Lives of Scripture

In one of His parables, Jesus told of two men whose eternal reversal of fortune illustrates the peril of wealth without mercy. A rich man "habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day," while a poor man named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores, longing to be fed the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table -- even dogs came and licked his sores (Luke 16:19-21). Both men died. Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham's side, a place of honored rest, while the rich man was buried and found himself in torment in Hades (16:22-23). Seeing Abraham far off with Lazarus, the rich man begged for mercy, asking that Lazarus dip his finger in water to cool his tongue, but Abraham explained that their situations, reversed from life, were now fixed by an uncrossable chasm (16:24-26). The rich man then begged that Lazarus be sent to warn his five living brothers, but Abraham answered that they already had Moses and the Prophets to listen to (16:27-29). When the rich man insisted a messenger from the dead would surely persuade them, Abraham gave the parable's haunting final line: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead" (16:31). Lazarus is the only character Jesus ever names within one of His parables.