The Story Of The Rich Man And Larazus: Fact Or Fiction?

It appears there were many who believe that the story of the rich man and Lazarus which Jesus shared was just a parable, because Jesus spoke a lot in parables during the course of His ministry here on Earth, so could they possibly be right?

In order to answer the question, it's important to first appreciate the purpose of the parables that Jesus spake, which could be clearly gotten from the following passage:

Matthew 13:10-13 (KJV)

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

So from the passage above, we could clearly see that the purpose Jesus began to speak to the people in parables was to conceal the meaning of the message from them... so that they would hear it but not be able to understand what it means.

Therefore after He had publicly spoken to the people in parables, He would later reveal their meanings to His disciples in secret because He said it was given to them to understand what the message meant but not the people who had hardened their hearts against the Word of God. Matthew 13:18-23, 37-43

Secondly, the parables of Jesus, whose purpose was to conceal the meaning of His message from the people so they wouldn't be able to understand it, have hence been observed to never to involve real names of humans, both living and dead. Even those of angels, both those of God and fallen ones were illustrated in His parables. For instance, "an enemy" was used to illustrate Satan while "reapers" was used to illustrate the angels of God.

Matthew 13:39 (KJV)

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

God bless.

Having established the purpose Jesus told parables and also having an idea of what His parable ought to comprise of, we can now go back to story of the rich man and Lazarus also told by Jesus to see if it met those criteria:

Luke 16:19-31 (KJV)

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 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.

So can you now clearly see for yourself how far from the Truth, the idea or belief that the story of the rich man and Lazarus told by Jesus was not a true story but just a parable ?

It's important to also note that the people in question, that Jesus taught in parables in order to conceal His message, were the Jews. So if it was also a parable, how could the Jews not be able to understand the story He told about the rich man and Lazarus when He included the names of two of the most respected and renowned humans in their history, namely, Abraham and Moses, who were respectively their patriarch and Law giver?

I believe the passage has already clearly answered the question by itself, and disproved of any idea that the story of the rich man and Lazarus told by Jesus, was just a parable and not a true story, so I didn't even need to add anything else, but this was to clear any doubts just in case there were still any left.

God bless.

Na parable

One thing we should understand about the sayings of Jesus, is that it is the Truth which is meant to set people free from bondage when they came to Its knowledge.

However the devil would rather have men remain perpetually ignorant of the Truth, because he wants to keep them in perpetual bondage. Hence why just as illustrated by a parable of Jesus, whenever the Word of God (Truth) was sown, he'd immediately come and uproot it from the hearts of men.

Mark 4:15 (KJV)

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

One of the major ways of doing so is by using his agents and children, including those he planted inside the church, to spread his lies to deceive and distract as many as possible, so they'd never come to the knowledge of the Truth and be consequently made free.

This story told by Jesus of the rich man and Lazarus is one instance of such, because it carries a very important message upon which rests the freedom of many souls from bondage, which is message regarding the existence of hell fire, which has brought about the salvation of many souls and prevented them from going to hell.

So the devil has tried as much as possible to prevent as many as possible from coming to this knowledge of the Truth using his own.

But regardless of what he does, the Truth told by Jesus about the rich man and Lazarus would keep delivering souls from the bondage of sin and its consequence which is eternal damnation in hell fire.

God bless.

It was a parable, oga.

Carry your four corner head dey read well.

- Was Abraham alive then?
- Can a tip of water at one's finger quench thirst?
- Can fire burn the spirit?

ABSURDITIES

Briefly, in this illustration we first read of a rich man clothed in purple and fine linen who lived in magnificence and of a beggar named Lazarus who sat at his gate, full of ulcers, and who craved the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Each in course of time died. Lazarus was taken by angels to recline upon Abraham’s bosom whereas the rich man was buried, and in Hades suffered torment and from which place he saw Lazarus.—Luke 16:19-23, NW.

Note here that not one word is said about Lazarus’ having been a good man, about his having had faith and proving it by works; both of which are indispensable to gaining everlasting life. (Heb. 11:6; Jas. 2:14-26) When are mere wretchedness, poverty and disease a guarantee of salvation?

Neither is there a word about the rich man’s having been wicked. By what kind of reasoning and by what principles of justice can it be maintained that simply because a man enjoyed the good things of this life to the full for threescore years and ten he must suffer the agonies of a burning hell for billions times billions of years, yes, for eternity? Even fallen, imperfect man appreciates that justice requires that “the punishment fit the crime,” and certainly God is more just than man. Abraham, David, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, all had great wealth; does that fact doom them to eternal torment?

Further, Jesus in his arguments with the Jewish clergy evinced a fine sense of logic, second to none. Would he give such a dire warning on the wages of sin and not even mention sin, or tell of the rewards of faith and obedience and not even mention them? Had Jesus meant to warn his listeners about eternal torment he certainly would have stressed these points; but he did nothing of the kind.

Not only that, but we read that Lazarus was carried off to Abraham’s bosom. Are all those gaining salvation reclining on Abraham’s bosom? If we grant that this expression is a figure of speech, why insist that what befell the rich man be taken literally? It simply does not make sense to take one part of the account literally and another parallel part figuratively.

Further note that this is the only place in the Scriptures where consciousness and suffering are associated with Hades. Nor will it do to claim that before Jesus’ death Hades had two compartments, one for the good and the other for the wicked, and that after he died for man’s sin then the good went to heaven, for at the time Jesus spoke this illustration he had not yet died. That Hades is used figuratively is apparent from Revelation 6:8, 9, where Hades is shown as riding horseback, and also at Revelation 20:14, where Hades is shown—not as being the lake of fire—but as being itself cast into the lake of fire.

UNSCRIPTURAL

Making Jesus’ words regarding the rich man and Lazarus literal becomes even more untenable when compared with what the rest of God’s Word has to say regarding the penalty of sin and the condition of the dead. Adam was not warned of eternal torment, and upon sinning was simply and plainly told: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Gen. 3:19; 2:17, NW) Nor did Jehovah God say, “Your body will return to the dust”; no, but YOU, Adam, will do so. There is no mistaking the plain testimony of the Scriptures: “The wages sin pays is death.”—Rom. 6:23, NW.

And what is death, the state or condition of the dead—conscious suffering or conscious bliss? No! Man dies as the beast; the dead know not anything; there is no consciousness in Sheol (Hebrew equivalent for Hades). Man’s “breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” David prayed for God to spare his life lest “I go hence, and be [yes, exist] no more.” Peter likened the wicked to brute beasts that perish. Brute beasts are not tormented after death.—Ps. 146:4; 39:13; Eccl. 3:19-21; 9:5, 10; 2 Pet. 2:12, NW.

Besides, are we not assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust? Why a resurrection if at death man receives his eternal reward? (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29, NW) When the brother of Mary and Martha, Jesus’ friend Lazarus, died, did Jesus comfort those women by assuring them that Lazarus was not dead? No, but with the assurance that he would rise from the dead. His sisters knew that he would “rise in the resurrection on the last day.” And when Jesus called him forth, did he call Lazarus down from Abraham’s bosom, from limbo or from a burning hell? No, but from the grave. Incidentally, had Lazarus been conscious in any such place we may be certain he would have told all his friends about the remarkable experience he had, for he had been dead four days. His very silence on this point is strong circumstantial evidence that he was unconscious.—John 11:22-44, NW.

Besides, how could we account for Abraham’s being in heaven in view of Jesus’ words: “No man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man”? And did not Peter on the day of Pentecost point out to his listeners that David “both deceased and was buried and his tomb is among us to this day. Actually David did not ascend to the heavens”? (John 3:13; Acts 2:29, 34, NW) None of God’s servants had a heavenly reward held out to them before the coming of Christ Jesus; that is why his apostles even after his resurrection were looking to an earthly kingdom.—Ps. 45:16; Acts 1:6-8.

Returning to the illustration: it next tells us of the rich man’s calling “Father Abraham” to send Lazarus to give him relief by a drop of water on the tip of his finger, upon which Abraham reminds him of the good things he enjoyed in his lifetime as compared with what Lazarus had; besides, there is a great chasm between, which makes it impossible for anyone to cross from one place to the other. The rich man then requests that Lazarus be sent to warn his five brothers, but he is told that they have Moses and the Prophets and that if they would not listen to these they would not listen to one raised from the dead.—Luke 16:24-31, NW.

According to the Scriptures heaven and Hades (Sheol) are at opposite extremes. (Ps. 139:8; Luke 10:15) Could we imagine those in one place seeing those in the other and carrying on a conversation? And were the rich man in a burning hell would he ask for just a drop of water to cool his tongue? How much relief would that bring? Would it last to reach him? Could anyone get anywhere near a burning hell with just a drop of water? Obviously this is a figure of speech even as is Abraham’s bosom, yes, and as are all the rest of Jesus’ words on that occasion.


MEANING OF THE ILLUSTRATION

Since we cannot escape the conclusion that Jesus’ words regarding the rich man and Lazarus are an illustration, what do they illustrate, what is their meaning? In brief they tell of the change in the relative positions of two classes of people due to the preaching of the truth, both in Jesus’ day and in ours.

The rich man well pictures the Jewish clergy who were well provided for with spiritual provision; who considered themselves children of the kingdom, clothed in purple; who were very self-righteous, wearing fine linen; and who were proud of being Abraham’s offspring.—Rom. 3:1, 2; Matt. 8:12; 23:27, 28; Rev. 19:8; Matt. 3:9, NW.

The beggar Lazarus, whose name means “God is helper,” well pictures the Jewish common people, who were despised by the clergy, who because of neglect were spiritually sick and were hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and who appreciated their need of the Great Physician, Christ Jesus.—John 7:49; Matt. 5:6; Mark 2:17, NW.

The death of the rich man and of Lazarus pictured a change taking place in the relative positions of these two classes. That this should be so should not surprise us, for time and again the Scriptures speak of persons as dying or having died though still alive, meaning thereby that a change has taken place in their lives. (See 1 Corinthians 11:30; Colossians 3:3; 1 Timothy 5:6; Jude 12.) The preaching by Jesus that exposed the hypocrisy, greed and false teaching of the Jewish clergy caused a change to take place in their lives. (Matt. 23; Luke 16:14; Matt. 15:1-9) From a state of self-satisfied and luxurious ease they were brought into a state of torment; such torment that they had no peace until they had put the Son of God to death.—Matt. 21:45, 46.

Those pictured by Lazarus, the Jewish common people of faith toward God, likewise experienced a change in their condition due to the preaching of Jesus, to become the spiritual remnant of Jewry. Even as their name “Lazarus” indicates, they were helped, comforted of God and given the hope of God’s heavenly kingdom. Yes, the poor and spiritually sick harlots and tax collectors were entering the kingdom of God and were receiving God’s favor, as pictured by reclining upon Abraham’s bosom. The heavy burdens the Pharisees had placed upon them were being removed, and they became themselves part of the “seed of Abraham” in whom all the families of the earth are to bless themselves.—Matt. 11:6; 21:31; Gal. 3:7, 26; Matt. 23:4; 11:28-30, NW.

And the great chasm between the two classes? This pictures Jehovah’s righteous judgments, which cannot be changed. The religious leaders as a class had fixed their destiny by sinning against the holy spirit, for which there is no forgiveness; and their plea to have their torment eased, even in the slightest, by diminishing the preaching of the truth, was not to be complied with.—Mark 3:29; Acts 5:27-32, NW.

The five brothers of the rich man well picture the associates of the Jewish clergy who manifested the same spirit as the Pharisees. These, refusing to believe in Jesus, showed thereby that they actually were not taking heed to what Moses and the Prophets had said. And that they would not believe even if one rose from the dead was borne out when Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, did actually rise from the dead.—John 7:47, 48; 5:46, 47; 12:10, 11.


Jesus was merely illustrating a change of circumstances in comparison to the Pharisees of then who first heard the Word but misused it, and how the common man who never did had the opportunity more recently and were the bearers.

It will take you aeons of years to understand that no matter how you try to instill fear in people with hell fire, you only misuse verses the more to explain what isn't there.

It seems you only serve God for the fear of not being roasted forever in hell fire...not even because you love him.

If hell fire was that real, why didn't Adam and Eve, the first sinners, go to hell fire?

Doesn't it still mean living forever if they have to burn in fire to time indefinite?

So the devil who deceived Eve, God is now working with him to torment the same people he deceived in hell fire?

I just hope you aren't confusing Lazarus, Jesus' friend, with that of the rich man. Besides, where did the emtombed Lazarus go when he died before Jesus resurrected him? Heaven or hell fire? Neither of them! He simply died. Becasue it is crazy to think he went to heaven and Jesus brought him back on earth to suffer.

Lol.

Dear modern day Pharisee, zukwanuike.

chatinent:
It was a parable, oga.

To what purpose when the Jews could clearly understand it?

Jesus told parables to hide the meaning of the message.

chatinent:
It was a parable, oga.

Carry your four corner head dey read well.

- Was Abraham alive then?
- Can a tip of water at one's finger quench thirst?
- Can fire burn the spirit?

Trying to make sense out of all you wrote but you sounded confused even though you were trying to make sense, you ended up confusing yourself, so let me just deal with the three questions you asked.

1. What does Abraham being alive then or not have to do with it being a parable and not a true story?

Jesus also spoke about David, Elijah, Elisha, etc despite that they weren't alive at the time, so does that make the stories he told of them parables also?

2. A tip of water cannot quench thirst but it can bring some relief. If you're under scorching hot sun, and had not eating for days, a few drops of water would make sense to you, how much more when inside fire itself?

3. Jesus said God is able to do more than kill the body, by killing the soul or spirit in Hell fire. So it's very possible with God, otherwise tell us how else can God kill a soul or spirit, if He cannot even make the spirit feel pain with fire or something else? Matthew 10:28

You greatly err trying measure God's ability or knowledge with yours.

Good reason why I hate all this pastor, they know the truth but keep deceiving people because of tithe and offering.

jesusjnr2020:
The Story Of The Rich Man And Larazus: Fact Or Fiction?

It appears there were many who believe that the story of the rich man and Lazarus which Jesus shared was just a parable, because Jesus spoke a lot in parables during the course of His ministry here on Earth, so could they possibly be right?

In order to answer the question, it's important to first appreciate the purpose of the parables that Jesus spake, which could be clearly gotten from the following passage:

Matthew 13:10-13 (KJV)

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

So from the passage above, we could clearly see that the purpose Jesus began to speak to the people in parables was to conceal the meaning of the message from them... so that they would hear it but not be able to understand what it means.

Therefore after He had publicly spoken to the people in parables, He would later reveal their meanings to His disciples in secret because He said it was given to them to understand what the message meant but not the people who had hardened their hearts against the Word of God. Matthew 13:18-23, 37-43

Secondly, the parables of Jesus, whose purpose was to conceal the meaning of His message from the people so they wouldn't be able to understand it, have hence been observed to never to involve real names of humans, both living and dead. Even those of angels, both those of God and fallen ones were illustrated in His parables. For instance, "an enemy" was used to illustrate Satan while "reapers" was used to illustrate the angels of God.

Matthew 13:39 (KJV)

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

God bless.

You have no moral right to put forward any parable here.
You are a false prophet. Let people with real understanding put forward Bible verses.

You are a false prophet.

Jesus Christ,Angels, Satan and God doesn't exist.





Know this and have peace of mind.

Samxcollections:
Good reason why I hate all this pastor, they know the truth but keep deceiving people because of tithe and offering.

Whether you like it or not, hate all the pastors in the world, the truth is that hell is real as Jesus had stated severally, so if you don't repent, you shall surely end up there. So forget about what the pastors say or do. Secure your own eternity!

Keep following and don't be confused!