Neville Turley

In His teaching, our Lord used vivid word pictures to masterful effect and the parable about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is a striking example.

The rich man is depicted as one who only wore the finest, most expensive clothes and feasted sumptuously every day.  Lazarus had absolutely nothing.  He was brought to the rich man’s door where he lay hoping for food.  He did not even have the strength to ward off street dogs licking at his sores.

The contrast between the rich man and Lazarus continues after their deaths.  Angels carry Lazarus off to heaven; the rich man is condemned to hell. 

In this parable the Lord gives us insight into what happens to one at death.  There are only one of two destinations, either heaven or hell.

In all Jesus parables this is the only one where our Lord gives a name to one of the characters depicted and one wonders why?  Lazarus means “God is my helper”.  Maybe Jesus used that name to stress that no matter how dire your circumstances may be, God remains your help and mainstay.

Why did our Lord bluntly condemn his fictional rich man to hell?  The rich man does not appear to be wicked by worldly standards; he cared deeply for his brothers and wanted to help them even when he himself was suffering the torments of hell.

He was not deliberately cruel to Lazarus.  He neither abused him verbally nor physically.  He did not mind him receiving food discarded from his table.

The rich man’s sole concern however, was totally focused on enjoying his own luxurious lifestyle.  Lazarus was simply not part of his world so the rich man was completely indifferent to Lazarus as he lay hungry and suffering on his doorstep.

Perhaps it was not what the rich man did, but what he did not do that sealed his fate.

Our verse for the day puts it so aptly: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”   (Matthew 25:45-46)(NIV)

Prayer:  We thank you that you have chosen us to be your hands and feet in the world today.  May we never be indifferent to the opportunities we have to help those in need. For Jesus sake.  Amen