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The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, found in Luke 16:19-31, has caused many questions. Is the parable literal or is it figurative? And how does it fit into the overall teachings of the Bible? 
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Browse Article Sections:

• Jesus Addresses False Teachings
• Literal or Figurative?
• The Main Principles of the Parable
• Conclusion

The Parable

Before we look at the meaning of the narrative, let’s read the parable directly from the Bible.

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“Then 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.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead’” (Luke 16:19-31, NKJV).

The Details

Now, let’s look at the details of this story and the main point Jesus is trying to teach. Christ’s audience included:

• Publicans and sinners (Luke 15:1)
• His disciples (Luke 16:1)
• The Pharisees (Luke 15:2)
• Others in the crowd

Jesus Addresses False Teachings

In this parable Christ seems to be speaking specifically to the Pharisees (Luke 16:14). The Jews had unfortunately accepted the pagan Greek belief that when a person dies, they pass through fire to purify the soul. Jesus took this erroneous idea and used it as subject matter for the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

Literal or Figurative?

The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus appears at the end of a list of other parables from Luke 15 & 16—the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep, the lost son, the unjust steward, and finally, the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

We do not expect all the details of these parables to be literal. None of us needs become lost coins or sheep to understand the metaphor of Jesus searching for us when we are spiritually lost. Neither do we need to pass through the experience of the prodigal son or the unfaithful steward in order to learn real lessons and spiritual principles that can help us in our daily lives.

Below are four reasons why the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus should be taken figuratively and not literally:

1. Improbable Metaphors: When Lazarus, the poor beggar, dies he is taken by angels to Abraham's bosom. We know that this is a figurative, or parabolic, expression because no one can literally live or fit inside Abraham’s chest. Besides, there is no other mention of Abraham’s bosom in all of scripture, meaning that this was probably a popular term used by the Jewish people of the day and not a biblical fact (similar to the modern notion of Peter standing at the pearly gates of heaven). The request for one drop of water also seems improbable since one drop would never be able to alleviate burning thirst.
2. Hades, a Place of Rest: In the story, the rich man is buried in Hades, a Greek word used in the New Testament for the grave (v. 22). Hades, in the Bible, is the place where a person rests, sleeping and waiting for the final judgment, not a place where one is tormented. Therefore, the fact that people are speaking and interacting with each other is clearly figurative.
3. Communication Across the Great Divide? The rich man talks directly to Abraham, from the place of torment to the place of comfort (v. 23). However, since the gulf between them is portrayed as too great to cross physically, that would also make audio communication between the two equally improbable (v. 26). Moreover, as mentioned above, both the rich man and Lazarus would be sleeping in the grave after death. This would make any kind of communication impossible. Another point to consider is that heaven wouldn’t be enjoyable if the saved could hear the screams of those being tormented, or experience the added horror of being able to communicate with them, but not help them.
4. Important Principles: Lastly, we are to focus on the principles of this parable and not create doctrines out of every detail that is mentioned. This is clear from the parable located directly before the Rich Man and Lazarus—that of the unrighteous servant (Luke 16:1-10). In this parable Jesus isn’t calling for believers to be dishonest servants but rather to use their money for God and the good of others.

The Main Principles of the Parable

The first principle that Jesus taught with this parable was for the Pharisees. Jesus addressed the false understanding that if a man was rich, he was blessed by God (Mark 10:17-27), and if he was poor, he was cursed. Jesus took this teaching and turned it on its head. Jesus taught that a person’s future destiny is decided by their acceptance of Christ, not by the wealth that they might accumulate in this life.

With this parable, Jesus was specifically rebuking the riches of the Jews—represented by the Rich Man. They were the favored nation of God and wealthy because of the direct blessings of God. The Jewish nation was to share the literal and spiritual blessings God had given them with the nations of the world, represented by Lazarus.

However, the Jewish nation hoarded their wealth and blessings just like the rich man did. In this parable Jesus is pleading with the Jews to change their ways and help those less fortunate.

Another erroneous idea held by people of that day (and even many today) was the suggestion that there existed a second chance after death to make the right choice and be accepted into heaven. Jesus met this idea head on in the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus. In the parable, there is a great gulf fixed between the two men. In other words, when a person dies, there is no reversal of their fate (v. 26). Their decisions and their character are fixed at death; there is no second chance. This shows us how vital are the choices we make today. Our decisions to reject or receive Jesus and His grace today have eternal consequences.

Finally, and most importantly, Jesus emphasized the importance of having a faith solidly based upon Scripture and not upon miracles. Jesus was emphatic! The Rich Man’s brothers had “Moses and the Prophets” (the holy writings of the Old Testament) and if his brothers would not hear or believe the Bible, then they would not believe the same message from even one who rose from the dead.

It is interesting to note that only a few weeks later Jesus would give the Pharisees not one, but two, witnesses who were resurrected from the dead. First, Jesus resurrected a man named Lazarus (John 11)! Jesus sent the Pharisees both “Moses and the Prophets” and a sign in raising Lazarus from the dead. Yet the Jewish leaders continued to be stubborn and hard-hearted and still would not believe (John 12:10, 11).

Finally, Jesus would, Himself, resurrect after His crucifixion on Passover. And yet, the Messiah Himself coming back from the dead was not enough to convince the Jewish leaders to accept Him or believe in Him.

If only they had studied the Holy Scriptures more carefully and allowed the Holy Spirit to guide their understanding. Then, they could have been ready to accept Jesus as the Messiah predicted by the prophets in the Old Testament.

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24). According to Jesus, paying attention to His words and putting them into practice equals building our lives on the strong rock-solid foundation of Christ Himself. Failure to read and implement the teachings of the Bible can lead a person to reject salvation just like the rich man in the parable and the Pharisees in real life. However, listening to and practicing the warnings of love that the Bible offers can lead to the opposite conclusion, a joyous eternity lived in heaven with Jesus.

Conclusion

It is easy for us to look down upon the Jewish leaders for not understanding the meaning of this parable. It is also easy for us to ask ourselves why they didn’t help those less fortunate and share God’s blessing with the surrounding nations? Why didn’t they read the scriptures more closely and understand God’s instructions for them?

However, if we take a minute to look at our own lives, we might see that there are some messages from “Moses and the prophets” that we are failing to heed, just like the rich man did.

Are you following God’s advice to be kind to the stranger, the widow and the orphan? Isaiah 58:6-7 speaks of the ways in which God would like us to serve others.

“…To loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him…” (NASB).

But, like the faithful God that He is, God never asks us to do something without promising us a blessing in return.

“Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am’” (Isaiah 58:8).

But, most importantly, God does not want you to neglect to meet with Him through the reading of His Word. Open God’s Word and read the instructions you see there. Put into practice the wisdom you find. Prepare your heart for His invitation and for His coming. God’s eternal Word does not return to Him without accomplishing true transformation.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

Spending time in God’s eternal Word will not return to Him without success but will effect a change in your life that will prepare you for a joyful eternity spent with Him.

“You will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).