The passage of the rich man and Lazarus begins in the same style as the parables that precede it because it is a parable in a series of parables,
There was a rich man…
Luke 16:19
…A certain man was rich…
Luke 16:1
…A certain man…
Luke 15:11
As such, the rich man symbolizes two types of people, first those who enrich themselves, which is contrary to what the Messiah commanded, “sell your possessions”, to thus become lowly by having little, which is what the early assemblies did to fulfill that command,
There was a rich man… cheerful every day in luxury.
Luke 16:19
So therefore every one of you who does not give up all that he himself possesses, is not able to be my disciple.
Luke 14:33
Yeshuah answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Matthew 19:21
When Yeshuah heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Luke 18:22
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
Luke 12:33
And Yeshuah, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell as much as you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Mark 10:21
They sold their possessions and properties…
Acts 2:45
And the rich man symbolizes the Jews, which is why the rich man called Abraham “Father”,
So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham…
Luke 16:24
Who are Israelites. Theirs is the adoption to sonship…
Romans 9:4
And since the Jews at the time of the Messiah were of the house of Judah, for Israel became divided in two, which was the house of Israel and the house of Judah, is why the rich man had 5 brothers, for the tribe of Judah had 5 sibling brothers born to the same mother, who was Leah,
for I have five brothers…
Luke 16:28
Behold, the days are coming, declares the Master, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Jeremiah 31:31
The sons of Leah, the first-born of Jacob, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun.
Genesis 35:23
And since the house of Judah had kings is why the rich man wore purple, which symbolizes royalty and richness, and the house of Judah had priests, which is why the rich man also wore fine linen, which symbolizes priesthood, and because of this the rich man also symbolizes a very specific type of Jew at the time of the Messiah, the Pharisees and Sadducees, whose people had Jews who were rich and were priests, who opposed everything the Messiah taught,
…and the wrap around garments of the ones of purple, of the ones upon the kings of Midian…
Judges 8:26
and the Levites… putting on apparels of fine linen… and one hundred and twenty priests…
2 Chronicles 5:12
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Yeshuah.
Luke 16:14
Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for you tithe the mint, and the dill, and the cummin, and leave the heavier matters of the Torah, judgment, mercy, and belief, these necessary to do, without neglecting the former.
Matthew 23:23
Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for you are like tombs being whitewashed, ones which outside indeed appear beautiful, but inside are full of bones of the dead and of all uncleanness.
Matthew 23:27
“Be careful,” Yeshuah said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 16:6
And this was also the reason why the rich man was told concerning his brothers, “they have Moses and the prophets”, for the Torah and the words of God given through prophets were entrusted to the Jews, to all the sons of Israel,
Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
Luke 16:29
Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.
Romans 3:2
…theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the Torah, the temple worship and the promises.
Romans 9:4
Whereas Lazarus symbolizes two other types of people, first those who have few possessions and are poor, which also includes those who obeyed the command of the Messiah to “sell your possessions”,
that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Acts 4:34-35
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Blessed are the poor in airflow, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5
And he also symbolizes the Gentiles, which is why he is called “Lazarus” in this parable, for the Greek name Lazarus is based on the Hebrew name Eliezer, who was a servant in the household of Abram and was not to be his heir, and in this way he symbolizes the Gentiles were formerly foreigners to the covenants and promises of God given through Abraham,
And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus…
Luke 16:20
And Abram says, Master, O the Master, what will you give to me, for I am wasting away childless, but the son of Masek of my native-born maid servant, this Damascus Eliezer is heir?
Genesis 15:2
Then the word of the Master came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
Genesis 15:4
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)– remember that at that time you were separate from the Messiah, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12
Yet through the Messiah, by belief in him, and through lowliness and suffering, the Gentiles who were formerly foreigners to the covenants and promises of Abraham become heirs of Abraham, and will be gathered by angels at the second coming of the Messiah to sit with Abraham in the kingdom of God, and thus will “inherit the kingdom of God”, which is why unlike the rich man who called Abraham “Father”, Lazarus, also known as Eliezer, a foreigner to the covenants and promises of Abraham, was eventually gathered by angels to sit at the bosom of Abraham,
…covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:20-21
The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom…
Luke 16:22
But now in the Messiah Yeshuah you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.
Ephesians 2:13
Know then that it is those of the belief who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by belief, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
Galatians 3:7-8
Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with the Messiah, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Romans 8:17
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Master or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
2 Timothy 1:8
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of the Messiah you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
Philippians 1:29
…that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering
2 Thessalonians 1:5
And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
Mark 13:27
I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
Matthew 8:11
Whereas the rich man does not take his place at the bosom of Abraham, because of disbelief in the Messiah, which is why although Hades and the lake of fire are two distinct places, and the lake of fire does not exist yet, for it will be a lake of lava that will form outside the southern wall of Jerusalem, which is why that place is called “Gehenna”, which means “Valley of Hinnom”, whose lava will flow from Zion that will flow to the north to Jerusalem and to the south to Negev, the rich man is symbolically in Hades in flames of fire, which first symbolizes death, for the Jews will be thrown out of Jerusalem and trampled outside the city, to die, and will thus enter the sleep of death in Hades at the second coming of the Messiah, which is a place that is also called Sheol in the Hebrew, which is why it is written, “the sons of the kingdom will be cast out” and “the winepress was trodden outside the city”, and the fire symbolizes destruction in the lake of fire of those who died, for the Jews who are cast out and trampled will later be resurrected a thousand years later in the final resurrection, whose souls will come out of Hades and thus will awaken from the sleep of death, to be judged, and then they will be thrown into the lake of fire, to be destroyed, body and soul, which is also where Hades will be destroyed, and there they will be destroyed without mercy, which is symbolized by the rich man not given even one drop of water to cool his tongue,
And in Hades having lifted up his eyes being in torment, he sees Abraham from far off, and Lazarus in his enfolded arms. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
Luke 16:23-24
I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be be cast out, into outer darkness, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth
Matthew 8:11-12
There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.
Luke 13:28
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested… Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
Revelation 14:15-20
What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes? And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down… For the vineyard of the Master of armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
Isaiah 5:4-7
Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow– so great is their wickedness!
Joel 3:13
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
Isaiah 63:1-3
He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him.
Matthew 9:24
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:6
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
It is not the dead who praise the Master, those who go down to the place of silence;
Psalm 115:17
Consider and answer me, O the Master my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
Psalm 13:3
…declares the Master, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 31:9
Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negev. Say to the forest of the Negev, Hear the word of the Master: Thus says the Master the Master, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched… All flesh shall see that I the Master have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.
Ezekiel 20:46-48
And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.
Isaiah 66:24
And if your eye should cause you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
Mark 9:47-48
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:13-14
And the irony of this parable is that when the rich man tries to persuade Abraham to send Lazarus, who had died, to his family to warn them, Abraham responds with “neither will they be convinced if someone should be resurrected from the dead”, for someone was indeed resurrected from the dead, yet those who are symbolized by the rich man still refused to believe in him, even though the Torah and the prophets all pointed to that one man, which should have been sufficient enough for them to believe, and that man was the Messiah Yeshuah,
And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Luke 16:30-31
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Torah, although the Torah and the Prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through belief in Yeshuah Messiah for all who believe…
Romans 3:21-22
but we preach the Messiah crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles
1 Corinthians 1:23
and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
Acts 3:15
let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Yeshuah Messiah of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well.
Acts 4:10
because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
Acts 17:31
And the gulf fixed between the rich man and Lazarus symbolizes what God has appointed, that those who inherit the kingdom of God cannot be destroyed, and those who are destroyed cannot inherit the kingdom of God, for their destruction is final, and will cease to exist, “destruction of body and soul”,
And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.
Luke 16:26
And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.
Luke 20:36
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the airflow says to the assemblies. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Revelation 2:11
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Matthew 10:28
And thus, through the Messiah, those who lowered themselves by reducing themselves to little by belief in him will be exalted by him, and who who exalted by enriching themselves with more by disbelief in him will be humbled by him,
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12
So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Matthew 20:16
Then Yeshuah said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 19:23-24
And because of all of this is why it is important to understand that the passage of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable, with an interpretation, because those who erroneously take this passage literally enter into false teaching, saying that the dead do not sleep, that the lawless are already being punished in the lake of fire, that the torment in the lake of fire is eternal, that the people of God are already alive with Abraham, and many more lies taught by men who have no knowledge and lack understanding of scripture, just as many men take the following saying of the Messiah literally, “eat my flesh and drink my blood”, even though it was intended to be figurative to represent the supper he instituted in remembrance of him, with bread and wine that do not literally turn into flesh and blood, but figuratively represent those two things, for the Messiah spoke in many parables to the crowds, because it was not given to them to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God, only to very few chosen by God, who were his disciples during that time, and very few who understand now, who all understand the true meanings of these figurative sayings of the Messiah in relation to all the scriptures,
So Yeshuah said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
John 6:53
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Matthew 13:10-11
As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
Matthew 13:23
