The story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 is perhaps the most vivid description of Hell mentioned in the Bible. Many unbelievers today, however, as well as many believers, erroneously believe that this story was merely a parable and not to be taken as a literal story of an actual event that had taken place. There are many theories and opinions as to what the purpose of this story was and what it was supposed to illustrate. This essay will cover a verse by verse analysis of the story in an attempt to determine the message that Jesus was trying to relay. This essay will also determine whether or not this should be considered a story of an actual event or simply another parable used as method of teaching that was common in this time period.
In Luke 16:19, Jesus immediately describes the first person of the story in the following way, “There was a rich man.” The story does not attribute the rich man’s wealth to his ultimate demise and his condemnation to Hades, but it does place emphasis on his extravagant lifestyle and appetite for luxury. The rich man is said to have had a consistent manner of dress, which was to dress in purple and fine linens. Although this may very well describe any rich person, it would make more sense if we presumed, based on verse 14 that the Lord was speaking to the Pharisses of his day, or rather those religious people that thought they could serve both God and mammon and could get to heaven through their own twisted interpretation of the Bible. This specific verse exemplifies many of the rich televangelists of today that own their own private jets, live in mansions and have the same appetite for luxury as the rich man.
In verse 20, the Lord proceeds to describe the second person a...
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...top. His cry for mercy was simply to have his tongue cooled and nothing else. He did not make excuses for being there, and he appeared to have accepted his fate. Perhaps that is why he did not ask permission to cross over into Abraham’s bosom. Perhaps even though he was being scorched by extreme heat, he still did not want to repent of his sins and turn to God and give him Glory (Rev. 16:9).
The rich man’s plan of sending Lazarus to tell his brother about Hades would most likely have back fired on him, as this would have to be a genuine repentance and not one made out of fear of punishment. There would have to be a Godly sorrow to produce a true repentance, as a worldly sorrow would only serve to produce death (2 Cor. 7:10). A true love of God and others would also be required of the brothers, not one born out of fear of punishment alone (1 John 4:18).
The word parable draws its origin from the Greek word “parabole” which loosely translates to mean “to cast” (bole) some things, related or otherwise “alongside” (para) each other to infer the intended deeper meaning to the target audience. (Unlocking The Prophecy Code). Therefore, it makes sense for a parable to be a comparison of two or more related things that are put together on a parallel that enables proper distinction between them to enhance clarity in teachings such that their hidden meanings get revealed. The book of Matthew presents a variety of parables, with each parable addressing a particular thematic concern enshrined in the religious teachings. Consequently, it is right to postulate that Jesus used parables primarily as teaching aids by incorporating analogies and comparisons of things earthly and those belonging to the heavenly realm. The parable about the shepherd and the parable about the servant, both in chapter 18, show different natures of humankind. While the parable about the shepherd portrays unconditional forgiveness, the parable about the servant portrays justice based forgiveness.
By inborn nature, Man does not hate wickedness, and love virtue. God gives us lessons to show us how to live good and Godly lives. The below story is a modern adaptation of the Rich man and Lazarus
Our readings from Luke’s Gospel portray those in poverty as the people who will inherit the earth and be by Christ’s side in the kingdom of heaven. In the Gospel of Luke, it states, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours” (6:20). Our readings from scripture paint a picture that suggests that those who are suffering in the world during their lifetime, will be
One day, a rich man turned to Jesus and asked him about how to inherit an eternal life. Even though he had already followed the particular commandments such as not murdering, stealing, lying and honoring your parents, he still could not keep the law perfectly. Because Jesus asked him to give all his fortune to the poor but he would not like to. Jesus told disciples that it would be easier for the camel to go through the eye of a needle than the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God. (Mark 10:17-10:25)
‘What bliss will fill the ransomed souls, when they in glory dwell, to see the sinner as he rolls, in quenchless flames of hell’? (Isaac Watts). In the bible of Puritan times, the subject of hell was unavoidable. Sin and hellfire were also the dark and twisting theme for many writers back in the Puritan age of witches and the urgency for sin redemption for cross over from life to death.
This paper is written to discuss the many different ideas that have been discussed over the first half of Theology 104. This class went over many topics which gave me a much better understanding of Christianity, Jesus, and the Bible. I will be addressing two topics of which I feel are very important to Christianity. First, I will be focusing on the question did Jesus claim to be God? This is one of the biggest challenges of the Bibles that come up quite often. Secondly, I will focus on character development.
His appearance and manners are the exact opposite of what a Roman would consider dignified; he is always dressed in rags, carrying no riches, and hanging around people who were considered sinful or “unclean”. Jesus, in fact, opposed the idea of possessing riches, and instead of boasting his name and accomplishments, often attempted to keep others from talking about him. After an encounter with a rich man who was not willing to give out his possession, Jesus stated, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!... It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23-25). For a Roman audience who identifies with heroes like Aeneas who often showed pride in their name and possessions, Jesus’ actions of condemning riches and quieting the spread of his accomplishments would have contradicted their
"Luke 16:19-31." Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005. N. pag. Print.
Hall, Gerald. "Jesus' Crucifixon and Death." Academics' Web Pages. School of Theology at McAuley Campus. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.
The rich were the ones that liked the temple system. A system where in order to receive forgiveness one had to pay to be able to participate in the sacrifices. The ones that could afford to do this were the rich, because they had the money. This was not the case of the people that were poor. It was hard for them to get sacrifices, so they were looked at as lesser people in God’s favor. This however is not the case. Jesus came to change this way of thinking. An example of the rich versus poor issue is seen in the story of the wedding feast. The people that came to the wedding at Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle were likely the rich people. The people there at first couldn’t have been poor people, they had to have been rich people. If you were rich, you were able to go to the banquet when it started. The ones that were typically late to banquet were the poorer, working class who had to spend the day working. Thus when the wine ran out at the celebration, it was a big deal because it happened when the richer people were still there and wanting more, when normally the wine wouldn’t run out until near the
Faustino, Mara. Heaven and Hell: A Compulsively Readable Compendium of Myth, Legend, Wisdom and Wit for Saints and Sinners. New York: Grove/Atlantic Inc., 2004. Print.
In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Raskalnikov undergoes a period of extreme psychological upheaval. By comparing this death and rebirth of Raskalnikov's psyche to the story of the resurrection of Lazarus, Dostoevsky emphasizes not only the gravity of his crimes, but also the importance of acceptance of guilt.
Throughout their lives, many Christians, as well as nonbelievers, have heard the story of the three wise men who journeyed from a far distance to see the birth of Jesus Christ. Author T.S. Eliot, however, tells the story from a different perspective, one of the magus, in his work, “Journey of the Magi.” In this, Eliot describes the long and arduous adventure these three men embarked upon while simultaneously adding in additional allusions to the life of Christ. All of these images combine to compare and contrast the realities of both life and death in the context of Jesus’s birth and Christianity. By doing so, Eliot has created a new and fascinating experience for his readers by bridging the gap between the worlds of life and death.
Some major themes that are present in Luke are the presence of the Holy Spirit, the use of prayer, Jesus’ concern for women, his belief that Christianity should be the universal belief and a lawful religion, and that Jerusalem should always remain of the utmost importance (Harris, 2014). First, he believes that Jesus’ career and growth of Christianity are the work of the Holy Spirit, which is a direct expression of God’s will (Harris, 2014 p. 204). Next, the use of prayer is discussed in reference to Jesus and the disciples and how important it is to Christianity. It is unmistakable Luke’s thought as to the role that women play and that they are indispensable to God’s plan (Harris, 2014). Last, the concern for women is linked to the vulnerability
Our Lady visits hell, and the Archangel Michael leads her through the torments. She sees the sinners and their punishment. There she sees among others one noteworthy set of sinners in a burning lake; some of them sink to the bottom of the lake so that they can't swim out, and 'these God forgets'- an expression of extraordinary depth and force. And so Our Lady, shocked and weeping, falls before the throne of God and begs for mercy for all in hell- for all she has seen there, indiscriminately. Her conversation with God is immensely interesting. She beseeches Him, she will not desist, and when God points to the hands and feet of her Son, nailed to the Cross, and asks, 'How can I forgive His tormentors?' she bids all the saints, all the martyrs, all the angels and archangels to fall down with her and pray for mercy on all without distinction.