mmksparbud,
1. A parable is a story to illustrate a truth.
The unjust steward in Luke 19:1-8 point is that believers were not as smart as the worldly people in taking care of their own according to God’s way despite the unsaved schemed etc.
Israel’s moral condition was not good for they were backslidden in their covenant.
Matthew 5.
Luke 6:38 shows they were to give and it would be given to them good measure, pressed down and shaken together shall men give unto their bosom....
Zechariah 14:14 shows Judah fighting at Jerusalem and how wealth of freedom he heathen would be given them.
2. Big bosom? God made the universe, so I don’t think it is too hard for him to put people in a compartment of Hell.
3. A finger dipped in water to cool his tongue is a natural thing.
What is more interesting is that his soul didn’t burn up though he was in a torment of real fire.
It is easier to understand after they are resurrected how they could burn and not burn up because of a resurrected body.
4. If Christ can bring up Moses from paradise to the earth and bring Elijah down from Heaven and talk to each other when Christ was transfigured then I believe he can have Abraham talk to the rich man across the great gulf without crossing over.
5. The Bible shows that that there will be an opening in hell that people left on earth to cause coming generations to abhor sin and it’s consequences, a warning to them to walk in God’s ways.
Isaiah 66:24; Revelation 14:9-11
6. Hell is not the grave for the body goes to the grave Genesis 3:19 and the soul to hell Acts 2:27.
7. Moses didn’t have to speak to people on earth and that is not the context.
8. Lazarus was resurrected from the dead John 11:1-44. But he would have had to die again for Christ was the first fruits of the resurrection of the dead 1 Corinthians 15:20.
9. Aristotelian Greek? Aristotle the Greek was a heathen not a Christ believer who truly believed in the Bible. Jerry Kelso
1. Yes, and the story behind the rich man is that -
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead.
This was not a dissertation on hell---but said to those who were not listening to the prophets. It was the rich man that wanted someone from heaven sent to his brothers to change their way of life--to warn them. Jesus said that couldn't happen, and even if it could, they still would not believe. Just before this Jesus had told a parable of another rich man and a dishonest manager, and told the Pharisees that
Luk 16:13 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.
Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15 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.
Jesus was talking to the Pharisees, who were covetous. It was a passable:
Mat_13:34
All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them:
Mar_4:34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
All your other points do not matter---it was a parable.
2. Big bosom---He made the universe so He can make compartments in hell----what does a big bosom in heaven have to do with compartments in hell?
3. That the rich man was not burning: you should understand who are those who do not burn up in the presence of God:
Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15
He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isa 33:17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
It is only the righteous that are not consumed by the devouring fire that is God.
The lost are not given eternal life---you will not find one verse that says they do.
4. Elijah and Moses were brought down to talk to Jesus---not to talk to the disciples, it was an angel that talked to the disciples. Elijah had been translated, never seen death. Moses was resurrected (Jude)
These are not "disembodied souls" of the dead.
5. God and the angels have better things to do than to sit throughout eternity watching the lost being tortured:
Rev_14:10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone
in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
It is not the screams of the lost and fear that keeps sin away for eternity ----Jesus will bear upon His body the scars of His crucifixion---it is the love He showed us on the cross that will keep sin away forever.
Rev. 14 says it is the smoke that goes up forever---such as when a fire goes out, even a match--the smoke just keeps going up into the atmosphere "forever."
Isa:66---we will look upon the "carcasses"
sa 66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
It says the worm won't die--worms only eat dead flesh---this is all a euphemism for death--total extinction. Unquenchable fire is merely one that no one can put out--it can only die when it runs out of fuel.
6. Dust you are and unto dust we return---doesn't say anything about a soul going somewhere else.
Act 2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
It says his body will not see corruption---clearly the body does see corruption---Jesus did not, neither was His body left in the grave. Christians will not be left in the grave forever---we will be resurrected when Jesus returns.
7. Have no idea what you mean with this one.
8. Yes, the real Lazarus was resurrected by Jesus and would have had to die again.
9. Exactly--0there is Greek thinking that crept into Christianity---such as the concept of the separation of the body and soul and that the soul goes on after the body dies---it is Greek Aristotelian thinking.
