Luke Bible Study, Day 28
Today’s passage: Luke 16
Focus verse:“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:31)
The Bible records over three dozen parables that Jesus shares with his followers. In only a single story does he give one of these fictitious characters a name. We don’t know why, but this time he does.
The person’s name is Lazarus. But we’d be wrong to assume this is a nod to his close friend Lazarus—brother of Mary and Martha—the man Jesus will later raise from the dead. This parable is not about that Lazarus.
This story has two primary characters. The first one is a rich man. He lives a life of luxury, dresses in fine clothes, and eats the best food. The other is Lazarus.
He’s a beggar, whose body is covered with sores. He positions himself at the rich man’s gate, hoping for a handout. Implicitly, he gets nothing. Nothing, that is, except for the dogs who come and lick his lesions. Their attention is the only thing he receives.
After a while, the beggar dies. Angels carry him to Father Abraham’s side. The rich man also dies and is buried. He goes to hell, where he suffers in torment.
From this vantage, he looks up and spots Father Abraham, with Lazarus standing next to him. He calls to Abraham, asking him to send Lazarus to him and give him a bit of water to soothe his tongue.
Abraham reminds the rich man that in life he had everything, and Lazarus had nothing.
Now, in death, their situations have reversed. Lazarus receives comfort, and the rich man languishes in agony. Besides that, Lazarus cannot cross the chasm between them.
Not able to get any help from Lazarus for himself, the rich man thinks of his five brothers, who are still alive. He asks Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them.
Abraham reminds the rich man that his brothers already have Moses and the prophets, whose words can instruct them. This is testimony enough.
The rich man disagrees. He says if only someone from the dead would come to speak to them, then they would listen.
Jesus corrects the desperate man. He says if they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen to someone who rises from the dead.
In saying this, Jesus prophetically proclaims that many of his own people, who ignored what Moses and the prophets had to say, won’t be convinced even when he rises from the dead.
Questions:
- How well do we do at listening to what the Scriptures teach us?
- Are we more like the rich man or Lazarus?
[Discover more about the value of Scripture in Luke 24:32 and 2 Timothy 3:16–17.]
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Read more about the book of Luke in Dear Theophilus: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke, now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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