Interpreting the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: It's Really Good News!

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
17,114
3,687
113
Brother John that text does not say blot out. You are reading that into the text. Did you get that from second hesitations?
Exodus 32:
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
That's because it's not a parable.
Has to be b/c things are happening that the Bible says cannot happen in real experience.
And yes, Jesus was giving us glimpse into what happens at the time of death for the unfaithful.
Jesus said the dead are unconscious in graves, not in conscious torment. Peter also said twice the wicked are "reserved" for future punishment, which means they ain't being punished now.
The rich man and Lazarus reads nothing like a parable. The real names of Abraham, Moses, Lasarus and the literal place of punishment called Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in Greek is useds, which is the place of departed spirits for unbelievers.
"Moses and the Prophets" was a well known symbol for "Word of God" to the Jews; "Abraham" will not "wake or be raised out of (his) sleep" until the resurrection, according to prophet Job, and "Lazarus" was called such so that when the real Lazarus was raised from the dead and the Jews plotted to kill he and Jesus, the people would remember Jesus' words that if they refused to believe the Word, they wouldn't believe though one rose from the dead.
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
God's word does not teach annihilation. There are other scriptures that also teach eternal punishment and not just Lazarus and the rich man.
Not a one. Are Sodom and Gomorrah still burning with "eternal fire"? Is Jerusalem still burning with fire "that shall not be quenched"? And, "smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever" can either refer to "eternity" or "until it is done": Greek "aionios" - "duration: either undefined but NOT ENDLESS or undefined because endless."

FYI, there are many places in Scripture where "forever" is used in conjunction with events that have ALREADY ENDED, and is why scholars agree that when "forever" is applied to the affairs of God, it means "eternity", but when applied to the affairs of men, it usually means "all the days of life", such as in the case of the slave who chose to remain his master's slave "forever" which is "all the days of life". The smoke of the wicked will rise until there's nothing left but ash, which the righteous will tread down, will we not?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,828
13,558
113
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him
(Job 13:15)
Job knows he is not annihilated upon physical death.
Job will continue to exist, and to trust God, even in death.
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him
(Job 13:15)
Job knows he is not annihilated upon physical death.
Job will continue to exist, and to trust God, even in death.
I'm pretty sure Job means, "Though He slay me, yet I will trust Him until He slays me".

How do we know?

Because this same Job said of a dead man, "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not. They are brought low, and he percieveth it not of them."
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Sure did read that parable, and "the rich man" in context is the unrepentant nation of Judah, represented in that moment by the pharisees themselves.

Spiritually dead in trespasses and sins, tormented by their tribulations (Romans, themselves, Herod, devils, etc)
You're making stuff up!
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Ar

Arguing in a circle justifying your a priori by the same.

I believe in "everlasting fire" and showed you how.

If Jesus actually taught eternal torment (not the same as "eternal fire"), then Yes, Jesus loves watching eternal torment.
So your argument is, "eternal" doesn't really mean "eternal".
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Here is the verse
Rev 20:14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death— the lake of fire.
Explain the one hell. Where is it? In death, hades, lake of fire? Let's see the fantastic gymnastics. Please use the Scriptures to support it. :)
I gave LOTS of Scripture and you reject them.

Matthew 25:46 (NASB)
46 "These will go away into
eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

EXACT same Greek word!
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
2 things:
1. if a literal interpretation of a passage causes monumental Scripture contradictions, the passage ain't literal - as in the case of the Rich Man and Lazarus

2. Is the death sentence handed down before the accused is found guilty, or is he first judged?

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptation, and to RESERVE the unjust UNTO THE DAY OF JUDGMENT, TO BE punished." - 2 Peter 2:9 KJV
Literal interpretation only causes problems for unbelievers.

Matthew 25:46 (NASB)
46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."


EXACT same Greek word! You don't believe in eternal life?
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Satan LOVES it when people don't believe in the eternal Hell fire. He want's our company "forever and ever"!
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
OT? The NT teaches MUCH about the "everlasting fire". No need for OT.
Sigh...Sodom and Gomorrah burned with "everlasting fire" - the fire is out and they're under the Dead Sea. Their wicked inhabitants aren't burning now because punishment is "reserved" until the future. (2 Peter 2:9 KJV)

To say: "They're burning now but not being punished but will soon be taken out of the flames, judged, then put back in the flames as punishment" is so ludicrous, it doesn't even warrant being taken seriously. A man on trial facing death as punishment is not punished with death until after a jury of his peers finds him guilty. To you who believe this nonsense, Paul asks, "Or, know ye not the saints will judge the world?"

They are "sleeping", unconscious, unaware of anything, in state of insensibility, awaiting the Resurrection of the the Damned, after which they are "to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9 KJV) in the Lake of Fire where they will burn up and pass out of existence in the Second Death, the permanent death, the eternal death, a death from which there will be no resurrection.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Sigh...Sodom and Gomorrah burned with "everlasting fire" - the fire is out and they're under the Dead Sea. Their wicked inhabitants aren't burning now because punishment is "reserved" until the future. (2 Peter 2:9 KJV)

To say: "They're burning now but not being punished but will soon be taken out of the flames, judged, then put back in the flames as punishment" is so ludicrous, it doesn't even warrant being taken seriously. A man on trial facing a death sentence is not "punished" with death until after a jury of his peers finds him guilty. To you who believe this nonsense, Paul asks, "Or, know ye not the saints will judge the world?"

They are "sleeping", unconscious, unaware of anything, in state of insensibility, awaiting the Resurrection of the the Damned, after which they are "to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9 KJV) in the Lake of Fire where they will burn up and pass out of existence in the Second Death, the permanent death, the eternal death, a death from which there will be no resurrection.
Should we believe you or Jesus?

"The rich man also died"
"being in torments"
"he cried"
"I am tormented in this flame"
"this place of torment"
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
You mean the Satanic deception? Satan wants your company in Hell "forever and ever".
Solomon and Paul wrote these two verses because they knew there'd be folks like you in the church:

"He who speaks first seems right until another comes and cross examines him".
"Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things."

So far, you ain't proved squat, but man do you believe to be right those things you've never heard cross examined ;)
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Probably best if you look up "forever" in the Greek: "aionios".
Why are you obsessed with rewriting the Bible? It couldn't be any clearer!

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)
41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
Solomon and Paul wrote these two verses because they knew there'd be folks like you in the church:

"He who speaks first seems right until another comes and cross examines him".
"Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things."

So far, you ain't proved squat, but man do you believe to be right those things you've never heard cross examined ;)
How ironic!
 
Aug 3, 2019
3,744
507
113
"These will go away into eternal punishment,
What's the punishment? Eternal torment?

"For the wages of sin is DEATH." - Romans 6:23

Death...eternal death...everlasting death...a death from which there will be no resurrection.
 

Duckybill

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2021
1,145
221
63
What's the punishment? Eternal torment?
Yes indeed! Jesus said so.


Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)
41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
"For the wages of sin is DEATH." - Romans 6:23
Yes, that's why people die physically.
Death...eternal death...everlasting death...a death from which there will be no resurrection.
Let's try this again.

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)
41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)
10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.