3422.— Is It a Parable?
By A. M.
Is there good Bible proof that what Jesus said of the rich man and Lazarus was a parable? A. M. 2. It is found after a long list of parables, the king going to war, the lost sheep, the lost piece of silver, the prodigal son, the unfaithful steward. Chapters 14-16. 3. It begins as do two of these, “a certain man.” See 15:11; 16:1, 19. 4. No one believes that hell is in sight of heaven, and that the righteous are in bliss while seeing the torments of the damned, as they must be if the parable is a real story. Then how will it harmonize with Rev. 6:9, 10? 5. “The dead know not anything.” Eccl. 9:5. “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Ps. 146:4. “There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Eccl. 9:10. “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” Job 14:21. 6. If people are to live again after they die, they must be raised from the dead; for “if the dead rise not,” then even “they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” See 1 Cor. 15:12-18. 7. It was spoken to a class to whom Jesus spoke in parables. See Matt. 13:13. In the light of these considerations the story of the rich man and Lazarus must be a parable, and parables should be understood in harmony with positive declarations of the Scripture. 8. Jesus uses the belief of the Jews to show the folly of trusting in riches, place, position, honor. The rich man represented the Jews, rich in all the wonderful privileges granted of God. Lazarus represented the Gentiles, poor in all spiritual blessing, sick with sin, classed with dogs. Trusting in their own righteousness, God rejected the Jews. Humbled to nothingness, He received the Gentiles who came to Him. Before honor is humility. (See the tract “Rich Man and Lazarus,” No. 146, Bible Students’ Library. Price with postage 2 cents.)