Understanding the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

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

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.

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;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

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.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented.

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 there.

27 Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brothers; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham says to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The account of the rich man and Lazarus is a powerful parable used by Christ to teach that our eternal destiny is decided in this life during our probationary timeCOL 260.1+1. It serves as a solemn warning against trusting in riches while neglecting the testimony of the Law and the Prophets Luke 16:29-31MPC 182.4.

The Nature of the Narrative

The account of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable, a form of figurative language where life and intelligence are attributed to characters to illustrate a specific spiritual truthTBI 187.1+1. As a parable, it cannot be used to establish the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, as doctrines must be based on literal and explicit language rather than metaphorsMOI 43.2+1. If one were to treat the narrative literally, it would lead to the inconsistent conclusion that the physical bodies of the dead—complete with eyes and tongues—are carried to a literal location in Abraham's bosom immediately at deathHHMLD 182.1+1.

The Condition of the Dead

The scriptures consistently teach that the dead are in a state of sleep, awaiting the resurrectionRMLA 1.1+1.

• Hades vs. Gehenna: The word translated as "hell" in this passage is hades, which refers to the common grave or the place of the dead where both the righteous and wicked go, rather than the place of final punishment known as gehennaTBI 187.1+1.

• Consciousness: The dead do not possess consciousness or bodily organs until they are raised at the end of the worldHHMLD 182.1+1.

• The Second Advent: The righteous are not literally carried by angels to the state of the blessed until the second coming of Christ, when the trumpet sounds and the elect are gathered from the four winds Matthew 24:30-31+1MOI 43.2+1.

Spiritual Lessons of the Parable

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees to expose their covetousness and their failure to be faithful stewards of the spiritual light they had been given Luke 16:14-15LTJMB4 205.2+1.

• The Great Gulf: The "impassable gulf" represents the finality of human choice; those who waste their opportunities for grace in this life fix a permanent separation between themselves and GodCOL 260.1.

• Sufficiency of Scripture: A primary point of the parable is that the testimony of Moses and the prophets is entirely sufficient for salvation Luke 16:31MPC 182.4.

• Future Readjustment: The narrative shows that a terrible readjustment occurs after death, where those who lived for self-pleasing and neglected the suffering at their doors will face the consequences of their choicesLTJMB4 205.2.

The Role of Angels and the Resurrection

While the beggar is represented as being carried by angels, this is a figurative depiction of the honor God bestows upon the faithful poorCOL 262.1+1.

• The Sleeping Saints: Until the resurrection, the righteous dead like Lazarus remain "asleep in Jesus," resting in hope with Abraham and other ancient worthies who have not yet received the full promise Hebrews 11:39-40RMLA 11.2.

• The Gathering: It is only at the last trump that the angels truly act as bearers to take the saints up to meet their Redeemer in the air 1 Corinthians 15:51-52HHMLD 182.1+1.

The parable ultimately forces the listener to realize that heart-willingness to do God's will is the necessary preparation for receiving divine teachingLTJMB4 75.1+1. True salvation involves a transformation of character through the new birth and a practical application of the truth in one's lifeST November 15, 1883, Art. A, par. 15+1.