Posted on 03/16/2017 7:42:05 AM PDT by Salvation
The well-known story of Lazarus and the rich man was read at Mass this morning (Thursday of the Second Week of Lent). On one level the message of the story seems plain enough: neglecting the poor is a damnable sin. However, there are other important teachings: about death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Those teachings are hidden in the details, but the subtlety is part of the story’s beauty. Let’s take a look at some of the teachings, beginning with the obvious one.
1. Neglect of the poor is a damnable sin – There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
The vision of Lazarus’ poverty is dramatic indeed. The unnamed rich man (dubbed Dives by some because it means “rich” in Latin) does not so much act in an evil way toward Lazarus as he does commit a sin of neglect and omission. He seems undisturbed by and removed from Lazarus’ suffering. This neglect, this omission, this insensitivity, lands him in Hell. The rich man died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes.
Care for the poor will be a central theme of our judgment, as is made clear in the Gospel of Matthew (25:31 ff), in which Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, the just from the unrighteous, based on whether they cared for the least of their brethren. To those who failed in this regard the Lord Jesus says, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41).
How best to care for the poor is a matter of some dispute, but that we must care for them is clear. Hence, the rich man who neglected Lazarus is now in Hell. This is a call to sobriety about the reality of judgment; we must consider whether our care for the poor is what it should be.
2. Although he is in torment, the rich man has not changed – The rich man, in torment, raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, “Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.”
Notice that the rich man still fails to see Lazarus’ dignity. In effect, he still sees Lazarus as an errand boy. Though he has to look up to see him, the rich man still looks down on Lazarus. He does not ask Abraham to send Lazarus to him so that he can apologize for his sinful neglect and seek his forgiveness. Rather he merely wants Lazarus to serve him. Even though he is in torment, the rich man is unrepentant. Although doesn’t like where he is, he does not reconcile with Lazarus or even realize that he should do so. This rich man is hardened in his sin. While Lazarus was alive, the rich man never recognized his dignity, and he remains blind to it.
Over time, sin hardens our heart. The more we remain in sin, the harder our hearts become, and the less likely it is that we will ever change. Why is Hell eternal? Look at the rich man: He cannot and will not change; his decision, character, and demeanor are forever fixed.
There is an old litany that goes like this: Sow a thought, reap a deed; sow a deed, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. The mystery of the world to come is that our character is forever fixed. The Fathers of the Church described this mystery as being like clay on a potter’s wheel. As long as the clay is moist and on the wheel, the potter can shape and reshape it, but there comes a time when the clay form is placed in the kiln to be fired, fixing its shape forever. It is this way for us when we come before God, who judges us by fire (cf 1 Cor 3:12-15).
Fire will forever fix our character; this judgment through fire will either purify us or bring us condemnation. The fixed quality of the human person is illustrated in the rich man’s unchanged attitude.
3. The rich man does not ask to come to Heaven – It is very strange that the rich man does not ask that he might come to Heaven; rather, he asks that Lazarus be sent to Hell.
One of the saddest facts about the souls in Hell is that they would not be happy in Heaven anyway. After all, Heaven is about being with God. It is about justice, love of the poor, chastity, the heavenly liturgy, the celebration of the truth, the praise of God. God is at the center rather than us. The fact is, many show by the way that they live that they do not want many of these things. Why would someone who has disliked, even hated, these things will suddenly become enamored of them at the moment of death? Someone who ignores or disdains God and considers His faithful to be hypocrites would hardly be happy in Heaven.
The rich man demonstrates this by the fact that he does not ask to come to Heaven. He surely does not like where he is, but he shows no repentant desire for Heaven, either. The teaching, though subtle, seems clear enough: the souls in Hell have little interest in Heaven despite their dislike of Hell.
4. The Great Reversal – Abraham further indicates to the Rich Man and to us the “great reversal”: My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
We spend a lot of time trying to be on top in this world. We want comfort, wealth, position, and power. The Lord warns here that we ought to beware the great reversal that is coming. Lazarus, who was poor, is now rich; and the rich man is now poor.
Jesus teaches this elsewhere: But many who are first will be last, and the last first (Mk 10:31). Mary remarked that He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones but lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty (Lk 1:51-53).
This is the great reversal. We so want to be rich and comfortable in this world, running from any suffering or setback. But the Lord warns of riches, How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (Mk 10:23). Yet still we want to be rich. He also says, Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:27) Yet still we run from the cross and suffering. In the great reversal, many who are first in this world will be last in the world to come.
We cannot assert a direct correlation between success here and loss in the world to come, but neither should we ignore the teaching that striving to “make it” in the world and “be somebody” can be a dangerous path. And if we have amounted to something, we’d better humble ourselves through generosity to the poor and associating with the humble. The goal of worldly success is a dangerous one, for the great reversal is coming. Better to be found among the humble and the poor, or at least well-associated with them, than to be mighty and high. Yes, beware the great reversal!
5. Refusing the truth of Revelation is a damnable sin – The rich man does not repent to God, nor does he seek to be reconciled with Lazarus; but he does have some concerns for his brothers, for his family. We need not assume that the souls in Hell have no affections whatsoever. However, their affections are not for God and what He esteems. And so the rich man, still viewing Lazarus only as an errand boy, asks Abraham to dispatch Lazarus to his family carrying a warning. Perhaps a vision from the grave will convince them!
But Abraham indicates quite clearly that they have the clear witness of God through Moses and the prophets. In other words, they have the Scriptures, the very Word of God, to warn them. The rich man insists, “Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Then Abraham said, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”
The last point is dripping with irony, considering the fact that Jesus would rise from the dead. Abraham says clearly that there are many sinners who are so hardened in their sin that no matter what the Scriptures say or what the Church solemnly teaches, they will never be convinced. This is so very true today; many remain hardened in their sins. No amount of Scripture or Church teaching will convince them that they are wrong. This is what happens to us if we remain in unrepented sin: Our hearts are hardened, our minds are closed, and our necks are stiffened. In the end, this story teaches that such hardness is damnable.
These are five basic teachings from a well known parable. We do well to heed these lessons!
This song, “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” amounts to a wish that we will find our way to glory. Heeding the lessons of this parable is surely one way to find our rest in God.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
...One of the saddest facts about the souls in Hell is that they would not be happy in Heaven anyway. After all, Heaven is about being with God. It is about justice, love of the poor, chastity, the heavenly liturgy, the celebration of the truth, the praise of God. God is at the center rather than us. The fact is, many show by the way that they live that they do not want many of these things. Why would someone who has disliked, even hated, these things will suddenly become enamored of them at the moment of death? Someone who ignores or disdains God and considers His faithful to be hypocrites would hardly be happy in Heaven...
If you didn't want to walk with God here, why would you suddenly want to walk with him in Eternity?
This is another good piece by Charles Pope.
This parable is not about heaven or hell. The key is the five brothers.
Here is a very good rundown: http://www.hellhadesafterlife.com/rich-man-lazarus
It actually gets information from multiple scholars.
I’ve always thought that key to this parable was the lack of care by the rich man for the destitute Lazarus. A sin of omission of not caring for the poor.
Yes, but I think this is a really excellent example of people reading too much into Jesus words, and sometimes not enough. It reminds me of the scene in Life of Brian where he is being chased by a bunch of worshipers and accidentally loses a sandal. When they reach the sandal the surround it and one of them picks it up and shouts that it is a sign that they are all to remove one sandal for some “spiritual” reason.
But in reality he just lost a sandal.
This Parable is actually pretty straightforward. here is a REALLY good rundown of the whole thing and “relatively” brief.:
http://www.jeremyandchristine.com/articles/lazarus.html
It makes some really salient points.
This is a good point. I have often thought that, since our sins are forgiven, the toughest moments for us at judgement will be the things we didn’t do. When those are exposed, the things we didn’t see and the things we failed to do, that will be a difficult conversation.
I love the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, especially when I understand this is an exquisite satire coming from the lips of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is necessary to consider the context and the audience for this Scripture passage. Many people believe He could never speak so unkindly about His hateful enemies, the Pharisees.
But, I have just a quick question. If conditions are reversed in the afterlife, why was Abraham on the good side of the gulf? When alive, he was one of the richest men on the planet. “Lazarus, who was poor, is now rich; and the rich man is now poor.” The great reversal?
Another question. Why is Lazarus considered to be such a righteous and holy person? I see nothing in the words of Jesus that he was. Further,
I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Ps. 37:25 KJV)
Just wondering.
http://olrl.org/doctrine/hellbelike.shtml --------
Hell will be a fire so intense that it hurts the bones, not just the skin- (Ever had a bruised bone? It's very very painful- now imagine all your bones hurting like that- That is what the fire will do- pain deep to the bones) The fire that we know today, as terrible as it can be, is child's play compared to the supernatural fire of eternal damnation- This fire will literally boil the person's inside- but will not kill them- It will broil the brain, but we will not feel relief by going unconscious- it will boil the bowels- but will not destroy them- "Thou shalt make them as an Oven of Fire, in the Time of Thy Anger" - Psalm 20:10. Folks, the person in hell is going to burn forever- This is serious business- God isn't joking about this- He views sin that seriously- ---------
Hell fire will not consume, nor give light- this is no ordinary fire- it is a supernatural fire- it does not consume the body so there will be no relief day and night- ---------
Hell will also be freezing cold. "Let him pass from the snow water to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell." (Job 24:19) one moment you are burning, the next moment you are freezing- There will be no rest- No escape- constant torment ---------
Hell will be a place of constant torment by demonic beings (Think about folks- When Job says horrors- He is not exasperating- it's going to be horrifying- your worst nightmares played out constantly) "Before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death: a land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth." (Job 10:22). --------
Hell will be a place where the person is forced to think about God and about the terrible choice they made while they were alive- constantly- this will eat at the person for eternity --------
Hell is the place where the worm feeds on the flesh but does not consume the flesh- ie you will have a constant feeling of being eaten alive- Think about a simple itch and how annoying it can be- now imagine worms crawling all over your body- eating away- but never consuming the flesh- Just the sensation of it happening- --------
Hell is a place where thirst can not be quenched- ever- try going 2 days without anything to drink- it's not very fun, and is quite uncomfortable- Hell is eternal thirst- not just 2 days worth -------
Hell is a place of unimaginable overwhelming stench- Sin around some rotting meat on a hot day- I mean really putrid rotting meat- crawling with maggots- This is nothing compared to the inescapable stench of hell- if you are sensitive to foul odours- it's is only going to be worse in hell- --------
Hell is a place where there will be no relief from people constantly shrieking and screaming, both in anger and in pain- Ever try to sleep with loud noises present? Not very fun. --------
Hell will be so crowded that you won't be able to move- although it will be too dark to see anyone else- a person will be crowded- never able to find a comfortable spot to rest- always being shoved and manoeuvred around by unseen neighbouring damned- ---------
Hell will be a place where memories torment the person always- never ceasing- always remembering how they rejected God when they had the chance to accept Him- This knowledge will never leave them and always haunt their minds- They shall never find peace again- ever- --------
Hell will be a place where all our earthly desires to sin will be magnified many times- Whatever pet sins a person enjoys fulfilling now, that desire to fulfil them in hell will be magnified many times but they will be unable to full fill them- --------
Hell will be a place where rage and anger and disdain and fury take hold and consume a being- *********
Take heed- Hell is not going to be a big party place- it is serious business!- God is very serious about sin- and He is giving us all every chance possible to avoid it while we are alive on earth- Sin has no place in a Holy Heaven- God was not kidding when He told adam and Eve not to eat that apple- They didn't beleive Him- and no it wasn't 'just an innocent mistake on their part' it was a serious blatant violation of God's command not to eat of the tree- ************ Christ willingly gave His life, willingly sacrificed His life, willingly chose to lay His life down for yours- so that you, lost sinners, do not have to experience eternity without Him- He paid the price- Will you accept the gift?
In my opinion what is notable in this parable is that the rich man was an active member of church, he likely paid his tithes and gave alms but was then unaware of those in need, this would be an easy situation to be in.
In society today it is easy to ignore the plight of many, they don't live near us, they have drinking and drug problems that they brought upon themselves and they seem to spend the day wasting time instead of being in the pursuit of taking care of themselves and their families. Some because they have managed to do well in life feel that they are better than others, that is the heart of socialism. Leaders think they are so much better than the masses that they are qualified to run the lives of the underclass.
It would be easy to fall in the trap of believing then that Socialism is not a bad thing since it takes care of people who cannot take care of themselves, but, I totally disagree. Socialism relieves people from having to make choices, from having to work or be responsible. When Adam and Eve were in the garden they made the decision to get off Socialism. They determined that it would be better to know good from bad in order to be like God. Christ has told us that we are indeed to be like God. We must make and be responsible for our decisions.
Don't misunderstand the parable, it does not mean that Heaven will be filled only with poor beggars, it does not mean that the rich will be in Hell but in this case it means the rich man was not a good man and that perhaps ignored in life Lazarus was a good man. You can be rich and good, you can certainly be poor and bad.
The parable makes a number of assumptions we should all note but the purpose of the parable was to show that there was a great gulf between Lazarus and the rich man and that though He (Christ) were to come back from the dead those who don't hear now would not hear then either. I think it is very instructive that the person The Lord raised from the dead in Bethany was named Lazarus. It was the raising from the dead of Lazarus in Bethany that really set the Chief Priests on edge and made them start plotting Jesus’s death.
Now I will get to the point that many will throw rocks at me, Grace. It is by the Grace of Christ Jesus that we are saved, nobody, no matter how wonderful they are will earn their way to Heaven. There are many who say they are “saved” because they have believed on the name of Jesus. I fully suspect that the rich man of the parable was in this class although he believed in Abraham I think it was told by Christ to be instructive. The doctrine of once saved, always saved is wrong. Like the rich man we can say we have been saved, perhaps we were but we go through life like the rich man not caring for others, we will end up like the rich man, the closest we will get to Heaven is looking up to it.
My wife is Mormon, they have an expression I like, “Endure to the end”. I really believe that is what Christ requires of us so that we will be eligible for His Grace.
Endure.
Lord, Please make me neither rich nor poor, that in great abundance I might forget you or in abject poverty curse you.
Let me be well satisfied with the many blessings you have found favor to bestow on me and that I might share them generously as you have with me.
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I pray instead for abundance that I might help those in need. I want the needy helped, I just don't want to force someone who doesn't want to do it to do it. There is a certain satisfaction in giving to those in need. While some will always be in need, the blind, the crippled etc, most however will not always be in need. When you help someone in need you and they may gain a new friend for life. Perhaps they will see Christ in your help to them and cling unto Him.
I pray that I will always have enough that I am not a burden on someone else and that I will always accept the burden of helping others cheerfully.
The whole point of this story was to ridicule the teachings of the Pharisees. In other words this is not a parable, but a biting satire.
The Pharisees taught that the poor were in disfavor with God, and the rich were favored of God. To help the poor would therefore be going against the will of God.
A great gulf was fixed between the two classes and no one could cross over from the bad side, and of course no one wanted to cross over from the good side.
I do not see Jesus condemning the Rich Man, nor does He praise Lazarus.
This satire hit the mark precisely, because the Pharisees seethed with rage against Jesus.
Consider the context, the setting and the audience and you might agree with me.
1) After you die there are no second chances....no purgatory. This is completely in line with the NT...And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, Heb 9:27 NASB
2) There is no communication between people in this world and those who've departed us. Else, the rich man would have contacted his family to warn them of Hades.
People have been deceived into thinking hell will be where all their friends will be and it will be one eternal party. On the flip side, they have been deceived into thinking that heaven will be an eternal church service (think Catholic mass kneeling) and where angels are playing violins on clouds. Remember Billy Joel’s song that says, “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints”. People have been brainwashed into thinking hell is just a place without God and heaven is a boring place. More deceptions put out there by Satan himself.
Good points
I do not see Jesus condemning the Rich Man, nor does He praise Lazarus.
This satire hit the mark precisely, because the Pharisees seethed with rage against Jesus.
Consider the context, the setting and the audience and you might agree with me.
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I am not disagreeing with you, I was simply adding to what was said. I do however believe that the main point of the story was the gulf between them and that though a man came back from the dead those in the rich mans condition would not listen in life. I really believe that Jesus used the name “Lazarus” in the story because he knew he would be raising Lazarus from the dead soon. A man did come back from the dead but many still did not listen, how sad.
Today many still believe that if you are well off you are favored by God, the Jews in particular widely believe this and teach it.
Exactly- I think deep down may fear they may be wrong, but are too determined not to bow a knee to God to make sure they don’t spend eternity in Hell by accepting Christ- The OP brought out a great point- that people who didn’t accept Christ would not even be happy in heaven- they would still be so bitterly opposed to God that they couldn’t enjoy heaven
Some folks think that folks in hell will ‘realize they made a mistake, and be really sorry- no they won’t- they will be even angrier and more defiant as they will not even have the Restrainer restraining their consciences anymore- They wil l be angrier- more bitter- more controlled by the Evil One that they decided they would rather follow-
Thanks. I really do like this story a lot.
Unfortunately many people use this as a pillar to support their belief foundation about death, what happens at death, and the afterlife. They think Jesus parted the veil to show what conditions were like in Hades. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was exposing their teachings, holding them up to ridicule (satire).
There was a great gulf between the rich and the poor and no one could cross over from either side. It has nothing to do with two compartments in Hades, or Abraham’s bosom.
I still want to know why Abraham was on the good side. He should have been on the bad side since he was very rich during his lifetime. Remember, the Pharisees in order to placate the people so they wouldn’t cause trouble, taught that conditions would be reversed in the afterlife. Therefore, they were to be content, enduring the hardships of daily life under Roman occupation, until the great by and by.
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