Luke 16:14-31
Dear RTB’ers,
Today, the rich man and Lazarus. My Study Bible had an interesting comment on this “rich man and Lazarus” passage. That comment begins, “If this is a parable…”. I had always read or heard this passage as a parable, but there is no indication in Luke that Jesus is speaking a parable. That is, He could be speaking reality. One interesting item that could point to this story being reality is that one of the characters, Lazarus, is given a name. There is no other character in Jesus’ parables who is given a name (again, credit to my Study Bible for that item). As a parable, the story is certainly noteworthy. But what if it is reality? What if Jesus is giving us information about our afterlife: Abraham’s bosom and Hades (vv. 22, 23); the rich man’s being in torment (v. 23) and anguish in this flame (v. 24b); …a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us. (v. 26) We are blessed to live on this side of the Resurrection: 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.” (v. 31) We know of Someone Who has risen from the dead, never to die again, living as our forever intercessor before His Father. Take that thought with you today. Let Jesus’ Resurrection change you again, today.
Blessings!