Some Christians think the parable of the rich man and Lazarus proves that when people die they go straight to heaven or hell. Is that really true?
The story of the
“rich man and Lazarus” is told by Jesus in
Luke 16:19-31. It is often cited by Christians as definitive proof that people go straight to either heaven or hell when they die. But is the purpose of this story to give us an actual glimpse into the afterlife—or does it serve a different purpose entirely?
Here are five reasons we can know that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is not meant to be taken literally.
1. It’s comes in a list of parables. The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines
“parable” as
“a usually short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle.” The story of the rich man and Lazarus comes at the end of a string of parables filled with symbolic, non-literal illustrations (see
Luke 15). For instance, in the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus is certainly not teaching that His followers have four legs or eat grass; it’s all metaphor for a greater spiritual point.
2. It contains an impossible conversation. The parable portrays the rich man in
“Hades” speaking directly to Lazarus in
“Abraham’s bosom.” Can people in heaven have conversations with people in hell? For that matter, do people in heaven really watch people burning in hell? Not according to Jesus, who describes a “
great gulf fixed” between the saved and the lost (
Luke 16:26).
3. It uses clear symbolic imagery. The rich man wants Abraham to send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue (
verse 24). This must be symbolic—because it can’t possibly happen physically. How much water could pass through the flames, and what help would it provide someone suffering in hell?
4. It uses figurative expressions. Do the people who died with faith in Christ find their rest in Abraham’s literal bosom? How big is Abraham’s bosom? This must be a figurative expression, for we know that angels will gather the saints at the second coming of Christ (see
Matthew 24:30-31).
5. It would otherwise contradict the rest of Scripture. If this story were literal, it would be hard to explain why the Bible says
“in death there is no remembrance” (
Psalm 6:5). Instead, those who die are asleep in the grave awaiting resurrection (
1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). The Bible compares death to sleep over 50 times. See one example by Jesus in
John 11:11-14.
The real message of this parable is often and unfortunately lost because people use it to try to prove something Jesus wasn’t even talking about.
Link.
So what was the moral of the story of Lazarus and the rich man?
The rich man represents the Jews who had been blessed above measure by a knowledge of God and his plan of salvation for all mankind. They had received
“the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises” (
Romans 9:4). Only a Jew would pray to
“Father Abraham,” as we find the rich man doing in the story. The Jewish nation was clearly represented by this character.
By contrast, Lazarus symbolized all those people in spiritual poverty—the Gentiles—with whom the Israelites were to share their heritage. The words of Isaiah were well known to the Jews.
“I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth” (
Isaiah 49:6).
Unfortunately, the Jews had not shared their spiritual wealth with the Gentiles at all. Instead, they considered them as
“dogs” that would have to be satisfied with the spiritual crumbs falling from their masters’ tables. The metaphor was known. Jesus had used it before in testing the faith of the Canaanite woman.
“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” She responded accordingly:
“Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table” (
Matthew 15:26-27).
The rich Jews had hoarded the truth, and in so doing, they had corrupted themselves. Only moments before relating this parable, Jesus had rebuked the Pharisees for their spiritual conceit.
“You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (
Luke 16:15). What was to be the result of this terrible conceit?
"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then 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 in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us' " (
Luke 16:22-26).
The Jews had enjoyed
“the good life” while on earth but had done nothing to bless or enrich their neighbours. No further reward was due.
“But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep” (
Luke 6:24-25).
Conversely, the poor in spirit, symbolized by Lazarus, would inherit the kingdom of heaven. The Gentiles who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled. The
“dogs” and sinners, so despised by the self-righteous Pharisees, would enter heaven before they would.
“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (
Matthew 21:31).
The parable concludes with the rich man begging for his brethren to be warned against sharing his fate. Asking Abraham to send Lazarus on this mission, he alleges
“but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent” (
Luke 16:30). Abraham replies,
“If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead” (
Verse 31).
Jesus thus rebuked the Pharisees for their disregard of the Scriptures, foreseeing that even a supernatural event would not change the hearts of those who persistently rejected the teachings of
“Moses and the prophets.” The miracle of raising the real-life Lazarus from the dead soon afterward confirmed the accuracy of Jesus’ conclusion. One did rise from the dead, yet the brothers of the
“rich man” did not repent. In fact, the Pharisees even plotted to kill Lazarus after his resurrection. His very life was a reminder to them of their own hypocrisy.
