Lazarus and Dives (Latin, rich man).

The story is set forth in Luke 16, but it must be taken in context with chapters 14 and 15 where Jesus had been contending with the Pharisees and scribes, the leaders and teachers in Judea.  You should study these chapters now, including the first 18 verses of chapter 16, to get the story flow firmly fixed in your mind.  First, He goes through a series of instructions and parables which point out their shortcomings, and then comes the story of Lazarus and the rich man beginning in Luke 16:19.  He concludes that story by telling them what their end will be if they don't repent.

The following verses from Luke 16 tell the story.

Luke 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luke 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luke 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:24  And 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 tormented in this flame.

Luke 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Luke 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Luke 16:27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

Luke 16:28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luke 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

Luke 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

God had spoken to Israel through Moses, but those to whom God had committed His precious truth had allowed it to fall into the hands of the children of Satan, who perverted it and even rejected it in its original intent.  They had allowed a group of ungodly men to seize control of their lives which resulted in spiritually putting away their wife and marrying a stranger (see Luke 16:18).  In this case she was a mixed breed, a Kenite Graeco-Roman and not a true Hebrew, or Israelite.

Hellenist culture in Palestine was being felt hundreds of years before Jesus and was slowly inculcated into their lifestyle.  True worship of our Father was replaced by Hellenist philosophies and traditions of men generated and enforced by the offspring of Lucifer (through Cain - the Kenites, and the tares of Matt. 13).  Israel was committing spiritual adultery on a grand scale and God sent the prophets to warn them.  How did they respond?  Did they repent?  No, they rejected and murdered those who were sent!

Sadly, nothing has changed from that day to ours.  The two witnesses in Revelation 11 will also be murdered in that bloody city Jerusalem.  The good news is that three days after they are killed Jesus Christ returns and this flesh age is over.  No more murders!  Read it for yourself.

What does it mean to hear Moses and the prophets?

It is very simple, love God and your fellow man.

Matt. 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matt. 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.

Matt. 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The story underlying the story.

Jesus is drawing a comparison here between those who ignore God in heaven and pursue the gods of power and wealth according to the ways of the world, and those who do not.  Those in power hated Jesus because He exposed them and openly condemned their traditions which had entrapped the people of Israel.

Two groups especially, the Pharisees and the scribes, opposed Jesus at every opportunity and looked for ways to trap Him and discredit Him before the people.  They labeled Him a sinner, but in truth they themselves were the ones who were guilty of many sins and injustices.  They loved the rich and despised the poor, both materially and spiritually.  The story of Lazarus and the rich man is directed at them and all like them, and it is a stern warning.

In this parable, Jesus deliberately used illustrations which were teachings and traditions of the Pharisees themselves.  Don't be shocked!  The books of the Bible are literally filled with figures of speech of all types, including idioms and metaphors in vogue at the time of writing.

Who do the rich man and Lazarus represent?

These two men described in Luke 16 did not actually exist in the flesh, but were figurative characters who were of two vastly different types whose depictions were intended to express the huge differences between them.  So don't be dismayed by the graphic description of Lazarus.  In addition, don't try to stereotype everyone of their ilk.  They are not necessarily typical of all the rich or the poor who are passing through this world in the flesh.  There are some rich folk who are good and generous.  And unfortunately, there are some poor people who are rotten to the core.  Curiously, there is a possible relationship between this imaginary Lazarus and a real Lazarus of Bethany which we will discuss later in this article.

In Luke 14:15-24 Jesus tells the story of a great supper.  Remember it?  If not, go there and read about it now.  This poor Lazarus is a type of those who love, obey and worship God.  When asked to the great supper, or feast of God, he didn't make excuses but was grateful for the invitation.  The term beggar in verse 20 can also be translated poor man, and they that serve God often are because they refuse to serve mammon.

The rich man is a type of those who despised the host and made excuses not to attend.  They serve their own interests while ignoring God like the Pharisees, chief priests, and the scribes who were in power in Judea.  They had their own rules of conduct (traditions) which they enforced on the people.  Note his clothing.  Purple was worn by Roman officials or those appointed by them.  In Jesus time, all those in authority were stooges of Rome, even the High Priest serving in the temple at Jerusalem.  Blasphemers all!

They both died.  Where did they go?

Obviously, Lazarus was in a good place and they were feasting.  He suffered briefly here on Earth physically and proved himself by remaining faithful.  He will now enjoy eternity with God along with other righteous ones.

But the rich man had a problem.  Obviously, he didn't qualify for attendance at the feast in Abraham's Bosom because he was separated from it in another area called hell by the translators.

Some of the manuscripts delete And at the beginning of verse 23 and put in hell at the end of verse 22.  The word hell is translated from the Greek word hades.  So, the last clause of verse 22 could read, "...and was buried in hades (hell).   Verse 23 would then begin, "He lift up his eyes..."

What is hell?

Mark 9:43  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell (gehenna), into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:44  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 9:45  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:46  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 9:47  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

In the time of Jesus, the Valley of Hinnom was the city dump adjacent to the wall on the south side of Jerusalem.  The fires that burned there were never quenched (deliberately put out) and they burned continually.  Dead animals, and possibly some of the poor who had no burial site, were thrown over the wall into the dump like the other refuse. When they fell into the fires they were consumed by the flames, but occasionally they missed the fires and laid there in the open and were consumed by worms that dieth not.  That's curious.  What kind of worms are these that don't die?  Biologically, they are fly maggots which metamorphically become adult flies, hence the statement their worm dieth not.  Jesus was not being deceitful here, He was just making a true biological statement.

Here in Mark 9 Christ used gehenna, the continuously burning dump in the Valley of Hinnom, to get His point across because the people were familiar with it, but He is actually referring to a fiery death like the one in the lake of fire that was later mentioned in Revelation.

Rev. 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

It does not exist now and will exist only briefly at the end of the coming Millenium.  It is a different
kind of fire which man has never seen and will utterly destroy once and for all time, not torment.

Some use the comment of the rich man concerning being tormented in a flame to prove their belief in a continuously burning hell, but in what kind of flame?  Fire, as we know it, is a reaction between oxygen and physical things that will ignite.  Assuming that he is no longer physical, but a spirit, how could fire affect him?  Moreover, why would he request that the water be put only on his tongue?

Have you ever had to give a speech in public, or talk at length to a group of people?  Did your tongue get dry and thick?  Mine always has.  Why do you think that so many speakers have water handy?  It is fear that makes the tongue dry and not work properly.  Fear that you might slip up and be highly embarrassed.  It happens to all of us when we are put in the spotlight.

Or, what about when you are suddenly confronted with having to justify yourself before your boss, or have a committee examine you without first notifying you of their coming inquisition?   The old tongue just won't work like it should because it is so dry through tension and fear.  "I've been there, done that, and got the tee shirt", as the saying goes.  This rich man was no exception.

The Greek word for fire is pur, Strong's No. 4442, but the Greek word for flame is phlox, Strong's No. 5395.  It comes from a primary verb phlego meaning to flash or flame, and is used only six times in the New Testament.  Look at its usage in all of these verses and you will see that it is never talking about an actual fire but is descriptive of the flash or light that the fire provides.

Luke 16:24  And 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 tormented in this flame.

Acts 7:30  And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

Heb. 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Rev. 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

Rev. 2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Why would its intended meaning in Luke 16:24 be different from the others?  If the rich man could see Abraham and Lazarus from afar why couldn't he also see the light emanating from God?

Additionally, the apostle John said in 1 John 4:8 and 4:16 that God is love.  Do you believe it?  If so, then how could you possibly believe that departed souls are tortured in fire for eternity?  That's not love, it is extreme cruelty, the very opposite of love.  God does not torture anyone in any fashion but men are tortured by their own beliefs.

I hope that you can see now that the torment that the rich man is feeling is mental.  He is painfully aware of his circumstances and is terribly fearful and unhappy.

Tartaroo,  Strong's No. 5020 - This Greek verb is associated with the noun Tartarus, or Tartaros, and is translated "cast them down to hell" in 2 Peter 2:4.

The Greek noun Tartarus was a place in Greek mythology where the Titans who rebelled against Zeus were imprisoned.  Peter believed that such a place existed, and he tells us here that it is really the rebellious angels of old time who are the ones imprisoned there.  They were the Titans of Greek legend.

Jude also mentions them.

Luke 16:23   And in hell (hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Sheol,  Strong's No. 7585 - used in the Old Testament, this Hebrew word is translated grave 31 times, hell 31 times and pit 3 times, and it refers to the place of the dead, real or imagined.

So, with the exception of sheol and hades these words which are translated hell in the KJV have different meanings, and if we don't search out the truth but simply accept the traditions of men, we get a warped concept of hell.  We can be led to believe that the ungodly are placed in hell when they die, which is ever burning, and Satan with his demons (wicked angels) are there.  Poppycock!

What actually happens when our flesh body dies?

When we die the elements and chemical compounds that make up our physical body remain here and eventually return to the soil but our spirit returns to the Father who gave it.

The following verses of 2 Esdras are excerpted from The Apocrypha, An American Translation, by Edgar J. Goodspeed, Vintage Books, A Division of Random House, Inc.  These verses are missing from other translations but were included by Goodspeed in his translation and are marked by the use of brackets.  They following excerpt from the preface explains their origin:  "The bracketed verse-numbers in II Esdras 7:{36-105} mark the missing portion discovered by Bensly at Amiens and published in 1875."

2 Esdras 7:[76]-[99]

[76]  And he answered me and said, "I will show you that also; but you must not associate with those who have shown scorn, or count yourself among those who are tortured.

[77]  For you have a treasure of works laid up with the Most High, but it will not be shown to you until the last times.

[78]  For about death the teaching is:  When the final sentence goes forth from the Most High that a man is to die, when the soul departs from the body to return again to him who gave it, first of all it prays to the glory of the Most High;

[79]  if it was one of those who scorned and did not observe the way of the Most High, and of those who have despised his law, and of those who hate those who fear God,

[80]  such spirits shall not enter dwellings but wander about thenceforth in torment, always grieving and sad, in seven ways:

[81]  The first way is that they have scorned the Law of the Most High.

[82]  The second way is that they can no longer make a good repentance, so that they may live.

[83]  The third way is that they will see the reward destined for those who have believed the agreements of the Most High.

[84]  The fourth way is that they will consider the torment destined for them in the last days.

[85]  The fifth way is that they will see that the dwelling-places of the others are guarded by angels in profound silence.

[86]  The sixth way is that they will see that some of them will pass over to be tormented henceforth.

[87]  The seventh way, which is worse than all the ways that have been mentioned, is that they will waste away in shame and be consumed in disgrace, and wither with fear, at seeing the glory of the Most High before whom they sinned while they lived, and before whom they are destined to be judged in the last times.

[88]  "But of those who have observed the ways of the Most High, this is the order, when they shall be separated from this fragile jar.

[89]  In the time when they lived in it, they carefully served the Most High, though they were in danger every hour, so as to the keep the Law of the Lawgiver perfectly.

[90]  Therefore this is the teaching about them:

[91]  First of all, they see with great rapture the glory of him who takes them up, for they will rest in seven orders.

[92] The first order is that they have striven with much toil to conquer the wicked thought that was formed with them, so that it should not lead them away from life to death.

[94]  The third order is that they see the testimony that he who formed them has borne to them, because when they were alive they faithfully observed the Law which was given them.

[95]  The fourth order is that they understand the rest which they now enjoy, gathered in their chambers, in great quietness, watched over by angels, and the glory that awaits them in the last days.

[96]  The fifth order is that they exult that they have now escaped what is corruptible and will possess the future as their inheritance, and besides perceive the narrowness and toilsomeness from which they have been freed and the spaciousness they are destined to receive and enjoy in immortality.

[97]  The sixth order is that it is shown to them how their face is destined to shine like the sun, and how they are to be made like the light of the stars, and be incorruptible thenceforth.

[98]  The seventh order, which is greater than all those that have been mentioned, is that they will exult boldly, and that they will trust confidently, and rejoice fearlessly, for they hasten to see the face of him whom they served in life, and from whom they are to receive their reward when they are glorified.

Concerning the rich man, review verses 82, 84, 86 & 87 and you will understand why his tongue was dry and why he was in a hellish mental state.

Do a study on your own about hell.  The Companion Bible is a good place to start, but see my article entitled Study Recommendations first.

The story continues.

Notice in the story how the rich man intreated Abraham instead of our Father.  I have to wonder if the Pharisees sometimes prayed to Abraham, or maybe even Moses.  It's not out of the question, some Christians today pray to the dead and departed.

The Pharisees to whom Jesus was talking here had already seen the miracles that He had performed in their presence and they still rejected Him because He condemned their traditions.  They were intensely protective of their traditions because that was their power over the people.  I cannot emphasize this point enough.  When you follow the traditions of men you have given them power over you.  Obey God, not men!

Jesus did not say that Abraham refused the rich man's request, he simply stated that it would be to no avail.  Did he send him?  Let's continue.

Lazarus of Bethany

In the gospel of John, chapters 11 & 12, we find the story of Lazarus of Bethany whom Jesus raised from the dead.  Jesus was in Perea when He was told of Lazarus death.  Curiously, He was also in Perea when He told the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. These two events were occurring at the same time, that is, the telling of the parable and the actual death of the real Lazarus.  You can determine this with a good harmony of the gospels with text.  Soon after He had told the story of Lazarus and the rich man, He arose and went to Bethany to raise the real Lazarus from the dead.

I have selected the following verses from the story of Lazarus of Bethany for comparison with the story of Lazarus and the rich man.  Read the entire text for yourself in the Bible.  There is a lot more to the story of Lazarus of Bethany than we will cover here.  In this lesson, I am only focusing on the relationship to Lazarus and the rich man.

Briefly, here are selected verses from the story of the raising of Lazarus.

John 11:1  Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany,  the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

John 11:2  (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

John 11:3  Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

John 11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

John 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

John 11:6  When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

John 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

John 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

John 11:45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

John 11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

John 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

John 11:53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

 John 12:9  Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.

John 12:10  But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

Did the Jewish leadership appreciate the miracle that Jesus did here when He raised Lazarus from the dead?  It is essentially the same thing that the rich man requested of Abraham.  One did come back from the dead.  Did they repent as the rich man said they would?

Look at verses 46-53 closely, and then especially notice John 12:11.  Remember that I said our Father's word would prove to you that the Jewish leaders would not listen no matter what sign God might send.  The proof doesn't come from me, it comes from God's word.

Their only concerns were their positions and their traditions (verse 48).

Look at how they conspired to murder Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead.  Moreover, look at how they plotted to put Lazarus to death also.  The very one who had been raised from the dead as a witness to them, they had the unmitigated gall to conspire to put him right back in the grave.

What evil!  What blasphemy!

Oh my, what an excellent example of the struggle on Earth going on between the seed of righteous Seth, and the evil seed of Cain.  

Abraham was right, wasn't he?  And the rich man was wrong.  If they didn't listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not hear one raised from the dead.  They decided to murder him instead!  Who was the first murderer?  Cain!  And who are his children?  The Kenites, the tares in Matthew 13.  See my article Who Are The Tares? at ourfathersword.org for further study.

What are the main lessons here?  Let's summarize.

There is a titanic seedline (dare I use that word???) struggle going on in the world between the righteous offspring of Adam and those of Lucifer.

There is a life after death which we should consider very carefully.  There is reward and rest for the righteous but not for those who ignore or oppose God and His word.  Don't be like the rich man and be taken in by this world's entrapments.  See my article Thou Shalt Not Covet at ourfathersword.org.

Hell is not what you have been taught.  God does not torture people.  As a last resort He will ultimately do away with the incorrigible at the end of the coming Millenium with what is curiously called the lake of fire in Revelation, but they are taken away quickly and permanently.  They will not be tortured forever.  That myth is specious, and you should put it out of your mind.

There are some powerful men in the world who are truly evil and unrepentant.  They will defy God to the very end.  See my article on Blasphemy at ourfathersword.org.