There is a whole different meaning to this parable than what is taught by many!
By Nab B.
April 9, 2022
Updated June 2028
Lazarus' Spiritual predators, 'the dogs'
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"A parable is not a literal story, and neither is the Rich Man and Lazarus!"
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"Although this article could have been many pages long, I purposely keep them short. I try not to spell out every possible detail as some writers tend to do. I believe the reader can fill in the gaps without me spelling out everything!"
Nab B.
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So strange that many Christians believe that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is about a fiery hell and physical pain and nothing else!
In this article, I will examine the passage, hoping to show its deeper spiritual meaning. Be warned, though; Jesus' parable has nothing to do with the silly notion of hellfire after death!
Ancient cultures often reflected their characteristics through the gods they worshiped. A cruel culture invented cruel gods; an overindulgent culture invented promiscuous gods. True the saying, “Those who make them (gods) become like them.” (Psalms 115:8)
Is the Christian culture any different? Though they speak of God's ultimate love, they also speak equally of Him as a torturous God. One wonders if it's a reflection of a cruel culture at heart. I hope to be wrong!
To begin, please note three crucial points which will help you see the spiritual meaning of Jesus’ parable and will easily disprove the false notion that the parable teaches hellfire:
Death is a condition (a state) and not a place of conscious existence!
The Scriptures speak of aionian punishment (a one-time act). It does not refer to a continuous, everlasting, endless punish-ing!
A literal interpretation is fraught with problems, since it suggests the rich go to hell, the poor go to heaven, and a drop of water could relieve hell’s agony!
"There was a certain rich man, which 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. 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 (Hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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.
"But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
"Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest 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.
"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
(Luke 16:19-31 ESV)
Context helps us understand why Jesus gave this parable and who his intended audience was. The context begins in Luke 16:14-14,
"The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God." (ESV)
Jesus used this parable to attack the ecclesiastical religious authorities of his day and ours. He did so because rather than looking after the spiritual welfare of the people, they were lovers of money, self-righteous, and haughty. The Pharisaic mindset, as Jesus put it, was "an abomination in the sight of God!"
A parable is a fictional story that drives at the heart of real spiritual truth. The fictitious characters represent two groups of people.
The "rich man" group represents the self-righteous religious class, such as the Pharisees and Scribes. Despite their spiritual riches (well-versed in the law and the scriptures), they looked down on the unlearned and the poor. The Pharisees knew very well that the parable targetted them: “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.” (Luke 16:14)
The "Lazarus" group represents those “poor in spirit,” and those who “Hunger and thirst for righteousness." For them, only "God is their help," which is the meaning of the name "Lazarus." (Matt 5:3,5)
Lazarus desired to be fed (spiritually), even if it were crumbs (very little) from the rich man’s table or his religious leaders, who were entrusted to teach the law, the scriptures, and to shepherd them. (Compare Romans 3:2). The "Lazarus" group was often forsaken spiritually by their religious leaders, a fact Jesus was keenly aware of:
“He (Jesus) had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34)
The death of both is metaphorical. The rich man died spiritually by being separated from God because of his pride, self-righteousness, and love of money. After his symbolic death, he was not spiritually revived to receive God's comfort, which produced the agony and torment he felt.
On the other hand, the poor man died symbolically for a different reason! His death was due to the spiritual malnourishment imposed on him by the rich man. Take note of Lazarus' gradual spiritual decline in the parable story:
He begged for food (spiritual poverty)
Became full of sores (spiritual sickness)
Laid at the gate (spiritual disability)
Fed crumbs (spiritual famine)
Licked by dogs (false teachers, compare Phil 3:2, Rev 22:15)
After his symbolic death, Lazarus was revived and comforted by God, for he desired "To be filled" spiritually. Similarly, those Lazarus-like receive heavenly blessings as Jesus promised,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt 5:3,5,6)
"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And the one hearing, let him say, 'Come!' And the one thirsting let him come; the one desiring, let him take freely the water of life." (Rev 22:17 BLB)
The words “torment” and "grief" convey mental anguish, deep sorrow, and mourning. Hardly do those words refer to physical torture, as seen from their word study below:
HELPS Word-Studies:
Torment: (Cognate: #931 básanos — originally, a black, silicon-based stone used as "a touchstone" to test the purity of precious metals (like silver and gold). (source: biblhub.com)
Grief: (#3600 odynáō (from 3601 odýnē, "very painful sorrow") – properly, to experience intense emotional pain, i.e. deep, personal anguish expressed by great mourning. (source: biblehub.com)
From the above, you have noticed that the two Greek words translated as "torment" and "grief" (básanos & odynáō) do mean "test," "grieve," "suffer," "be anxious," or "in agony". Whatever figurative "flame" the "rich man" felt (see verse 24) was due to his mental and emotional agony from being abandoned by God.
The "great gulf fixed" (verse 26) is caused by the separation between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. The proud and self-righteous (darkness) have no place in Christ's kingdom (light). Paul expresses the separation between the two groups as follows,
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? What fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?" (2 Cor 6:14-16 ESV)
When Jesus said "The first will be last, and the last will be first" (Matt 19:30), he meant these two groups. The rich man-like group would become spiritually dead, while the Lazarus-like group would eventually be spiritually alive. Only through Christ, the odds favour of the "Lazarus" group, "But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish." (Luke 16:25)
The trouble with the rich man seems to be in his figurative tongue. If the rich man was in a literal fiery hell, why would he ask to cool just his tongue and not his whole body? Obviously, it is because the parable is allegorical, relaying a deeper spiritual truth.
Why the "tongue"? Scripturally, it represents man's outer expression of his inner thoughts and desires. It reveals man's inner heart, his old nature. The following passages prove that the tongue mentioned in the parable is figurative.
“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behaviour, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Matt 7:20-23)
“The tongue also is a fire, the world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, defiling all the body, and setting on fire the course of nature, and itself being set on fire by Gehenna.” (James 3:6)
By seeking a drop of water to relieve his agony, the rich man is denying and minimizing his serious sin! He thinks it's only his tongue, rather than his whole body, that needs to be relieved. And rather than begging for a complete washing, he asked for a drop of water!
In contrast, note how Christ cleanses and washes his church members fully,
"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Eph 5:26)
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb 10:22)
The parable expresses Jesus' displeasure with the oppressive and deceiving ecclesiastical powers in the church. The parable also highlights Jesus' love for those who are particularly "poor in spirit," and "Hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matt 5:3, 6)
We are either like the rich man or like Lazarus. Although both suffered spiritually, it is the humble ones who will be "comforted," but the proud will "suffer" not in fiery hell, but by being separated from the love of God.
The parable is profound, yet simple. Distorting it to mean something other than what Jesus intended creates false narratives with nothing to teach us spiritually.
The parable reveals the only way out of spiritual poverty, sickness, and death is to go to Christ, the great Shepherd, who alone offers true comfort and lasting rest:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
Although this article could have been many pages long, I purposely keep them short, and I try not to spell out every possible detail. I believe that the reader can fill in the gaps without me spelling everything!