The parable of Lazarus and the rich man The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is often presented as Bible proof that good people go to heaven and bad people go to a hell where they are tormented by fire. It is easy to jump to this conclusion, but the parable actually has a different meaning or message altogether. First, here is the text of the parable, as found in Luke 16:19-31:There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 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; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 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 thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Note that nothing was said about Abraham being in heaven: it is often assumed that Abraham is in heaven in the parable, but the parable does not say so. Could Abraham have been in heaven? Jesus said in John 3:13 that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man... Actually all of the Old Testament faithful, including Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets are still in their graves. The apostle Peter mentioned this in regard to David, saying: Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day... For David is not ascended into the heavens... (Acts 2:29 and 34). Other verses such as Daniel 12:2, Acts 13:36, Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 and Job 3:13-19 give further evidence that the Old Testament saints are not in heaven but remain in their graves, awaiting their resurrection. If we assume the parable shows that Abraham is in heaven, then the Bible would be contradicting itself.Amen
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 15:00:38 +0000
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