Running head: THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Hannah R. Sutton
Gods Bible School and College

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

2

Thesis
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus seems to imply, that the rich
man spent his life foolishly wasting it away on things of no real value.
Lazarus must have had his heart where the true riches are, because when
they both died Lazarus was comforted while the Rich man was tormented.
Through studying and observations we can interpret this parables meaning
to be, God sees the heart and will judge us based on it and not on any
earthly position or wealth.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

3

When we study the Bible to find truths that our finite minds would
not see without deep observation, we will be blessed from the truth and
wisdom we will receive in doing so. Such is the case with myself in studying
the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and what Jesus meant by it.
Throughout this paper I will try to show what I found in this parable and why
Jesus wanted us to know it. Some historians, biblical scholars, and
commentaries suggest that what we call the parable of the Rich Man and
Lazarus, may in fact have been an actual historical event. However whether
or not it was a parable, Jesus still wanted us to know and learn from this
parable. Perhaps what Jesus wanted us to learn from this parable is to know
what our true riches are. This paper will explain this in a minute but Id like to
examine who Jesus is addressing first.
Lets take a look at who Jesus is speaking to in this parable, or who He
was targeting. We know that it is said in the Bible, that Jesus was speaking to
the Pharisees, but I think Jesus was targeting more of an attitude, opposed to
a class or ethnic group. The group with this specific attitude would tend to be
the upper class, because of this I think we can easily assume Jesus is
speaking only to rich people, while in truth He is addressing an attitude; a
heart issue.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

4

We need to realize that when we read Jesus teachings, He was not

only speaking to the currently living people who were listening to Him, but
every word that Jesus spoke that is in the Bible was meant to be heard by
every human being that ever lived. Because Jesus was teaching the whole
world He often addressed a certain heart issue opposed to a specific people
group.
We have concluded that Jesus is addressing a heart issue, but what
heart issue? Maybe pride? Maybe greed? Maybe Selfishness? The passage in
the bible about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus says in Luke 16:1415 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, and heard all these
things: and they derided him.15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which
justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is
highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. I believe
through observation of Luke 16:14-15 we can see that the attitude that Jesus
was address in here is a greedy, envious, and arrogant one. Verse fourteen
of Luke chapter sixteen says that the Pharisees were, covetous, and this
made them angry when Jesus called them out on it because He knew their
hearts.
Now we have the group that is targeted and the specific attitude, but
what does the parable mean, and why does it matter? Before Jesus told the
Pharisees the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, He had just finished
telling them the parable of the Prodigal Son, and continued into the Rich Man

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

5

and Lazarus by teaching them about their true riches in verse eleven of
Luke Chapter sixteen, If therefore ye have not been faithful in the
unrighteous mammon, who will commit to you your true riches? In verse
thirteen and fourteen Jesus tries to teach the Pharisees that there is no
middle ground on where our hearts are. Jesus knew that the hearts of the
Pharisees were concerned with the temporary things and not of the things of
God, like they tried to act like they were.
One might interpret this parable to be about hypocrisy, but the lesson
that Jesus expands on appears to be about what is in the heart. The
Pharisees were putting more of their life into their money (mammon) then
their Savior. No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the
one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were
covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
In this parable Jesus is trying to show us what is really going to
matter to Him in the end. We know that the heart of the rich man was selfish
and stingy because of the reference in Luke 16 :20 where Lazarus begs only
for crumb from the rich mans table, but the rich man would not even grant
him that. However we arent given any information about Lazarus attitude,
but we can assume sense he was a beggar it is very unlikely that he was,
selfish or greedy, two of the heart issues Jesus was addressing. We also know

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

6

that Lazarus very likely had nothing of earthly value, hence it would be
easier for him to keep his eyes upon what really matters.
The life of the rich man was very comfortable while Lazarus life was
one of misery and sorrow but once they died it switched. Please do not
mistake that I am saying God punishes the rich. I do not believe that at all,
we know that God will bless those in whom He is pleased with wealth
sometimes. The idea that Im getting at here, is that it is what is in our hearts
that God will judge and the Rich man had a selfish heart.
God does not care how highly esteemed by man we are. Honestly I
find it ridiculous that we will try to raise ourselves to the level of God through
our pride. Who are we to judge our neighbor and despise someone because
of a situation they were born into that was not there choice? Lazarus did not
choose to be a poor, despised, and sick man, but yet, that is who he was.
After his death the rich man begs for Gods mercy and to have
Lazarus dip his finger in water so he could cool his own tongue, but God tells
him, remember in thy lifetime recievedst thy good things, and likewise
Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And
besides all this, between us is a great gulf fixed. God was telling the rich
man that it was no use and that he had lived his life the way he wanted to
now he would have to spend eternity with the results of those actions.
The rich man, seeing that God was not going to have Lazarus bring
the rich man water to dip his finger in, then asked another favor of God. He

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

7

asked God if he or some else could come back from the dead to warn his
family. Luke 16:27-31 God refused knowing that if they did not believe in
God from the evidence He had already given them, they would not believe
someone who came back from the dead. Adam Clarkes commentary says
this about God refusing the Rich mans second request. What influence
could the personal appearance of a spirit have on an unbelieving and
corrupted heart? None, except to terrify it for the moment, and afterwards to
leave it ten thousand reasons for uncertainty and doubt. Christ caused this to
be exemplified, in the most literal manner, by raising Lazarus from the dead.
And did this convince the unbelieving Jews? No. They were so much the more
enraged; and from that moment conspired both the death of Lazarus and of
Christ! Faith is satisfied with such proofs as God is pleased to afford!
Infidelity never has enow.
The Rich man was blinded by his wealth and I think he sincerely
thought that this life was all there was and then he would die. I find this idea
in the passage of chapter sixteen of Luke that talks about the rich man
wanting to warn his family that heaven and hell are real. Luke 16 :27-28
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.
Now that I have concluded, that this parable is about how Gods sees
and knows our hearts, and how that is what He judges, how do we apply this

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

8

to our lives today? In the end, no matter our social standing, our wealth or
our earthly intelligence, God will judge our hearts. Lets take away all the
external stuff and try to see our own hearts. We know that the heart by itself
is desperately wicked, The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 Although God can
change our hearts we just need to let Him. Create in me a clean heart, O
God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10. The Rich Man was
blinded by his possessions and hence did not see what would really matter
for eternity. So lets live our lives remembering that our true riches are; our
heavenly riches and not anything from this earth. The greatest wealth that
we could ever receive is the love and mercy of God.