Introduction
Jesus Christ taught many things through parables. One of these parables is known as the “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus“. Based on it, many end up using it as a basis and foundation to defend the doctrine of “immortality of the soul” and life after death of the human being, and this happens because they interpret the parable literally. In today’s study, we will learn more about what a parable is, its definitions, how we should interpret them, its purpose, and finally, we will analyze the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in order to extract the correct interpretation about it.
Definition of “parable“
Let’s start with the definition of the word “parable“. What is its meaning? How do dictionaries define it?
According to the definition found in some dictionaries:
Michaelis: “Allegorical narrative that aims to convey a message indirectly, using analogy or comparison as a resource.” – Michaelis Dictionary, accessed on October 30, 2020 (link: https://michaelis.uol.com.br/moderno-portugues/busca/portugues-brasileiro/par%C3%A1bola ).
Priberam: “Allegorical narration that involves some moral precept, some important truth.” – Priberam Dictionary, accessed on October 30, 2020 (link: https://dicionario.priberam.org/par%C3%A1bola )
And what would an allegory (“allegorical narration“) be?
Michaelis: “Form or technique of figurative representation of the abstract or imaginary world, used in the artistic and intellectual sphere, through images, figures, people, ideas or abstract qualities, so that such elements function as a disguise for the ideas presented.” – Michaelis Dictionary, accessed on October 30, 2020 (link: https://michaelis.uol.com.br/moderno-portugues/busca/portugues-brasileiro/alegoria ).
Should parables be understood literally?
Should we understand the parables literally? We might ask the following questions:
- Was there really a shepherd who went out with 100 sheep, and when he lost one of them, he left the 99 to look for the one that was lost (Luke 15)?
- Did the story of the prodigal son really happen (Luke 15)?
- Was there a woman who lost one of the ten coins she had, and when she found it, she called her friends and neighbors to rejoice (Luke 15)?
- Did the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus really happen (Luke 16)?
- Was there a persistent widow who begged a judge for justice and he relented because of her insistence (Luke 18)?
- What about the landowner who left, shared his wealth with his servants, and upon his return, demanded that they multiply what he had entrusted to them (Luke 19)?
I have mentioned only a few parables narrated by Jesus, but the master used at least 44 parables in his teachings (considering those written in the gospels). The stories presented in these parables are not facts that occurred, because if they were, they would not be “real parables“, but rather a report of “facts” have occurred. I am not saying that similar stories have not happened. It is not unlikely that someone could have created a parable based on a real event. But for the most part, a parable is based on events, ideas, and thoughts that are similar to the daily lives of its listeners. People adapt them by adding or subtracting information, allowing them to fit the lessons or messages they want to convey to their listeners.
Jesus used parables to teach many valuable lessons to his listeners. In each situation, he used a parable to convey his teachings. Although he used many parables, their record is not exclusive to Jesus. In the Scriptures, we can find other parables that people in the past used, such as:
The Parable to Jotham:
Judges 9:7-15 – “And when he had told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hear me, ye men of Shechem, and God will hear you: for the trees went to anoint themselves a king, and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. And the olive tree said unto them, Shall I leave my fatness, which God and men prize in me, and go to wave over the trees? Then said the trees unto the fig tree, Come thou, reign over us. And the fig tree said unto them, Shall I leave my sweetness, my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Shall I leave my wine, which maketh glad God and men, and go to wave over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the thornbush, Come thou, reign over us. And the bramble said to the trees, If indeed you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: but if not, then let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.“
The Parable of the Vineyard of Israel:
Isaiah 5:1-7 – “Now I will sing to my beloved the song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My beloved has a vineyard on a fertile hill. And he has fenced it, cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines. He has built a tower in the middle of it and also dug a winepress in it. He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. Now therefore, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done to it? Why, when I expected it to yield good grapes, has it yielded wild grapes? Now therefore I will show you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be used for pasture; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled under foot; I will make it a wasteland; it will not be pruned or dug up; but briers and thorns will grow in it. and I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant. He looked for justice, but here was oppression; for righteousness, but here was a cry.“
Both of the parables mentioned above were told by people in ancient times, centuries before the birth of Jesus. Prophets used parables to convey their messages. People did not use them as often as Jesus did, but they still used them to convey lessons and messages to the people of his day.
Characteristics of Parables
Notice that in the parable to Jotham, the trees ask for a king for themselves. They talk among themselves in search of another tree that can rule them. They ask the olive tree, then the fig tree, and then the vine, but they all deny the request, until all the trees decide to ask the thornbush if he wants to become king, which ends up accepting the request. However, the thornbush warns that fire could come out of it and consume all the cedars of Lebanon if these trees do not trust in its shade.
In the parable of the vineyard of Israel, someone tells the story of the “loved“, who planted a vineyard and took care of it, but the grapes that grew were not good, but rather wild grapes. In this parable, God asks His people through the prophet what He should do with regard to His vineyard. In response to the question, He Himself answers what He will do. He will destroy all of His vineyard, because the fruits produced were not what He expected. He then applies the lesson of the parable to the behavior of His people Israel and Judah.
In both cases, the parables introduce real elements that were known to the people of their time. Everyone knew about trees, olive trees, fig trees, vines and thorns. But someone adds an element to the parable, which is the “life” in these trees. They begin to dialogue and talk among themselves, and they even look for a tree that will become king over them and can rule over them! This idea of a changed reality also appears in the parable of the vineyard of Israel. It was normal for the people to cultivate vineyards. However, someone adds to the parable the destruction of a “fertile hill” because of the birth of “wild grapes“, to convey a certain message to the people and allow them to understand it.
Warning Through Parable
God Himself presented the reason that would bring judgment upon the house of Israel and Judah. And so that the people would understand this reason, He presented it in the form of a parable. He showed that a vineyard that only produced bad fruit should be destroyed, and in doing so, He drew a parallel with His people.
Understand that there are real and unreal elements within a parable! People constructed these parables based on real facts, but adapted them with unreal characteristics to enable a teaching to be transmitted.
Considering this, we will proceed to the next topic of the study, the use of elements of the parables as a doctrinal basis.
Doctrines and Parables
Considering the definition of the terms “parable” and “allegory“, which we learned in the previous topic, we realize that parables should not be understood literally. This became clear when reading the two parables in the previous topic. Trees do not have lives like human beings, and they also do not need another tree to rule over them. Fertile hills do not produce wild grapes.
The words used in the narrative of a parable should not be the basis for religious doctrines and beliefs, but their use should be understood in light of the whole presented and narrated, seeking to extract the essential lessons that the speaker is trying to convey. It is also important to understand the context of the parables, since, on many occasions, narrators present them within a scenario experienced by their listeners.
Narrators can construct a parable based on a true story, a false story or even popular beliefs, as the content is not the most important thing, but rather the teachings they wish to convey.
We are born and raised listening to untrue stories in order to learn lessons from them. Many people present these stories to children. Who has never heard a story, fable or children’s tale when they were little? Most of the time, even though they are not real, they have a learning background for those who listen. The same is true of parables, although they are more focused on transmitting and learning essential lessons than the tales, fables and stories we usually hear.
For this reason, no one should use a parable as a doctrinal basis or religious belief. Its purpose is exclusively to transmit lessons and teachings to its listeners.
Analysis of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Now, we will analyze the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, told by Jesus. It is described in Luke 16:19-31. After reading, we will identify and analyze the elements present in the text, as well as the context in which the message was transmitted in order to better understand it.
“19. Now there was a rich man, who was dressed in purple and fine linen, and lived sumptuously every day.
20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores:
21. And he longed to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table: and even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried.
23. And in hell he lift 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 tormented in this flame.
25. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: and now he is comforted, but thou art tormented.
26. And besides all this, between us and you there has been a great gulf fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, nor can those who would pass from there to us.
27. And he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house,
28. For I have five brothers; that I may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29. Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.”
30. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31. But Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rose from the dead‘” – Luke 16:19-31
Summarizing the Above Parable
The summary of the parable is basically the following: There was a rich man who lived in luxury, and at the door of his house, another poor and suffering man, named Lazarus. Both died. The people took the rich man to the “hell“, a place of torment with fire, and they took Lazarus to “Abraham’s bosom“. The rich man was in torment in hell, and from afar he saw Abraham and Lazarus in his “breast“. He asked Abraham to send Lazarus so that he could dip his finger in some water and give it to the rich man to cool his tongue a little. Abraham denied his request and explained that in life he had had everything good, while Lazarus was the one who suffered.
Furthermore, he explains that even if he did, it would not be possible, as there was a “great abyss” between them, which separated one place from another. The rich man makes a second request to him, that he then send him to his father’s house, because he had five other brothers and wanted to warn them not to go where he was. Abraham answers him that they had the writings of Moses and the prophets, and these writings would be enough as a warning. He also said that if they did not listen to the writings, much less would he listen if Lazarus were resurrected.
Points to Consider
I don’t know if you noticed, but if we were to interpret the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus literally, we would have to consider at least the following:
- The existence of a “hell” as being a place of eternal torment. The unrighteous are taken to “hell” to suffer eternally in that place.
- The saved righteous, like the case of Lazarus, are taken to the “Abraham’s bosom“.
- The rich man still remembered his family and his life on earth, because he wanted his brothers to be warned.
- The place where Abraham and Lazarus met was near the “hell“, even if it was separated by a “great abyss“.
- The Rich Man and Lazarus had bodies like human beings.
As mentioned earlier, interpreting the text literally leads us to consider at least the details mentioned above. However, when we do so, we run into several scriptural problems and contradictions. Let us review and comment on each of the items presented above.
Analysis of the Problems and Contradictions of the Parable
1. The existence of a “hell” as being a place of eternal torment. The unrighteous are taken to “hell” to suffer eternally in that place.
The idea of a place called “hell” where the unjust suffer eternally, does not come from the Bible, but from pagan beliefs. The word “hell” in Greek is “hades“, and biblically it literally means “grave“, the place where the dead go. However, in Greek mythology, the “hades” is the god of the underworld, a place of eternal torment and suffering where the dead go.
Greece was the greatest world power that ruled the ancient world before Rome. Its beliefs and ideas spread to different peoples, including influencing Jewish beliefs regarding the concept of the spirit and soul of man. The belief in a judgment immediately after a man’s death was common and known among the Jews at the time of Christ. For this reason, the parable used the popular beliefs of the time, but not that these facts were consistent with biblical doctrines and beliefs.
In fact, there are similarities between the parable and biblical teachings, such as the judgment of man that everyone will experience after death, the reward and condemnation for our choices and works that we have done during our time on this earth, but the time of this judgment and the period of duration that it occurs differ between Greek and biblical beliefs. While one preaches the judgment immediately after death, the Bible presents it only after the millennium in which Jesus returns to this world, as well as the time of duration of the judgment, which will not be eternal, but will end after all evil is consumed by the judgment of fire (we will address this topic in another study).
The idea of a place where there will be suffering forever is contrary to the nature of a loving God. Indeed, we will all receive God’s judgments, but no one will suffer eternally for the sins they have committed.
Revelation 21:4 – “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.“
After the millennium, the wicked will be resurrected to receive judgment, and the judgment will be executed. After this, new heavens and new earths will be recreated, and God’s promise is that “there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain“. Now, if there will be no more crying, no more crying, and no more pain, then obviously all suffering has been extinguished. It is impossible for there to be a place of “eternal torment” taking into account that God’s promise tells us that “there will be no more” suffering. This contradiction makes it clear that we cannot use the ideology presented in the parable as the basis of a doctrinal biblical belief.
2. The saved righteous, like Lazarus, are taken to “Abraham’s bosom“.
In the same way that people saw the “hell“as the place where the wicked were taken immediately after death, in the popular belief of the time, the righteous were taken to the “Abraham’s bosom“. But where would Abraham be? He would certainly be in heaven (according to the doctrine of the immortality of the soul). On the other hand, this concept, which states that the righteous receive eternal reward immediately after death, also has no biblical basis. Let us look at some cases of righteous people for whom the reward was promised only at the end of time, when Jesus returns:
Acts 2:29,34 – “Men and brethren, let me speak freely unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us to this day. … For David ascended not into the heavens: but he himself saith, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand…“
The apostle Peter explicitly stated that the prophet and king David did not ascend to heaven after his death and that his tomb is with us to this day! No one would disagree that David committed grave sins and repented of them. Therefore, through the merits of Christ, he was reconsidered righteous and will be worthy of salvation.
Daniel 12:13 – “But as for you, go your way until the end, for you will rest and stand up in your inheritance at the end of the days.“
The prophet Daniel was also promised the inheritance of the righteous, but this would only occur at the end of days, and not immediately after his death.
The same was said of all those who died in faith, as the Hebrews describe.
Hebrews 11:39 – “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise.“
All the righteous described in Hebrews chapter 11 gave testimony of faith, all of them being considered children of the father of faith (Abraham), and yet they did not receive the promise! When will the promise of inheritance be given to the righteous? They will receive the inheritance of the righteous only on the day of the resurrection described in I Thessalonians 4:14-18.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.“
3. The rich man still remembered his family and his life on earth, for he wanted his brothers to be warned.
In Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man remembered his family and wanted them to be warned. This description also contradicts what we have been taught about the state of the dead. Let us consider what the wise Solomon wrote:
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 – “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, but the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hatred, and their envy have already perished, and they have no more share forever in anything that is done under the sun.“
Notice that Solomon explains that “the dead know nothing” and that “your memory is consigned to oblivion“. If the dead know nothing, and if their memories have been forgotten, how could the rich man in the parable remember that he had 5 brothers on earth?! Notice that what Solomon said is clear! Those who have died no longer know anything, and everything has been forgotten by them, but in the parable the rich man still had memories of his family!
Furthermore, the rich man in the parable also showed concern and feelings for his family. He did not want his brothers to come to the same place where he was, and he wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them about their way of life. This description only shows us that the rich man still had feelings and showed love for his brothers. However, this description also contradicts what the wise Solomon explained when he said that the feelings of the dead have already perished, such as “your love, your hate, and your envy“.
4. The place where Abraham and Lazarus were was near the “hell“, even if it was separated by a “great abyss“.
Although there is a “great abyss” that separated Abraham and the Rich Man in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, both were able to talk normally. Now, if heaven was the place where Abraham was, it is very strange to think that the “hell” of eternal torment is very close to heaven, being practically neighbors!
The idea becomes even worse when we think about the possibility of the righteous being able to see and talk to people who are present in hell. If this were true, how could the saved righteous live in peace in heaven, knowing, seeing and hearing that their loved ones are suffering and agonizing in “hell” neighboring neighborhood? How would you feel in Lazarus’s place when you asked him for a little water to cool your tongue? Would there be happiness in heaven with a “hell” right next door, where it would be possible to talk and dialogue with those suffering eternally?! Faced with this, I imagine that the hearts of the righteous would become a hell of agony!
In addition to these contradictory and bizarre ideas that the literal understanding of the parable brings, we also have the idea of the possibility of two people being able to talk with a gap between them. Nowadays, it is already difficult to hear someone speaking at a distance of 10 meters from us, perhaps, when shouting we could hear them at a little more than 50 meters, but in the parable the distance mentioned is of a “great abyss“! This is only possible in a parable story!
5. The Rich Man and Lazarus had bodies like human beings.
Although the parable does not explicitly state that they had bodies, it is implicitly evident that in the parable the dead have human bodies, since they are presented as having eyes, fingers, tongues, and mouths. Consider also the dependence of the other members of the body on each of these mentioned. For example, to have a tongue it is necessary to have a mouth, to have a mouth and eyes it is necessary to have a face, to have a face it is necessary to have a head, to have a head it is necessary to have a torso, and to have fingers it is necessary to have hands and arms attached to the body at the torso.
The idea of ”spirits” and/or “souls” having human bodies is contradictory within the very belief of “immortality of the soul” (there are variants).
God built the human body in the Garden of Eden. He molded it from clay, from the dust of the ground, as recorded in Genesis 2:7:
Genesis 2:7 – “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.“
Furthermore, the concept of “soul” in the Bible differs from the Greek concept, where it presents the “soul” of the human being as having life and leaving the human body after death. Remembering that, although I mention the pagan belief as an example, I also refer to the belief of “immortality of the soul” accepted and taught by most Christian churches! After all, people have passed this belief on to corrupt Christianity over the ages, and the numerous Christian religions have inherited it. In the biblical concept, the human being is not given a “soul” in creation or at his birth, but he becomes a “living soul” by receiving the breath of life from God.
After analyzing these 5 items, it becomes evident the numerous contradictions that we find when we interpret the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus literally. We should not base the doctrine of “state of the dead” in this parable, because it provides no basis for biblical doctrine and belief. If we do so, we are making a serious mistake. We must study the state of the dead on the basis of the clear teachings of the biblical passages on this subject.
Well, now that we understand that the purpose of this parable was not to teach about the “state of the dead“, why then did Jesus speak such a parable?
The Purpose of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
To properly understand the purpose of this parable, let us consider not only the entire parable, but also the other teachings within the chapter itself. Before telling this parable, Jesus spoke about the faithfulness we must have in small and great things. The Master said:
Lessons Taught by the Parable
Fidelity
Luke 16:10-11 – “Whoever is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and whoever is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. For if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will trust you with the true mammon?“
In the verse above, although the teaching is broad and does not apply only to riches, Jesus mentions as an example infidelity in “unjust riches” of this land. He leads his listeners to be concerned about being faithful in the duties that we must have when we possess material wealth. He concludes by mentioning that we cannot have two masters, being God and Mammon (a reference to Money as being a god):
You Cannot Serve Two Masters
Luke 16:13 – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon“
Obviously, Jesus is not condemning the possession of wealth, but rather the love of money and the lack of responsibility we have when possessing it before God and our neighbor. Remember that the Bible mentions countless people who were rich, possessed of great possessions, and yet God considered them righteous. The problem Jesus discussed was not the possession of material goods, but our feeling, appreciation, and use of them.
In front of the listeners, there was also another group of people, the Pharisees. In this situation, this group of listeners is described as people “greedy“, as we can read in the verse below:
Avarice
Luke 16:14 – “And the Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they mocked him.“
Note that the entire context is related to the love of riches, faithfulness in the use of them, and the greedy attitude that many there were experiencing. Christ begins to narrate the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus a few verses after this presentation, and between verses 14 and the beginning of the parable in verse 19, he presents the greed of the Pharisees, in addition to some questions about the Law (although the subject is not the same as the context presented).
Warning to the People
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus was intended to warn the people precisely about the judgment they would receive while they were living that greedy life, in which they had riches, but lived for their own good. They were surrounded by needy and destitute people, but they did not care about them. As much as the poor wanted to eat the “crumbs falling from the table” of the rich, not even that the rich shared with them.
In the parable told by Jesus, he hypothesizes that Lazarus, the sufferer, was resurrected to warn the Rich Man’s 5 brothers, who lived the same way. But Jesus emphasizes in his parable that even the resurrection of a dead person would not be enough to change the hearts and lives of these 5 brothers, because they had the Writings of Moses and the prophets, and even though they knew what was taught there, they did not live what was necessary.
They Lived in the Superficiality of Religion
The Law (writings of Moses) and the prophets were known to all Jews. They read them in all synagogues on Saturdays. Even so, many lived a superficial religious life and did not practice the essence of the commandments that were described there. The greedy Jews and Pharisees who were there knew very well the commandments that said “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), or “Defend the poor and the fatherless; justify the afflicted and the needy.” (Psalm 82:3), but they still did not practice what the Lord had commanded them.
Furthermore, the Lord made it very clear in His Parable that even the resurrection of a dead man (Lazarus) as a warning to those 5 brothers would not be enough for them to believe. This part of the parable is a reference to the behavior that many of the Jews and Pharisees present there would have had because of the resurrection of Jesus. When the Master was resurrected, the religious leaders did not repent, but tried to hide the fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the people, saying that His disciples had “stolen” the body! The love of riches that those people had was so great that they preferred to deny salvation (Jesus), rather than renounce all the riches they had accumulated in life.
The application of this parable goes beyond material blessings. It also applies to Israel’s spiritual pride and their attitude toward the Gentiles. But we can leave that subject for another time.
Conclusion: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? Luke 16:19-31
Considering all the details learned in this study, we emphasize that no one should base a biblical doctrine and belief on concepts presented in the parables. These are allegorical stories intended to convey moral teachings, and not foundations for biblical beliefs and doctrines. Mistakenly, many people base this parable on their belief in the immortality of the soul, that is, life after the death of the human body. But this is a mistake. The literal interpretation of the parable generates numerous problems and biblical contradictions. For this reason, we should not interpret it in this way, but should only extract the lessons that the speaker of the parable is trying to convey in light of the context experienced and presented.
May God bless the reader.
