Luke 16:19-31

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus 16:19-31

In 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 on a future reversal of fortunes (Luke 1:53; Luke 6:20-26; Luke 12:16-21; Luke 13:30; Luke 14:11) and the fact that present decisions affect future destiny for the saved and the unsaved.

The rabbinic story of how Abraham sent his steward Eleazar, of which Lazarus is the Greek form of the name, to Sodom to test the hospitality of its citizens may lie behind this parable. [Note: Derrett, Law in . . ., pp. 86-92.] Jesus may have built this parable on that story, which was extra-biblical but perhaps factual or merely fictional.