The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man

Introduction The parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man is basically in two parts. The first part concerns Lazarus the second part concerns the Rich Man in Hell. It's not so much that the rich man was evil but he wasted his opportunities to do good. It's a timely reminder of how short our stay here is and our responsibility to do what we can while we are here. The painting by James Tissot the Rich Man in Hell is a haunting reminder of how desolate and helpless a place is Hell. Lazarus and the Rich Man

Illustration of Lazarus at the rich man's gate by Fyodor Bronnikov

The Parable of the rich man and Lazarus (also called the Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives) is a well-known parable of Jesus appearing in the Gospel of Luke. According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 16:1931), the parable tells of the relationship, in life and in death, between an unnamed rich

man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The traditional name, Dives, is not actually a name, but instead a word for "rich man", dives, in the text of the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. The rich man was also given the names Neus (i.e. Nineveh[3]) and Fineas (i.e. Phineas[4]) in the 3rd and 4th centuries. Along with the parables of the Ten Virgins, Prodigal Son, and Good Samaritan, it was one of the most frequently illustrated parables in medieval art perhaps because of its vivid account of an afterlife. The name Lazarus (from the Hebrew: , Elzr, Eleazar - "God is my help" is also given to a second, and arguably more famous, figure in the Bible: Lazarus of Bethany, also known as Lazarus of the Four Days. He is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death. However, the two are generally understood to be two separate characters. Many allusions to Lazarus (particularly those involving the idea of resurrection from the dead) should be understood as referring to the Lazarus described in John, rather than to the poor beggar of this story.
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'There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day. 20 And at his gate there used to lie a poor man called Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man's table. Even dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Now it happened that the poor man died and was carried away by the angels into Abraham's embrace. The rich man also died and was buried.

Rich Man in Hell

Rich Man in Hell painted by James Tissot

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'In his torment in Hades he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his embrace. 24 So he cried out, "Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames." 25 Abraham said, "My son, remember that during your life you had your fill of good things, just as Lazarus his fill of bad. Now he is being comforted here while you are in agony. 26 But that is not all: between us and you a great gulf has been fixed, to prevent those who want to cross from our side to yours or from your side to ours." 27 'So he said, "Father, I beg you then to send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 since I have five brothers, to give them warning so that they do not come to this place of torment too." 29 Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them." 30 The rich man replied, "Ah no, father Abraham, but if someone comes to them from the dead, they will repent." 31 Then Abraham said to him, "If they will not listen either to Moses or to the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead."