God's purpose for sharing about the Rich Man?

[FireDragon76]

It’s not a parable it’s a true story.

I see no reason to assume it is an historical account.

 

[Solomon Smith]

I see no reason to assume it is an historical account.

Read it, it’s presented as a factual story that actually took place.

 

[Solomon Smith]

Why do you think God shared the story of the rich man and Lazarus?

To caution people about loving money instead of loving God and neighbor.

 

[Blade]

We need to remember also.. When Christ was talking.. there was no Chapters. ALWAYS read before and after. So.. was there TIME before the end of Chapter 15..then 16 was what a different day ..different time or.. was still making a point?

 

[food4thought]

All this debate over whether it is a factual account or a parable is probably because people differ on what they think this Scripture has to say about Hades. Is Hades a place of torment? Is Hades divided into two compartments, one for the righteous and one for the unrighteous?

1) Is Hades a place of torment? Although no other NT Scripture about Hades blatantly states that it is a place of torment, the OT equivalent, Sheol, makes it clear that it is a place of flame and torment(Deuteronomy 32:22; Psalms 116:3; Song of Solomon 8:6; Isaiah 14:11; Ezekiel 32:27).

2) Is Hades/Sheol divided into two compartments? Since in the OT, both the righteous and the wicked went to Sheol, the answer should be an obvious yes! God does not punish the righteous dead! Here, though, just to be certain, we need to look at the nature of a parable...

3) The nature of a parable. People commonly believe that a in a parable, the details matter not, it is only the main point being emphasized that is of importance. This is a patently false belief, and all we need to do to disprove it is look at Jesus teaching the disciples on the parables He spoke. Just read Matthew 13:18-23, and Matthew 13:36-43!!! Many details of the parables had significance according to Jesus! Also, none of the parables contain a falsehood regarding the things used as examples. So even if the story of Lazarus and the rich man is a parable, He would not have misled the people by indicating Hades was divided.

So, even if the story is a parable, it remains obvious then that Hades is a place of torment (which we can ascertain from the OT and this passage) and it is divided into two parts, one of comfort for the righteous and one of torment for the wicked (which we could guess based upon OT revelation, but is explicitly revealed only here). Hopefully we can stop arguing over something that matters not, because the doctrine we take from the passage should be the same regardless...

God bless;
Michael

 

[DennisTate]

Why do you think God shared the story of the rich man and Lazarus?

Luke 16:19-31 King James Version (KJV)
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

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;

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

24 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.

25 But 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.

26 And 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.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

I believe that we Christians can very easily fall into the mind set of the Scribes and Pharisees of the time of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus who tended to be relatively wealthy in comparison to most others ....... (Samaritains for example)........ They felt that the wealth was confirmation of their being "righteous."

A boy from South Africa who had a near death experience was told by G-d that we are the Laodicean era of the church.... and I think that his warning should be taken to heart by all of us.

After the fourteen minute mark in this video this is explained... even more clearly after the twenty one minute mark.....: