14 And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these
things; and they scoffed at him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are
they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but God knoweth
your hearts: for that which is exalted among men is an abomination
in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets _were_ until
John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached,
and every man entereth violently into it. 17 But it is easier for
heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to
fall.
18 Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another,
committeth adultery: and he that marrieth one that is put away
from a husband committeth adultery.
19 Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple
and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: 20 and a certain
beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and
desiring to be fed with the _crumbs_ that fell from the rich man’s
table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it
came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away
by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died,
and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in
torments, and seeth 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 in anguish in this flame. 25 But Abraham said,
Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: but now here he is
comforted, and thou art in anguish. 26 And besides all this,
between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that
would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may
cross over from thence to us. 27 And he said, I pray thee
therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father’s
house; 28 for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them,
lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 But Abraham
saith, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the
dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one
rise from the dead.
The parable of the Unrighteous Steward was intended to teach the
possibility of the right use of wealth. The parable of the Rich Man and
Lazarus was designed by our Lord to warn his hearers against its abuse.
Between the two parables Luke records a number of sayings, the connection
of which cannot be determined beyond question but they seem to have been
quoted by him as an introduction to the second of these parables, vs.
14-18. They contain a rebuke of the Pharisees for their besetting sin of
avarice and a statement of the unfailing authority of the Law, the letter
of which they observed, but by the spirit of which they were condemned.
These Pharisees ridiculed our Lord for teaching the absolute necessity of
generosity and benevolence and the unselfish use of wealth. Our Lord
replied that while these enemies of his might receive the approval of men,
God read their hearts and many who received human praise were but
abominable in the sight of God. Jesus stated that while the gospel message
did differ from the Law and while many were eagerly accepting its blessed
privileges, it did not set aside the Law, but only showed how its demands
could be met. When he stated that “one tittle of the law” could not fall,
he referred to the minute projections which distinguish Hebrew letters,
and meant that the slightest requirement of the Law was sacred and
abiding. He illustrated these truths by a reference to the Seventh
Commandment, and insisted that adultery did not lose its sinful character
because of any interpretation of the Law such as was put upon it by those
who were teaching lax theories of divorce. It was still sinful, even when
justified by civil enactment. Thus Jesus was reminding the Pharisees that
the Law might abide and be sacred even when legalists who observed its
letter were condemned.
In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Jesus by no means taught that
it is sinful to be rich or that the poor are all saved. He did mean to
suggest the solemn peril of the selfish use of wealth. The sin of the rich
man did not consist either in the way in which he had acquired his wealth
or in the fact that he possessed it, nor yet in any breach of moral law,
but in the plain statement that while he was living in selfish luxury one
who was in sore need lay unrelieved at his door. The rich man is commonly
called Dives, the Latin name for “a man of wealth.” Lazarus is the only
person in any parable of our Lord to whom a special name is given. It is
just possible that the name was intended to indicate the character of the
man as one who trusted in the help of God. The story shows not only the
contrast between the two men in the present life, but the still greater
contrast in the life that is to come. The picture is not to be interpreted
with absurd literalness; but it does contain a serious warning, and behind
its figures of speech are solemn realities. It does indicate the remorse
and the anguish which forever may be experienced by those who upon earth
make only a selfish and heartless use of wealth and position and
opportunity. The consequences are shown to be as endless as they are
distressing. A time of reversal is to come, a time of judgment and
retribution.
It is evident that Jesus was especially warning the Pharisees; the rich
man was a representative of this class who were notorious for their
scrupulous observance of law and for their lives of selfish luxury and
indulgence. The rich man addressed Abraham as his father, and was
addressed by Abraham as his son. This is an intimation that the most
orthodox Jew might be lost and come at last to a place of torment.
As the rich man requested that a special warning be sent to his brethren,
it is possible that he was expressing his sympathy; more probably he was
making an excuse and intimating that had he been given more light he would
not have so grievously sinned. The reply is, therefore, very significant,
“If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
if one rise from the dead.” It was an answer to the Pharisees for their
continual request that Jesus should give some striking sign by which they
would recognize his divine mission. Our Lord indicated that a striking
prodigy or miracle will never convince those whose hearts are not right
with God. He declared further that the Law and the Prophets plainly set
forth the divine requirement of love. One who fails to observe this
supreme law in the use of wealth and of all similar opportunities and
privileges is under condemnation and is in peril of eternal pain.