat the scraps from the rich man's table, usually reserved for the dogs. The dogs that lick his sores are not pets. In the First Century Middle East, dogs are considered unclean, wild street dogs that scavenge the garbage, and then nose around the poor man's sores. It is not a picture of comfort but of abject misery.
Abraham’s Side (16:22)…
So this puts Lazarus in the place of honor at the right hand of Abraham at the banquet in the next world. The poor man's fortunes are reversed.
The Rich Man in Torment (16:23-24)…
He is in torment. He is parched with thirst, his tongue is hot and dry, and he is suffering. The source of the suffering is fire.
The rich man asks Abraham to order Lazarus to relieve his suffering (16:24), and later to send a message to his brothers (16:27). He still views Lazarus as a slave who can be ordered around at his whim.
A Great Chasm (16:25-26)…
Abraham explains the situation and describes a great, impassable chasm that prevents anyone from passing from either side to the other. In other words, there is no hope of moving from torment to the blessings of Abraham's bosom, or of Lazarus helping the rich man. The die has been cast; the outcome is irreversible.
God’s Word is Sufficient Warning (16:27-31)…
Jesus concludes the parable in a curious way. The rich man wants Lazarus to warn his brothers of the dangers of hell. But Abraham says that if they won't heed the truth that they have -- Moses and the Prophets (i.e., the Old Testament revelation), then they wouldn't believe even if someone rises from the dead. In the context, the rich man proposes that Lazarus rise from the dead to warn his brothers. But Luke's readers will immediately think of Jesus, and how even his manifest resurrection was not enough to sway the Pharisees from their hardened opposition to the truth that was clearly before them.
As Marshall puts it, "The rich man knows from personal experience that his family do not take seriously what the law and the prophets say. Something more is needed."
Message to Us…
Of course, Jesus is saying that riches don't count for anything after we die, but that isn't the thrust of this parable. It seems he is making two points:
- Wealth without active mercy for the poor is great wickedness.
- If we close our eyes to the truth we are given, then we are doomed.
In the context, Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their love of money but lack of mercy for the poor. Remember his comment about their scrupulous tithing? "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone" (Luke 11:42). It isn't their piety that he is condemning, but what they AREN'T doing -- showing mercy to the poor, seeking justice for the downtrodden. It is ironic that the Pharisees who prided themselves on being such Bible scholars largely missed the spirit of the Old Testament -- mercy and justice.
William Barclay titles this passage, "The Punishment of the Man Who Never Noticed." Lazarus was at his door and he didn't notice. Who is at our door that we don't notice?
Wealth is not bad. After all, Abraham was wealthy. But wealth brings with it certain responsibilities, a certain stewardship. We will give an accounting for how we handle the wealth God has given us. Of course, in the USA, even the poorest enjoys a lifestyle far above a huge slice of the world's population. We have relative wealth. Perhaps not relative to our own culture, but relative to the global village that we can affect with our giving.
We have the benefit of the Old Testament AND the New. If we don't notice and minister to the poor, what excuse will we have? In the final analysis, the rich man's punishment is not for riches, but for neglect of the scriptures and what they teach.
* All above notes taken from: Jesus Walk Bible Study Series, by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/16_19-31.htm
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