The Rich Man and Lazarus

In fact, the story comes immediately after Jesus tells a number of parables that all begin with the same kind of language:

“A certain man had a fig tree….”  (The parable of the barren fig tree, Luke 13:6)

“A certain man gave a great supper….”  (The parable of the great supper, Luke 14:16)

“A certain man had two sons….” (The parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11) 

"There was a certain rich man….”  (The parable of the unjust steward, Luke 16:1) 

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus begins the same way: 

"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.”  (Luke 16:19)

The remainder of the story clearly uses allegorical language.  To read the story literally creates a number of logical problems: Lazarus ends up living in Abraham’s chest, the rich man’s ghost (if one assumes, as many do, that this is a spectral story) has a physical tongue that can be cooled with water, and the residents of heaven are capable of conversing with the denizens of hell over a “great gulf.” 

Except for a handful of Christians who would like to build a working theory of the afterlife out of the words of this story, the tale is widely accepted as an allegory - a parable. Most people will admit that. But most of those same people never get around to explaining it.  I’ve heard preachers declare it to be an allegory, but they never seem to explain it.

So let me take a stab it it. Read the story in the context of the rest of the Bible, and the meaning isn’t hard to discern: 

• The primary audience is the Pharisees (v14), who were worried that Jesus was compromising the religious fabric of Israel. Many of the religious leaders of the day hated Him, and remained unconvinced even after Jesus actually raised a friend named Lazarus from the dead. (See verse 31: "‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ “)
• The rich man is dressed in linen and purple, a color reserved for royalty, and a fabric associated with luxury.
• The rich man’s family has access to “Moses and the prophets,” (v.29), a reference the Hebrew scriptures
• The rich man also calls Abraham "Father Abraham", (v. 24), something that only an Israelite would do.
• The beggar, Lazarus, is an outsider. He lived a miserable existence outside the rich man's house, hoping to glean just a few crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table.
• Lazarus lives with the dogs, a derogatory name used for Gentiles.  Look at the story found in Matthew 15:21-28, where a Gentile woman asks Jesus for help.  Jesus initially refuses her, indicating that He had come for the “house of Israel.” (v.24)  “It is not meet,” Jesus says, “to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.”  Her reply?  "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (v.27)

This parable is a cautionary tale that repeats a point made by John the Baptist some time earlier:

"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our] father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:8,9)

Israel was supposed to be a light to the Gentiles (Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 60:3), but ultimately failed to share the spiritual riches she had been blessed with.  Lazarus represents the Gentile nations, who were hungry for the gospel.  The rich man represented those who kept the treasure to themselves.  In the end, the rich man ends up being the one with a miserable existence, and the Gentiles (Lazarus) end up as members of the family of Abraham.

This interpretation of the parable fits the New Testament narrative perfectly:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate." (Matthew 23:37, 38)

Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.' " Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. (Acts 13:46-48)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:28-29)

Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh--who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)

The good news?  The door to the kingdom is open to all of us, even if you haven't got a single strand of Jewish DNA.  Of course, there's also a warning in the story we should heed as well.  "Therefore let him who thinks he stands,” Paul warns, "take heed lest he fall.” (I Corinthians 10:12)