Lesson 26 – The Rich Man and Lazarus

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” Luke 16:10.

“By unfaithfulness in even the smallest duties, man robs his Maker of the service which is His due. This unfaithfulness reacts upon himself. He fails of gaining the grace, the power, the force of character, which may be received through an unreserved surrender to God. Living apart from Christ he is subject to Satan’s temptations, and he makes mistakes in his work for the Master. Because he is not guided by right principles in little things, he fails to obey God in the great matters which he regards as his special work. The defects cherished in dealing with life’s minor details pass into more important affairs. He acts on the principles to which he has accustomed himself. Thus actions repeated form habits, habits form character, and by the character our destiny for time and for eternity is decided.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 356.

SOWING AND REAPING

1.Many times, what do we do with the gifts God has given us? What did “the rich man” in the parable not take into account?

Luke 16:19. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.

Mark 14:7. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good.

“The rich man did not belong to the class represented by the unjust judge, who openly declared his disregard for God and man. He claimed to be a son of Abraham. He did not treat the beggar with violence or require him to go away because the sight of him was disagreeable. If the poor, loath- some specimen of humanity could be comforted by beholding him as he entered his gates, the rich man was willing that he should remain. But he was selfishly indifferent to the needs of his suffering brother.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 261.

2.What basic right was denied to Lazarus in the first part of the parable? Whom did the rich man defraud, as is true of anyone who acts as he did?

Luke 16:20, 21. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Proverbs 19:17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

“There were then no hospitals in which the sick might be cared for. The suffering and needy were brought to the notice of those to whom the Lord had entrusted wealth, that they might receive help and sympathy. Thus it was with the beggar and the rich man. Lazarus was in great need of help; for he was without friends, home, money, or food. Yet he was allowed to remain in this condition day after day, while the wealthy nobleman had every want supplied. The one who was abundantly able to relieve the sufferings of his fellow creature, lived to himself, as many live today.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 261.

3.What happens to both the rich and the poor in this world of pilgrimage? As for death as a dark place–for the Greeks, “Hades,” and for the Hebrews, “Sheol”–what change of condition did Jesus present in the parable as occurring for the rich man and for Lazarus?

Ecclesiastes 9:5, first part. For the living know that they shall die:…

Luke 16:22. 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.

“The time came when a change took place in the condition of the two men. The poor man had suffered day by day, but he had patiently and quietly endured. In the course of time he died and was buried. There was no one to mourn for him; but by his patience in suffering he had witnessed for Christ, he had endured the test of his faith, and at his death he is represented as being carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.

“Lazarus represents the suffering poor who believe in Christ. When the trumpet sounds and all that are in the graves hear Christ’s voice and come forth, they will receive their reward; for their faith in God was not a mere theory, but a reality.

“‘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 bo- som.’” –Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 262, 263.

4.In that the rich man was far from his father Abraham, while the poor man was close to him, what was Jesus denoting? In what doctrinal place did the Jewish people think they were secure?

Luke 16:23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

John 13:23-25; 8:33, 37. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. ²⁴Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. ²⁵He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?… ^8:33They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?… ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

“The Lord had made the Jews the depositaries of sacred truth. He had ap- pointed them stewards of His grace. He had given them every spiritual and temporal advantage, and He called upon them to impart these blessings. Special instruction had been given them in regard to their treatment of their brethren who had fallen into decay, of the stranger within their gates, and of the poor among them. They were not to seek to gain everything for their own advantage, but were to remember those in need and share with them. And God promised to bless them in accordance with their deeds of love and mercy. But like the rich man, they put forth no helping hand to relieve the temporal or spiritual necessities of suffering humanity. Filled with pride, they regarded themselves as the chosen and favored people of God; yet they did not serve or worship God. They put their depen- dence in the fact that they were children of Abraham. “We be Abraham’s seed,” they said proudly. John 8:33. When the crisis came, it was revealed that they had divorced themselves from God, and had placed their trust in Abraham, as if he were God.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 267.

MIXED FEELINGS

5.Influenced by Greek philosophy, what did many apostate Jewish leaders in Christ’s day believe? In contrast, in Jesus’ parable, what did poor Lazarus believe?

Matthew 3:7; 16:6, 11, 12. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ^16:6Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees…. ¹¹How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Phari- sees and of the Sadducees? ¹²Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Acts 23:8, 6. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both…. ⁶But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

“Christ longed to let light shine into the darkened minds of the Jewish people. He said to them, ‘If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill Me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham.’ John 8:39, 40.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 268.

SHARING BELIEF

6.In line with Greek philosophy in Homer’s Iliad and also of the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead but in “Hades,” what did the rich man do in Jesus’ parable? Requesting drops of water when he would need full pitchers of it, what false belief was the rich man depicted as clinging to?

Luke 16:24-26. 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. ²⁵But 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. ²⁶And 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.

Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. ⁶Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

“In this parable Christ was meeting the people on their own ground. The doctrine of a conscious state of existence between death and the resurrection was held by many of those who were listening to Christ’s words. The Saviour knew of their ideas, and He framed His parable so as to inculcate important truths through these preconceived opinions. He held up before His hearers a mirror wherein they might see themselves in their true relation to God. He used the prevailing opinion to convey the idea He wished to make prominent to all–that no man is valued for his possessions, for all he has belongs to him only as lent by the Lord. A misuse of these gifts will place him below the poorest and most afflicted man who loves God and trusts in Him.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 263.

7.What else did the rich man request of Abraham? Where was he told that the answers to such requests could be found?

Luke 16:27-29. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: ²⁸For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. ²⁹Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

John 12:47, 48. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. ⁴⁸He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Luke 16:30, 31. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ³¹And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

“When the rich man solicited additional evidence for his brothers, he was plainly told that should this evidence be given, they would not be persuaded. His request cast a reflection on God. It was as if the rich man had said, If you had more thoroughly warned me, I should not now be here. Abraham in his answer to this request is represented as saying, Your brothers have been sufficiently warned. Light has been given them, but they would not see; truth has been presented to them, but they would not hear. “‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.’ These words were proved true in the his- tory of the Jewish nation. Christ’s last and crowning miracle was the raising of Lazarus of Bethany, after he had been dead four days. The Jews were given this wonderful evidence of the Saviour’s divinity, but they rejected it. Lazarus rose from the dead and bore his testimony before them, but they hardened their hearts against all evidence, and even sought to take his life.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 264, 265.

For Additional Study

“When the voice of God awakes the dead, he will come from the grave with the same appetites and passions, the same likes and dislikes, that he cherished when living. God works no miracle to re-create a man who would not be re-created when he was granted every opportunity and provided with every facility. During his lifetime he took no delight in God, nor found pleasure in His service. His character is not in harmony with God, and he could not be happy in the heavenly family.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 270.