A tale of unbelief There are three characters in the story. First is the rich man (representing the Pharisees who love money), then the miserable beggar Lazarus (representing a class of people despised by the Pharisees), and finally, Abraham (whose bosom or lap was a Jewish symbol of comfort and peace in the afterlife). In the story, the beggar Lazarus dies. But Jesus surprises the listeners by saying that “the angels carried him to Abraham’s side” (verse 22). That was exactly the opposite of what the Pharisees expected would happen to a man like Lazarus. They believed that people like Lazarus were poor and diseased beggars because they were under God’s curse, and therefore they believed that such people go to be tormented in Hades when they die. “Not so,” Jesus is telling them. “Your worldview is upside down. You know nothing of my Father’s kingdom. Not only are you wrong about how my Father feels about the beggar, but you are wrong about how my Father feels about you.” Jesus completes the surprise by telling them that the rich man also died and was buried, but he, not the beggar, is the one who found himself being tormented in Hades. The rich man looked up and saw Abraham far off with none other than Lazarus by his side. He cried out, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire” (verses 23-24). But Abraham had news for the rich man. He tells him in essence, “All your life you loved riches and had no time for the likes of Lazarus. But I do have time for the likes of Lazarus, and now he is with me, and you have nothing.” And then comes the verse that is so often torn out of context: “Besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us” (Luke 16:26). Here and there Have you ever wondered why anybody could possibly want to pass from “here to you”? It is obvious why someone might want to cross from “there to us,” but from “here to you” makes no sense. Or does it? Abraham began his words to the rich man by addressing him as “son,” then points out to him that not even those who might want to get to him are able to—because of the great chasm. But the underlying revelation in this story is that, in fact, there is one who crosses chasms for the sake of sinners. The Bridge across the chasm God gave his Son for all sinners, not just for sinners like Lazarus, but for sinners like the rich man, too (John 3:16-17). But the rich man, a symbol of the Pharisees and the scribes who gathered to condemn Jesus, didn’t want the Son of God. The rich man wanted what he always wanted—his own comfort at the expense of others. Jesus’ condemnation of the unbelief of the Pharisees in this story concludes with the rich man arguing that if someone would warn his brothers, they would not come into the place where he was. But Abraham points out, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them” (verse 29). Jesus had already told them (see verses 16-17) that the Law and Prophets are a testimony to him, a testimony they had rejected (compare John 5:45-47 and Luke 24:44-47). “No, father Abraham” the rich man responded, “but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent” (Luke 16:30). Abraham responds, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (verse 31). And they weren’t convinced; the Pharisees, scribes and chief priests who conspired to have Jesus crucified also conspired to have soldiers lie about his resurrection (Matthew 27:62-66), and proceeded to persecute and kill those who became believers. GCI.ORG
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 07:37:31 +0000
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