THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.
By A. T. Robinson
ELDER A. T. ROBINSON
(Dunedin, New Zealand.) There is probably no portion of Scripture made to do more valiant service in support of the popular theory of man's conscious state in death than is the parable of our Saviour as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Luke's gospel, verses 19–31. This passage of Scripture therefore calls for a close and careful examination. First of all, let it be noted that it is recognized by all as only a parable. In the parables spoken by our Saviour, as also those recorded in the Old Testament, a wide latitude is taken in the selection of object lessons by which lessons of spiritual truth are enforced. But no reasonable man would select one of these object lessons, making it the basis of an argument in support of an important doctrine. For instance, who would think of using the parable recorded in Judges 9:7–15, to prove a conscious state of existence among the “trees of the wood,” that they were endowed with the power of speech, etc.; or, that the parable recorded in 2 Kings 14:9 is proof that the “thistle that was in Lebanon” and “the cedar that was in Lebanon” were really endowed with the attributes of consciousness and human speech. Let us notice some of the points stated in the parable under consideration. “The certain rich man” and “the certain beggar” are chosen to represent the two classes who have lived in this world, and who will continue to do so until the end of time—the one class living for self and selfish gratification, thus receiving their good things in this life; the other denying self, living the life of Him who gave himself for us, and thus laying hold on eternal life. The statement is made concerning both the rich man and the beggar that they died. That is the common lot of mankind, both righteous and wicked. The Bible speaks very clearly and definitely concerning man's state in death. “The dead know not anything.” “In that very day [the day of death] his thoughts perish.” This is declared to be true of “wise men . . . likewise the fool and the brutish person, perish and leave their wealth to others.” In the parable it is stated “that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.” Probably no one would attempt to make this mean the literal bosom of the good old patriarch mentioned, but rather the place of final reward of the class represented by the beggar. Another scripture states concerning that class, that in the end of this world, “He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matt. 24:31. From other passages we learn that this will be when the dead in Christ shall have heard “the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 5:25, 28. And “then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Matt. 13:43. We are told in the parable that “the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” From the study of many other scriptures which might be cited, we learn that after the reign of3the saints in heaven for one thousand years, following the second coming of Christ, “the holy city, New Jerusalem,” with all the redeemed therein, will come down upon the earth (Rev. 21:2, 10, 16; Zech. 14:4); that the wicked dead, who will all be raised at that time (Rev. 20:5), will be gathered around the holy city, with its fifteen hundred miles of transparent walls, through which they will then be able to look, and “see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and ye yourselves [they themselves] thrust out,” Luke 13:28. There will then come down fire from God out of heaven and consume them. Rev. 20:9. This will be the state of torment in which the class represented by the rich man will lift up their eyes, and, looking through the transparent walls of the New Jerusalem, will see inside the city of the redeemed all who are represented by the beggar in the parable. For a description of the scenes here referred to, please read the following passages: Rev. 20:7–9; Mal. 4:1; Obadiah 16; Ps. 37:34; Luke 13:28. The Saviour doubtless had before Him those who believed the popular error, so commonly held in our own day, of the consciousness of man in death, and that at death the immortal spirits of the righteous go to heaven, and the immortal spirits of the wicked into a place of eternal torment. How natural, therefore, that the Great Teacher should borrow this object lesson from what will literally take place, in the case of both classes represented, using it as a lesson of warning, as though the whole scene were then taking place. There are many serious difficulties in the way of making this parable teach the popular error of the righteous going to heaven at death, and the wicked to a place of torment. For example, it is freely admitted by the advocates of this theory that the body, with all its parts—all that is material—goes into the grave, and that it is only the spirit which goes away to its place of reward. But, be it noted, the rich man's “eyes,” his “tongue,” and Lazarus's “finger,” all material parts of their bodies, are represented as being present when the scene here described takes place. One of the great practical lessons for all, as taught in this parable, is the great importance of heeding the word of God. Those who reject the plain “Thus saith the Lord” as found in the written word, would not hear the testimony of one who should be raised from the dead. The Pharisees of old time became so hardened in their rejection of the truth, that, instead of hearing the testimony of Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead by the Life-giver, who was then in their midst, they sought to murder Lazarus, for the purpose of getting rid of his testimony. Millions of professed Christians would treat a similar witness in the same way in our own day.