The Parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus:

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and [a]fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with [b]the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then 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 in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31 (NKJV).

The rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is a fascinating story told by Jesus that packs a punch! But it can be a confusing and difficult parable to understand. So, let's dive into the rich man and Lazarus and look at what it has for us today. This story is all about the contrast between the two characters in this story, the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus doesn’t even bother to give the rich man a name in his story. Rather, he let him be a representative for all who live life in such a manner as he did. He makes it clear that this man is living a lavish lifestyle at the expense of others. This man lived his life adorned in the finest clothes, including purple, which only the wealthiest could afford, and feasting daily. This guy had it made. In starch contrast, there’s Lazarus. The only thing that adorned him was sores, and all he had to eat were scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Jesus even adds a detail that showed just how low this guy was, that dogs licked or snipped at his wounds. This detail is significant as it would have made him unclean, unable to worship properly. This was the ultimate degradation. The only thing that Lazarus had that the rich man didn’t was a name. Jesus personalized his concern for the poor man with a name. Jesus’ story starts with these two men whose lives couldn’t be more different. Even in their death, there is considerable contrast. The rich man is buried, undoubtedly anointed with oil, wrapped, and carefully placed in a tomb. And Lazarus' body was tossed aside; a fair assumption is that he was thrown into the city dump, Gehenna. Jesus offers detail after detail to show just how different these guys’ lives and deaths really were. Now dead, we get a glimpse of the rich man and Lazarus on the other side.

This parable is both a jab at the religious leaders and hope for those oppressed. The meaning of the rich man and Lazarus is a warning to those that aren’t paying any attention to the needs of others. That attitude has no place in God's kingdom. Until they repent and change their ways, they live in a place of self-torment. That’s the way it has to be — true happiness is not found at the expense of others. Jesus is warning his audience, the religious leaders, that their treatment of others does not lead to where they think it does. This parable shows us that we get what we ultimately want; we get what our lives were truly about. We can either reign in torment, be a god in our own hell. Or we can be a servant of God and be in paradise with Him. It's up to us. The way we treat others shows us which direction we will take. But it's not too late for us if we find ourselves on the wrong side of the equation. Unlike the rich man who refused to repent, we can and find the life that we were meant to have.