The Rich Man and Lazarus
Many have asked for the true explanation of the “Rich Man and Lazarus,” here is what the Bible really says! A misunderstanding of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is largely responsible for this confusion, dishonoring the doctrine of God, and the foundation for many false beliefs about heaven and hell. First to prove this writing is symbolic and not to be taken literally, let’s examine exactly what we are told by Christ.
Of the forty parables of our Lord, this is the only one, which Bible teachers and preachers interpret as literal (Luke 16:19-31). So, let us see what is represented by the various symbols, which are used in this parable.
Of our Savior's public teaching it is written: “All these things speak Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spoke He not unto them” (Mathew 13:34).
This is where many preachers misinterpret this parable. Lazarus will be in heaven where there will be no sickness, no death, no suffering or pain, no darkness, no burdens to heavy to bear; “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 thing are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). They will be able to see the lost who are burning there , where sinners are tormented forever, can anyone believe that a drop of water would relieve the pain and suffering for the rich man?
Yet that is exactly the kind of “heaven” that is being preached in most churches! They rely more on Jesus’ account of Lazarus and the rich man than any other argument to support their teaching that the “saved” go instantly, at death, to heaven while the lost leave their bodies and are plunged into an ever- burning inferno of eternal torture.
Now the Rich man with those who reject Christ will be sent into Hell where there will be murders, gamblers, drunkards and all liars will all have their part in the lake of fire and tormented day and night. They tell us that throughout the never-ending cycles of eternity, the redeemed will live in the immediate presence of this hell, which will burn forever.
Would you really want to spend eternity in heaven where you would be forced to see those in hell and hear the screaming, in agony, and on fire, burning yet never dying? Would you be happy seeing such things happening to your loved ones? Can the reader imagine what heaven would be like to the pious souls when they think of the dammed in endless torture, pain and suffering? While they have their golden harps, while they lean over the battlement of glory and listen to the cries of the damned? Will they strike a higher note on their harp and shout “Amen,” “Hallelujah,” at every cry of distress? Is this Christian religion? I will say it again, if this is the Christian religion, then I do not care to have part in it! But God is a merciful God; our God is a God of love and desires those to worship Him and who does so because they love him.
Fear of hell can never make a Christian. Men who serve God only because they are afraid of hell are not a Christian. They are the worst kind of hypocrites. Remove the hell from their minds and they will soon expose their naked corruptions. A Christian is moved by love, and knows no fear, “for fear hath torment” and “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).
The word “hell” occurs fifty-three times in the Bible (King James Version), thirty-one in the Old Testament, and twenty-two times in the New Testament. In every one of the thirty-one times the word hell is found in the Old Testament, it is translated from the Hebrew word “sheol” and means “grave.” In the New Testament the word hell is translated from the Greek word “hades” ten times “ge-enna,” eleven times, and from “tartaroo” just once. In every instance it means the grave except once, tartaroo, means darkness.
It is enough for me to repeat that the Bible writers had no word for hell; nor did they believe in what we call hell, and in the original language the word hell, as defined today, is not found. This is exactly what the preachers are preaching by most churches today. They are still saying that Lazarus and the Rich Man was not a parable, and the rich man went to a burning hell while the beggar Lazarus was transported to heaven and is now in Abraham’s bosom. But both of them died and were buried.
His disciples were slow to understand that He spoke in parables and they were sometimes misled because they took His words literally. We cannot not take this parable literally because it was part of the parable of the unjust steward. Now, first we must look at the rich man, what was his crime? Christ never accused the rich man of any sin. He is simply portrayed as a wealthy man who lived a good life. He had fine clothing, plenty to eat; he ate clean food and kept the Law of Moses. So just why was he condemned when he died? And Lazarus is never proclaimed to be a righteous man. He was just a poor misfortune beggar unable to care for himself.
We ought not therefore to interpret our Lord’s parables literally, but study to find what is represented by the various symbols of the parable. Only a few of His parables are explained in detail, but enough are explained so we may understand His method of instructions.
The clothing of the rich man was of the expensive outer garment being purple because of the costly dye used in its manufacture. Lined is the inner garment. He was clothed in purple and linen. Purple was very precious and very costly; but our Lord neither does nor say that in the use of it he exceeded the bounds of his income nor his rank in life. He fared lavishly every day. Now let it be observed that the Law of Moses, under which this man lived, forbade nothing on this point but excess in eating and drinking. Besides this rich man is not accused of having eaten any unclean food, which was prohibited by the law. It is true; he is said in having feasted lavishly every day. So, what was his crime? He was rich, he was finely clothed and he feasted well. No other evil is spoken of him. The rich man had the written Scripture. Moses (the law) and the prophets teach man’s responsibility for the poor, for which he must answer ultimately to God.
Now let us see what happened to the rich man--and when! Jesus said of him; “the rich man also died, and was buried” (Luke 16:22). Jesus did not say the rich man was taken immediately at that time to eternally burn in hell. He did not say the rich man was himself thrown into a burning hell; the rich man was buried. People die; they are then buried in a grave, and then covered up with earth.
If the sinner goes to hell at death, will he be brought out of hell at the judgment, to be tried, to determine whether he should have been cast into hell? No--the dead are in their graves and will remain there until the voice calls them forth. Jesus said: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is come, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29).
If we are ever to understand man and his nature, we must turn to the Scriptures, which tell of His creation. It is written: “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” (Genesis 2:7).
Now I wish to show that the idea of the popular theology or so-called orthodox teaching, that man is immediately transported to heaven or hell at death, that, as a matter of fact, man simply goes into his grave and sleeps, calmly, and sleeps until the resurrection, David said: “I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Psalm 115:17).
Now what manner of reasoning is this? Only logical consistent Biblical reasoning from beginning to end says no one is in heaven or hell, including David, he is dead and buried: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is dead and buried and his sepulcher is with us unto this day” (Acts 2:29). “For David is not ascended into the heavens” (Acts 2:34).
In view of that statement who dares to say that the recompense or reward is given to the righteous at death, or before the resurrection? To assert that man goes to heaven at death, before the resurrection, is to deny the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But haven’t we been told that the dead are in heaven, praising God? Yes, by some preachers and theologians; but the Psalmist says it is not true. Here him again: “Put not trust in man in princes nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that day his thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:3-4).
Then in Genesis where God planted two trees and He said to man “Thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die” (Genesis 2 17). Stress is placed on the words “surely die.”
That is what God calls “dying,” and the penalty of sin is death, not life in hell: no death, eternal death. Paul says: “wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death and sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
There are many Scriptures that tell us that the dead are asleep in the grave waiting resurrection but I will just bring you four more. “When Martha the sister of Lazarus (not the beggar in this parable) sent word that Lazarus was sick, Jesus stated that our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of his sleep. Then the disciples said; Lord if he sleeps, he shall do well. Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead” (John 11:3-14). The word “sleep” frequently means death: (Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:18, 20).
Writing to the Corinthian church Paul was explaining about the spiritual body that the dead goes into the grave a corruptible body and will be raised incorruptible at the resurrection of the dead. “Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:42-58). “For as flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, and all shall not be “found dead” at the Day of Judgment, then all must be changed and become spiritual, like the “bodies” of those who shall be “raised from the dead.”
Paul was instructing the Greek fathers that which are asleep, that is, those who are dead would be in the first resurrection. Those who sleep, die in Christ in the faith of the gospel, will Jesus bring with Him. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which are asleep (dead) in Jesus will He bring with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16).
The Bible is plain enough if we would only believe. The fact stated in these verses; “That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” “Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb” (Job 21:30-31). Is God’s answer to the statement that the sinner goes to hell at death clear enough?
Job asked a question about death when he asked “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heaven be no more, they not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:12-14). “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 5:1). Job seemed to know that there would be life after death, and that there was going to be a great tribulation, and that being the reason he asked the Lord to keep him in the grave till His wrath is over.
I think that I have proved the rich man would be in his grave and not in hell if this were a true story instead of a parable.
But one more scripture to the argument of our friends who insist on teaching an endless hell of misery and torture for the wicked. I will quote the words of Malachi, to show that the wicked will be turned into ashes on the earth, and that after the earth is purified the word of Christ will be fulfilled, “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, said the Lord of host, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 4:1-3).
“The rich man also died, and was buried.” In hell he lifts up his eyes being in torment asked if he would send Lazarus, “that he may dip the tip of his finger in water. And cool his tongue because he was tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:23-24). Notice it was not the lake of fire that Lazarus was tormented by but just a “flame,” a single flame, but he knew that he was about to be thrown into the lake of fire that brought about great grief, pain and suffering is the reason he asked just for a little water to quench his thirst, for his mouth. The mouth is the first thing that becomes dry when one is under deep anxiety. This is the reason that Lazarus was tormented because of the evil things he had done (Luke 16:24-25).
There was a great gulf separating the two. After death Lazarus had been change from mortal to immortality while the rich man after the resurrection was still in the old corruptible body ready to be cast into the lake of fire. In 1 Corinthians Paul writes “And the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). So the great gulf was Lazarus had put on immortality while the rich man was in his old corrupt body ready to be cast into the lake of fire.
Then the rich man asked if the Father would send someone back from the dead to warn his brothers, as he had five brothers and he did not want them destined to the place of torment; his brothers were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar and Zebulun sons of Leah, Jacob’s wife. Lazarus prayed to Abraham instead of the heavenly father because they were descendants of Abraham, but he told them that they did not hear Moses or the prophets and they sure would not listen to one who came from the grave, (Luke 16:27-31). Abraham reminds the rich man, whom he appealed to him as father of the chosen race: “Remember, you got the entire blessing when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the nothing.”
“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words” (John 10:45-47)?
By the fact of the parable being brought to a climax, the impression that Jesus teaches a mere reversal of earthly fortunes is averted. The fate of the rich man and Lazarus secures a moral explanation. The former is condemned for his refusal to show mercy and justice; the latter it did not say he was saved.
The story is simple. We begin with the scene on earth where the rich man lives in luxury, while poor Lazarus lies at his gate unattended and not helped. Next, we are transported to the world beyond the grave. The poor man, his sorrows ended in death, carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.
In like manner should we seek to find what is represented by the different figures used in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? We should inquire what is represented by the rich, and by his riches, which is represented by Lazarus, what by his begging, by his association with dogs, and by his death. We should study to learn what is represented by Abraham's bosom, what by the death of the rich man, about hell, or Hades, by his torments, and by the great gulf.
We have studied about the rich man and found out that he did not sin, now let us study about Lazarus. Like the parable of the sower, the explanation can be found in the word.
Now let us study about the beggar, what and who he is and what he was doing at the gate. His name is mentioned because his character was good and his end glorious, and because it is the purpose of God that the righteous shall be an everlasting remembrance, but the man Lazarus, who was both poor and afflicted, and had no help but that which came from heaven. We are told that dogs came and consoled Lazarus in his misery, licking his sores. The Jews considered the surrounding Gentiles to be unclean “dogs.” Even Christ himself used this unflattering comparison when He conversed with a woman while in the region of Tyre (Mark 7:24-30).
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man makes the same suggestion, but more forcible. Here were those two living side by side, seeing one another and each hearing the other’s voice every day of their lives. The rich man representing the rich middle and upper class Jews, rich in possession, and rich in the knowledge of “Moses and the prophets,” while Lazarus being the poor outcast.
The rich man was not poor in the world’s goods, but his condition was no less pitiful; he was on the threshold of the Jewish church, yet always just outside. But it would not be so long; the time would come when Lazarus would be in “Abraham’s bosom.” It is an allusion to the custom at a Jewish feast that when three people reclining on their left elbows on a couch and the person whose head comes near the breast of the other was said to be in his bosom. So it is said of the beloved disciple (John 13:25).
Abraham’s bosom was a phrase used among the Jews to signify a place by Abraham’s side in that part of the grave, which is called the paradise of God. The rich man also died, and was buried. There is no mention of his latter circumstance in the case of Lazarus. He was buried, no doubt--necessity required this; but he had the burial of a pauper, while the pomp and pride of the other followed him to the grave.
But were is Abraham, in heaven to receive Lazarus, or was he buried in the earth? Abraham is the supreme example of faith. His faith is illustrated by his journey to the Promise Land, by his confidence that God would give him sons in accordance with his promise. The call of God comes to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees to leave home and kindred and go forth as a pioneer in quest of the Promise Land and city of God, the city which has the true foundation, whose builder is God. These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth.
If Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Enoch and Noah all died in the faith and staggered not at the promise through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. They expected a heavenly inheritance, and looked beyond the grave for a place of happiness. (Hebrew 11:8-13).
Now if Abraham was in the grave, he died many years before Jesus told this parable, how could Lazarus be in Abraham’s bosom when he has been dead in a grave for many years? Lazarus, “through Christ he became one of the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). That is an intimate relationship with Abraham. That is being taken into Abraham’s bosom!
Now Abraham is an heir of God. God gave Abraham a promise (Galatians 3:29), those who through Christ becomes Abraham’s children or heirs--but heirs according to the promise God made with Abraham! This shows that it was a parable that Jesus told. But what is the meaning of this parable?
The rich man represented the Jews and Lazarus represents the Gentiles who were hungry for the word of God. The Jews were truly rich because the articles of God were given to them and they were feasting on God’s spiritual blessings, the Royal Priesthood. Yet they glorified not their God who gave them the article, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law to be given unto the world with the blessing and the promise from God. It was the Gentiles that were hungry for the word of God whom the Jews despised.
“According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David said, let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and recompense unto them” (Romans 11:8-9).
“But there was a certain beggar name Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate desiring to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man table, moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (Luke 16:20). The Gentiles were called dogs because they were not the sons of Abraham and they were only wanting just a little of what the Jews had, Jesus Christ.
“There was a woman who was a Greek who besought Him that if he would cast out a devil from her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto Him. Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs” (Mark 7:28).
Jesus was shown that His mission was solely to the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel. On the other hand the words “the dogs of the street” implied that the gospel would come to the Gentiles in due time.
The meaning of the sheep and the fold; the fold was an open yard, surrounded by a low wall. The shepherds would bring their flocks and put them into the care of a keeper of several flocks. In the morning the shepherd called for his own flock and led them out again. These are the other sheep (Gentiles), “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).
Lazarus here is pictured as a Gentile, who received salvation. Do the Gentiles upon being converted and becoming Christ’s enter into any intimate relationship to Abraham? They certainly do! “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heir according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:11-12).
“For the firstfruit be holy.” As consecrating the firstfruits to God was the means of drawing down His blessing upon the rest, so the conversion of Abraham to the true faith and the several Jews pledges that God will in process of time admit the whole Jewish nation into His favor.
“And if some of the branches broken off (Israel), and thou being a wild olive tree were grafted in (Gentiles), if the present nation of Jews, because of their unbelief are cut off from the blessings of God, and the high honor and dignity of being His peculiar people. And thou, being a wild olive tree (Gentiles), being without the knowledge of the true God, and consequently bring forth no fruits of righteousness. Wert grafted in among them are now inserted in the original stock, having been made partakers of faith of Abraham, Spiritual Jews. They, Israel were broken off because of unbelief and the Gentiles were grafted in, but they were not to boast because they could be broken off. And if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spared thee not” (Romans 11:16-24).
Each one of you is a Son of God because of your faith in Jesus Christ. All of you who have been baptized into Jesus Christ have clothed yourselves with Him. There does not exist among the Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Jesus Christ you are the descendants of Abraham (Spiritual Jews), which means you inherit all the promises (Galatians 3: 26-29).
Paul described God’s people as an olive plant made up of ethnic Jews. Those who don’t respond in faith to God’s grace are cut off, but they can be grafted back by turning to Jesus Christ as their Messiah, like the 144,000 Jews, the firstfruits of Revelation chapter 7 and 14. The Gentiles who place their faith in Jesus are like wild olive branches grafted into the plant. Thus, God has one plant, made up of Jews and Gentiles who share a common faith in the Messiah. What identifies us, as being God’s covenant people is not being a religious Jew, but a confession and life of faith in Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews and Lord of the Universe!
The Gentiles are grafted in as Abraham’s seed and we become the children of Abraham, (adopted into his family), and then become heir to the promise of eternal life. The Gentiles never replaced the Jews because they are still His chosen people and All Israel will be saved.
What then are we to say? Just this: “Israel did not obtain what she seeketh for, but those who were chosen did. The rest became blind,” Scripture says; “gave them a spirit of stupor; blind eyes and deaf ears, and is so to this day” (Romans 11:7-8).
“I ask then, has God rejected His people? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, descended from Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. No God has not rejected His People whom He foreknew. Just so, in the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace of God” (Romans 11:1).
Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of the mystery lest you be conceited; blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be saved As Scripture says; “out of Zion will come the deliverer who shall remove all impiety from Jacob and this is the new covenant I will make with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:26-27).
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grave and petition and look on him whom they thrust through, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourning for an only son, and they shall grieve over Him as one grieves over a first born” (Zechariah 12:10).
If men will not listen to the Scriptures, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead. The fate of the rich man and Lazarus secures a moral explanation. The former is condemned for his refusal to shew mercy and justice; the latter is saved by his righteousness.
The Apostle Paul plainly tells us that the New Testament Church of God is build upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 3:20). Jesus here teaches you that if you refuse to hear Moses and the prophets--and Moses was one of the prophets--you have no hope of salvation! The Scriptures (Old Testament as well as New) according to 2 Timothy 3:15 are able to make wise unto salvation.
Those who teaches that the Commandments of God are done away with teaches a message of doom! Those who teach the pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul--going off to heaven at death, or eternal punishment--teaches contrary to what Jesus said. So, may you take heed, and hear all the Word of God! For there will be a Judgment Day!
Many have asked for the true explanation of the “Rich Man and Lazarus,” here is what the Bible really says! A misunderstanding of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is largely responsible for this confusion, dishonoring the doctrine of God, and the foundation for many false beliefs about heaven and hell. First to prove this writing is symbolic and not to be taken literally, let’s examine exactly what we are told by Christ.
Of the forty parables of our Lord, this is the only one, which Bible teachers and preachers interpret as literal (Luke 16:19-31). So, let us see what is represented by the various symbols, which are used in this parable.
Of our Savior's public teaching it is written: “All these things speak Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spoke He not unto them” (Mathew 13:34).
This is where many preachers misinterpret this parable. Lazarus will be in heaven where there will be no sickness, no death, no suffering or pain, no darkness, no burdens to heavy to bear; “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 thing are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). They will be able to see the lost who are burning there , where sinners are tormented forever, can anyone believe that a drop of water would relieve the pain and suffering for the rich man?
Yet that is exactly the kind of “heaven” that is being preached in most churches! They rely more on Jesus’ account of Lazarus and the rich man than any other argument to support their teaching that the “saved” go instantly, at death, to heaven while the lost leave their bodies and are plunged into an ever- burning inferno of eternal torture.
Now the Rich man with those who reject Christ will be sent into Hell where there will be murders, gamblers, drunkards and all liars will all have their part in the lake of fire and tormented day and night. They tell us that throughout the never-ending cycles of eternity, the redeemed will live in the immediate presence of this hell, which will burn forever.
Would you really want to spend eternity in heaven where you would be forced to see those in hell and hear the screaming, in agony, and on fire, burning yet never dying? Would you be happy seeing such things happening to your loved ones? Can the reader imagine what heaven would be like to the pious souls when they think of the dammed in endless torture, pain and suffering? While they have their golden harps, while they lean over the battlement of glory and listen to the cries of the damned? Will they strike a higher note on their harp and shout “Amen,” “Hallelujah,” at every cry of distress? Is this Christian religion? I will say it again, if this is the Christian religion, then I do not care to have part in it! But God is a merciful God; our God is a God of love and desires those to worship Him and who does so because they love him.
Fear of hell can never make a Christian. Men who serve God only because they are afraid of hell are not a Christian. They are the worst kind of hypocrites. Remove the hell from their minds and they will soon expose their naked corruptions. A Christian is moved by love, and knows no fear, “for fear hath torment” and “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).
The word “hell” occurs fifty-three times in the Bible (King James Version), thirty-one in the Old Testament, and twenty-two times in the New Testament. In every one of the thirty-one times the word hell is found in the Old Testament, it is translated from the Hebrew word “sheol” and means “grave.” In the New Testament the word hell is translated from the Greek word “hades” ten times “ge-enna,” eleven times, and from “tartaroo” just once. In every instance it means the grave except once, tartaroo, means darkness.
It is enough for me to repeat that the Bible writers had no word for hell; nor did they believe in what we call hell, and in the original language the word hell, as defined today, is not found. This is exactly what the preachers are preaching by most churches today. They are still saying that Lazarus and the Rich Man was not a parable, and the rich man went to a burning hell while the beggar Lazarus was transported to heaven and is now in Abraham’s bosom. But both of them died and were buried.
His disciples were slow to understand that He spoke in parables and they were sometimes misled because they took His words literally. We cannot not take this parable literally because it was part of the parable of the unjust steward. Now, first we must look at the rich man, what was his crime? Christ never accused the rich man of any sin. He is simply portrayed as a wealthy man who lived a good life. He had fine clothing, plenty to eat; he ate clean food and kept the Law of Moses. So just why was he condemned when he died? And Lazarus is never proclaimed to be a righteous man. He was just a poor misfortune beggar unable to care for himself.
We ought not therefore to interpret our Lord’s parables literally, but study to find what is represented by the various symbols of the parable. Only a few of His parables are explained in detail, but enough are explained so we may understand His method of instructions.
The clothing of the rich man was of the expensive outer garment being purple because of the costly dye used in its manufacture. Lined is the inner garment. He was clothed in purple and linen. Purple was very precious and very costly; but our Lord neither does nor say that in the use of it he exceeded the bounds of his income nor his rank in life. He fared lavishly every day. Now let it be observed that the Law of Moses, under which this man lived, forbade nothing on this point but excess in eating and drinking. Besides this rich man is not accused of having eaten any unclean food, which was prohibited by the law. It is true; he is said in having feasted lavishly every day. So, what was his crime? He was rich, he was finely clothed and he feasted well. No other evil is spoken of him. The rich man had the written Scripture. Moses (the law) and the prophets teach man’s responsibility for the poor, for which he must answer ultimately to God.
Now let us see what happened to the rich man--and when! Jesus said of him; “the rich man also died, and was buried” (Luke 16:22). Jesus did not say the rich man was taken immediately at that time to eternally burn in hell. He did not say the rich man was himself thrown into a burning hell; the rich man was buried. People die; they are then buried in a grave, and then covered up with earth.
If the sinner goes to hell at death, will he be brought out of hell at the judgment, to be tried, to determine whether he should have been cast into hell? No--the dead are in their graves and will remain there until the voice calls them forth. Jesus said: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is come, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29).
If we are ever to understand man and his nature, we must turn to the Scriptures, which tell of His creation. It is written: “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” (Genesis 2:7).
Now I wish to show that the idea of the popular theology or so-called orthodox teaching, that man is immediately transported to heaven or hell at death, that, as a matter of fact, man simply goes into his grave and sleeps, calmly, and sleeps until the resurrection, David said: “I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Psalm 115:17).
Now what manner of reasoning is this? Only logical consistent Biblical reasoning from beginning to end says no one is in heaven or hell, including David, he is dead and buried: “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is dead and buried and his sepulcher is with us unto this day” (Acts 2:29). “For David is not ascended into the heavens” (Acts 2:34).
In view of that statement who dares to say that the recompense or reward is given to the righteous at death, or before the resurrection? To assert that man goes to heaven at death, before the resurrection, is to deny the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But haven’t we been told that the dead are in heaven, praising God? Yes, by some preachers and theologians; but the Psalmist says it is not true. Here him again: “Put not trust in man in princes nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that day his thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:3-4).
Then in Genesis where God planted two trees and He said to man “Thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die” (Genesis 2 17). Stress is placed on the words “surely die.”
That is what God calls “dying,” and the penalty of sin is death, not life in hell: no death, eternal death. Paul says: “wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death and sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
There are many Scriptures that tell us that the dead are asleep in the grave waiting resurrection but I will just bring you four more. “When Martha the sister of Lazarus (not the beggar in this parable) sent word that Lazarus was sick, Jesus stated that our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of his sleep. Then the disciples said; Lord if he sleeps, he shall do well. Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead” (John 11:3-14). The word “sleep” frequently means death: (Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:18, 20).
Writing to the Corinthian church Paul was explaining about the spiritual body that the dead goes into the grave a corruptible body and will be raised incorruptible at the resurrection of the dead. “Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:42-58). “For as flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, and all shall not be “found dead” at the Day of Judgment, then all must be changed and become spiritual, like the “bodies” of those who shall be “raised from the dead.”
Paul was instructing the Greek fathers that which are asleep, that is, those who are dead would be in the first resurrection. Those who sleep, die in Christ in the faith of the gospel, will Jesus bring with Him. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which are asleep (dead) in Jesus will He bring with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16).
The Bible is plain enough if we would only believe. The fact stated in these verses; “That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” “Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb” (Job 21:30-31). Is God’s answer to the statement that the sinner goes to hell at death clear enough?
Job asked a question about death when he asked “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heaven be no more, they not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:12-14). “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 5:1). Job seemed to know that there would be life after death, and that there was going to be a great tribulation, and that being the reason he asked the Lord to keep him in the grave till His wrath is over.
I think that I have proved the rich man would be in his grave and not in hell if this were a true story instead of a parable.
But one more scripture to the argument of our friends who insist on teaching an endless hell of misery and torture for the wicked. I will quote the words of Malachi, to show that the wicked will be turned into ashes on the earth, and that after the earth is purified the word of Christ will be fulfilled, “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, said the Lord of host, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 4:1-3).
“The rich man also died, and was buried.” In hell he lifts up his eyes being in torment asked if he would send Lazarus, “that he may dip the tip of his finger in water. And cool his tongue because he was tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:23-24). Notice it was not the lake of fire that Lazarus was tormented by but just a “flame,” a single flame, but he knew that he was about to be thrown into the lake of fire that brought about great grief, pain and suffering is the reason he asked just for a little water to quench his thirst, for his mouth. The mouth is the first thing that becomes dry when one is under deep anxiety. This is the reason that Lazarus was tormented because of the evil things he had done (Luke 16:24-25).
There was a great gulf separating the two. After death Lazarus had been change from mortal to immortality while the rich man after the resurrection was still in the old corruptible body ready to be cast into the lake of fire. In 1 Corinthians Paul writes “And the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). So the great gulf was Lazarus had put on immortality while the rich man was in his old corrupt body ready to be cast into the lake of fire.
Then the rich man asked if the Father would send someone back from the dead to warn his brothers, as he had five brothers and he did not want them destined to the place of torment; his brothers were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar and Zebulun sons of Leah, Jacob’s wife. Lazarus prayed to Abraham instead of the heavenly father because they were descendants of Abraham, but he told them that they did not hear Moses or the prophets and they sure would not listen to one who came from the grave, (Luke 16:27-31). Abraham reminds the rich man, whom he appealed to him as father of the chosen race: “Remember, you got the entire blessing when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the nothing.”
“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words” (John 10:45-47)?
By the fact of the parable being brought to a climax, the impression that Jesus teaches a mere reversal of earthly fortunes is averted. The fate of the rich man and Lazarus secures a moral explanation. The former is condemned for his refusal to show mercy and justice; the latter it did not say he was saved.
The story is simple. We begin with the scene on earth where the rich man lives in luxury, while poor Lazarus lies at his gate unattended and not helped. Next, we are transported to the world beyond the grave. The poor man, his sorrows ended in death, carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom.
In like manner should we seek to find what is represented by the different figures used in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus? We should inquire what is represented by the rich, and by his riches, which is represented by Lazarus, what by his begging, by his association with dogs, and by his death. We should study to learn what is represented by Abraham's bosom, what by the death of the rich man, about hell, or Hades, by his torments, and by the great gulf.
We have studied about the rich man and found out that he did not sin, now let us study about Lazarus. Like the parable of the sower, the explanation can be found in the word.
Now let us study about the beggar, what and who he is and what he was doing at the gate. His name is mentioned because his character was good and his end glorious, and because it is the purpose of God that the righteous shall be an everlasting remembrance, but the man Lazarus, who was both poor and afflicted, and had no help but that which came from heaven. We are told that dogs came and consoled Lazarus in his misery, licking his sores. The Jews considered the surrounding Gentiles to be unclean “dogs.” Even Christ himself used this unflattering comparison when He conversed with a woman while in the region of Tyre (Mark 7:24-30).
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man makes the same suggestion, but more forcible. Here were those two living side by side, seeing one another and each hearing the other’s voice every day of their lives. The rich man representing the rich middle and upper class Jews, rich in possession, and rich in the knowledge of “Moses and the prophets,” while Lazarus being the poor outcast.
The rich man was not poor in the world’s goods, but his condition was no less pitiful; he was on the threshold of the Jewish church, yet always just outside. But it would not be so long; the time would come when Lazarus would be in “Abraham’s bosom.” It is an allusion to the custom at a Jewish feast that when three people reclining on their left elbows on a couch and the person whose head comes near the breast of the other was said to be in his bosom. So it is said of the beloved disciple (John 13:25).
Abraham’s bosom was a phrase used among the Jews to signify a place by Abraham’s side in that part of the grave, which is called the paradise of God. The rich man also died, and was buried. There is no mention of his latter circumstance in the case of Lazarus. He was buried, no doubt--necessity required this; but he had the burial of a pauper, while the pomp and pride of the other followed him to the grave.
But were is Abraham, in heaven to receive Lazarus, or was he buried in the earth? Abraham is the supreme example of faith. His faith is illustrated by his journey to the Promise Land, by his confidence that God would give him sons in accordance with his promise. The call of God comes to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees to leave home and kindred and go forth as a pioneer in quest of the Promise Land and city of God, the city which has the true foundation, whose builder is God. These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth.
If Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Enoch and Noah all died in the faith and staggered not at the promise through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. They expected a heavenly inheritance, and looked beyond the grave for a place of happiness. (Hebrew 11:8-13).
Now if Abraham was in the grave, he died many years before Jesus told this parable, how could Lazarus be in Abraham’s bosom when he has been dead in a grave for many years? Lazarus, “through Christ he became one of the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). That is an intimate relationship with Abraham. That is being taken into Abraham’s bosom!
Now Abraham is an heir of God. God gave Abraham a promise (Galatians 3:29), those who through Christ becomes Abraham’s children or heirs--but heirs according to the promise God made with Abraham! This shows that it was a parable that Jesus told. But what is the meaning of this parable?
The rich man represented the Jews and Lazarus represents the Gentiles who were hungry for the word of God. The Jews were truly rich because the articles of God were given to them and they were feasting on God’s spiritual blessings, the Royal Priesthood. Yet they glorified not their God who gave them the article, the glory, the covenant, the giving of the law to be given unto the world with the blessing and the promise from God. It was the Gentiles that were hungry for the word of God whom the Jews despised.
“According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. And David said, let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling block, and recompense unto them” (Romans 11:8-9).
“But there was a certain beggar name Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate desiring to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man table, moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (Luke 16:20). The Gentiles were called dogs because they were not the sons of Abraham and they were only wanting just a little of what the Jews had, Jesus Christ.
“There was a woman who was a Greek who besought Him that if he would cast out a devil from her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto Him. Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs” (Mark 7:28).
Jesus was shown that His mission was solely to the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel. On the other hand the words “the dogs of the street” implied that the gospel would come to the Gentiles in due time.
The meaning of the sheep and the fold; the fold was an open yard, surrounded by a low wall. The shepherds would bring their flocks and put them into the care of a keeper of several flocks. In the morning the shepherd called for his own flock and led them out again. These are the other sheep (Gentiles), “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).
Lazarus here is pictured as a Gentile, who received salvation. Do the Gentiles upon being converted and becoming Christ’s enter into any intimate relationship to Abraham? They certainly do! “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heir according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).
“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:11-12).
“For the firstfruit be holy.” As consecrating the firstfruits to God was the means of drawing down His blessing upon the rest, so the conversion of Abraham to the true faith and the several Jews pledges that God will in process of time admit the whole Jewish nation into His favor.
“And if some of the branches broken off (Israel), and thou being a wild olive tree were grafted in (Gentiles), if the present nation of Jews, because of their unbelief are cut off from the blessings of God, and the high honor and dignity of being His peculiar people. And thou, being a wild olive tree (Gentiles), being without the knowledge of the true God, and consequently bring forth no fruits of righteousness. Wert grafted in among them are now inserted in the original stock, having been made partakers of faith of Abraham, Spiritual Jews. They, Israel were broken off because of unbelief and the Gentiles were grafted in, but they were not to boast because they could be broken off. And if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spared thee not” (Romans 11:16-24).
Each one of you is a Son of God because of your faith in Jesus Christ. All of you who have been baptized into Jesus Christ have clothed yourselves with Him. There does not exist among the Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Jesus Christ you are the descendants of Abraham (Spiritual Jews), which means you inherit all the promises (Galatians 3: 26-29).
Paul described God’s people as an olive plant made up of ethnic Jews. Those who don’t respond in faith to God’s grace are cut off, but they can be grafted back by turning to Jesus Christ as their Messiah, like the 144,000 Jews, the firstfruits of Revelation chapter 7 and 14. The Gentiles who place their faith in Jesus are like wild olive branches grafted into the plant. Thus, God has one plant, made up of Jews and Gentiles who share a common faith in the Messiah. What identifies us, as being God’s covenant people is not being a religious Jew, but a confession and life of faith in Jesus as the Messiah of the Jews and Lord of the Universe!
The Gentiles are grafted in as Abraham’s seed and we become the children of Abraham, (adopted into his family), and then become heir to the promise of eternal life. The Gentiles never replaced the Jews because they are still His chosen people and All Israel will be saved.
What then are we to say? Just this: “Israel did not obtain what she seeketh for, but those who were chosen did. The rest became blind,” Scripture says; “gave them a spirit of stupor; blind eyes and deaf ears, and is so to this day” (Romans 11:7-8).
“I ask then, has God rejected His people? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, descended from Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. No God has not rejected His People whom He foreknew. Just so, in the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace of God” (Romans 11:1).
Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of the mystery lest you be conceited; blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be saved As Scripture says; “out of Zion will come the deliverer who shall remove all impiety from Jacob and this is the new covenant I will make with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:26-27).
“I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grave and petition and look on him whom they thrust through, and they shall mourn for Him as one mourning for an only son, and they shall grieve over Him as one grieves over a first born” (Zechariah 12:10).
If men will not listen to the Scriptures, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead. The fate of the rich man and Lazarus secures a moral explanation. The former is condemned for his refusal to shew mercy and justice; the latter is saved by his righteousness.
The Apostle Paul plainly tells us that the New Testament Church of God is build upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone (Ephesians 3:20). Jesus here teaches you that if you refuse to hear Moses and the prophets--and Moses was one of the prophets--you have no hope of salvation! The Scriptures (Old Testament as well as New) according to 2 Timothy 3:15 are able to make wise unto salvation.
Those who teaches that the Commandments of God are done away with teaches a message of doom! Those who teach the pagan doctrine of the immortality of the soul--going off to heaven at death, or eternal punishment--teaches contrary to what Jesus said. So, may you take heed, and hear all the Word of God! For there will be a Judgment Day!