PARABLE OR NOT? THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

[tyrenn hines]

Over the last week the question came up whether Jesus was telling an actually true story or giving a parable when he talked about the rich man and lazarus.I figured this was a no brainer but i found out many believe this was actually true and not a parable. i'm curious for other opinons but please give evidence of why you feel the way you feel.there are a few scriptures that make this impossible to be a parable however some still disagree. interested to hear from you.

[James Pierce]

The scriptures are full of figures of speech. The story of the rich man and lazarus is not a parable, but an allegory. An allegory is a figurative application of a story or narrative. This is a figurative sentence or discourse in which the principal subject is described by another subject resembling it in its properties and circumstances.

Most fellow Christians think that this narrative is talking about a real, literal place called hell, but in truth, the main purpose of this narrative isn't to show one how horrible hell is, but how ignorant the pharisees were. Jesus spoke many figurative stories concerning these religious teachers, and the rich man and lazarus is no different.

Verse 31 - He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. < This gives the discourse of the whole allegory.

In other words. "They" are referring to the pharisees. If they do not believe the Law and prophets, then how will they believe even if someone raised from the dead, came back to them, and told them the truth? Thats what Jesus was showing them. That was what the figurative rich man really wanted to do, but he could not, so he asked if the message could get to his brothers.

Thats one way of showing one that this is not a true event.

Another way is to look at certain words within the narrative. Here is a sentence with one word I want zoom in on," and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

Notice the word "Hades", or, in some translations, "hell". But, understand that hell has 2 Greek words: Geenna, and Hades. In the literal sense of the meaning of hades, the word means the grave. A place where you are dead. But, as we see here in luke 16, hell is used figuratively, because it says,"and in hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side."

Notice the phrase,"He lifted up his eyes and saw."In the literal sense of hades, you cannot lift up your eyes if you are dead. The only time that he could do this, in the literal sense of the word, is if he was buried alive, with the casket open, so that he can see the outside world. But from the scripture, we know that,"The rich man also died and was buried." The rich man what? he died, and was buried." And, as you see, in the figurative sense, he is able to lift up his eyes, and be aware of where he is.

Hades is clearly used figuratively here, because the rich man is looking, and is aware while in hades.

We as bible students must always look for figures of speech when it comes to the words of Jesus. Why? Because the word says that Jesus always spoke figuratively to the crowds, but explained them to his apostles.

Matt 13:10 - Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

matt 13:13 - This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.



Matt 13:34-35 - All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

So, I say that that The story of the rich man and lazarus is a narrative about the ignorance of the pharisees, and luke 16:31 gives us the answer.

God bless

[Pastor John H. Young, Sr]

Well put!