Day 79

Luke 16:19–31 (NIV)

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. ²⁰ At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores ²¹ and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. ²⁴ So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

²⁵ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

²⁷ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ³⁰ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ ³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

Why is it hard for the rich to come to God? (see Luke 18:25)

What can we tell about heaven and hell from this passage?

What is ironic about what the rich man asks Abraham to do about sending someone back from the dead?

Notes

This story appears to deal with being rich. While it is true, it is not meant to be an indictment on being rich as much as it is meant to make sure you use what God has given you well . It picks up where Jesus was talking before dealing with the sneering of the Pharisees. It really completes the thought of 16:10-15 with a parable to illustrate.

Clear rich man is well to do. Purple is a very expensive color to have. Fine undergarments. many didn't have undergarments, Luxury every day.

Lazarus (means God helps) is the only person named ina parable of Jesus so the naming must be important to the story. (the point is even though Lazarus is pitiful God will help him)

Lazarus was pathetic- had to be laid, couldn't walk, covered in sores, hungry just wanting scraps, Dogs lick wounds(these aren't dogs they way we think of them. These are wild dogs much like we would think of wolves)

Statement about the parable-- It is a story and Jesus is using thoughts that the jews had about the afterlife. Like being with Father Abraham (for us sort of like Peter at heaven's gate) It does not mean that you can take what Jesus is saying as literal. But I believe the basic ideas would be true. Hell being torture and agony, chasm fixed between etc. Jesus point isn't to describe the afterlife it is to say that everything you need to believe is available to you. And he is even going to provide through Himself what the rich man asks for. Someone coming back from the dead. But it still will do no good for most.

Angels taking the dead to heaven is a Jewish view of the day. Abraham, being the father of the Jews, shows the honor that Lazarus has in heaven. Unlike what awaits the rich man.

Notice the change that happens from earth to heaven. The rich man now suffers and Lazarus is now in luxury.

vs 24- rich man dares to call Abraham father. Abraham was looked at as the supreme example of hospitality. Clearly the rich man never practiced it. See 3:8 for Jesus telling it is not about Abraham being your father.

vs 25- Abraham says what Jesus pointed out in vs 10-11- What did you do with what you had? -- Lazarus on the other hand is now seeing the fulfillment of 4:18-19

vs 27- Warn 5 brothers. This also proves Jesus point in 14:12-14. The rich man concerned for those like him. What good is that?

vs 28- answer everything you need to know how to live has been revealed. What more do they need?

30-31 - rich man states an ironic foreshadowing. The very thing he says will get his brothers to repent is denied by Abraham but is done by Jesus. Jesus does come back from the dead but the implication is even the act of the resurrection will not cause many to believe because they are hard hearted. (8:10)

The point is back to 16:10-13