Christ never said that the rich cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, but that men cannot enter into it who trust in wealth, who think that wealth rather than God will save them (Mark 10:24), and who make an idol or fetish of wealth (Mammon). Christ did not condemn the rich man's way of life, but pointed out a more perfect way of life to him. We remember that Lord Jesus Christ did not condemn the rich young man for his wealth, which did not hinder him from faith or from keeping all God's commandments, or from coming and venerating Christ as a teacher. He brought a hundred liters of expensive aromatic oils to anoint the body of Jesus Christ (John 19:39). Likewise, the Pharisee Nicodemus, one of the chiefs and leaders of the people of Israel was not a poor man. We remember the wealth of Joseph of Arimathea, the disciple of Christ, in whose tomb the Savior was buried (Matthew 27:57-60). Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector, in spite of his wealth, was saved with all his family (Luke 19:1-10). Because he was rich in this life? We know from the Gospel that wealth is seductive, but not all the rich are condemned. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead" (Luke 16:19-31).Ī first-time reading of this parable does not make clear why the rich man ended up hell.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that those who wish to pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us, whon would come from thence. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 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. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Lazarus and the rich man full#
"There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. We encounter this parable in the Gospel according to Luke: It raises slightly the curtain covering certain mysteries about man's portion beyond the grave. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus shows us a foolish misuse of material goods.