he cried and said = crying out, he said. The Pharisees gave long stories of similar imaginary conversations and discourses. See Lightfoot, vol. xi, pp. 165-7. Father Abraham. Compare Matthew 3:9 . John 8:39 . cool. Greek. katapsucho. Occurs only here. A medical word. tormented distressed. Greek. odunaomai. Occurs only in Luke (here, Luke 2:48 , and Acts 20:38 , "sorrowing"). read more
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.Father Abraham ... Here is found the absolute necessity for seeing this as a parable; for Abraham himself, like all the saints in death, is in the place here called "Abraham's bosom." Abraham is therefore a type of God who presides over both Paradise and the place of the wicked in Hades. This, of course, negates any... read more
Luke 16:24. Dip the tip of his finger, &c.— The Hebrews drank their wine mixed with water; and large quantities of water, on one occasion or other, were used at their feasts. See John 2:6. There seems therefore, in this petition, a proper allusion to that custom. It is observable, that the rich man speaks as knowing Lazarus, and as supposing, Luk 16:28 that his brethren also might know him, on his appearing to them.—And shall not Abraham's children, when they are in paradise, know each... read more
24. Father Abraham—a well-founded, but unavailing, claim of natural descent (Luke 3:8; John 8:37). mercy on me—who never showed any (James 2:3). send Lazarus—the pining victim of his merciless neglect. that he may—take me hence? No; that he dares not to ask. dip . . . tongue—that is the least conceivable and the most momentary abatement of his torment; that is all. But even this he is told is (1) unreasonable. read more
2. Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees for their greed 16:14-31The Pharisees, who where listening to Jesus’ instructions to His disciples, scoffed at Him, because they tried to serve both God and mammon (Luke 16:13). They tried to appear pious and at the same time accumulate all the wealth they could (cf. Luke 20:47). Jesus therefore addressed their greed (cf. 2 Timothy 3:2).The importance of submission to God’s Word 16:14-18Jesus’ began His response to the Pharisees’ rejection of His teaching by... read more
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus 16:19-31In this parable the rich man and his brothers who did not listen to Moses and the prophets (Luke 16:29-31) represent the Pharisees (Luke 16:16-17). The Pharisees believed in a future life and a coming judgment, but they, as the rich man, did not allow those beliefs to deter them from the pursuit of present wealth (Luke 16:14). Jesus announced that even His resurrection would not change them (Luke 16:31). This parable also affirmed Jesus’ teaching... read more
These verses describe the two destinies of the men, which were as different as their lives on earth had been. The angels assist God in caring for humans (Hebrews 1:14). They escorted Lazarus’ spirit to Abraham’s bosom whereas the rich man simply experienced burial without heavenly honors. The point is the care that God lavished on Lazarus. Jesus pictured Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom enjoying the future messianic banquet in the millennial kingdom (cf. Luke 13:28-29). Formerly the rich man had... read more
The Unjust Steward. The Rich Man and Lazarus1-13. Parable of the Unjust Steward (peculiar to Lk). The details of this somewhat difficult parable are probably not significant. It is intended to illustrate the proper use of wealth. Christians should use it so well here on earth, by expending it not selfishly on their own pleasures, but unselfishly for the good of others, and for the advancement of God’s kingdom, that instead of hindering them from reaching heaven, it will help them to enter... read more
(24) Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger . . .—The words, in their relation to the effect of the punishment on the rich man’s character, offer two tenable explanations. On the one hand, they have been thought to indicate the old selfish arrogance and heartlessness of the man who still looks on Lazarus as one who may be sent hither and thither, at any cost of suffering, to do his bidding and minister to his ease; on the other, we may see in them the traces of pride conquered, and... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Luke 16:19-31
104. The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)To illustrate the truth he had just been teaching, Jesus told the story of an unnamed rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The rich man pictured those who lived to please themselves and felt no need of God; the beggar pictured those who were helpless and depended entirely upon God’s mercy. In their existence after death, the beggar sat beside Abraham in the heavenly feast, resting his body, as it were, against Abraham, but the rich man was in great... read more