Catacomb Resident Blog

JTMEE: Chapter 30a

16 May 2024

One of the more famous parables is that of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-30). Bailey says it's ignored, but I think he means it's not very well understood. To western minds, it seems like Jesus is saying that having a rough life means God will even up the score in eternity, even as He sets punishment for those who had it easy in this life.

Heaven is not automatic for those who suffer, nor is Hell for those who prosper. You can find such sentiments in common literature of that day, but Jesus was not echoing that nonsense. It should be obvious a major element in Jesus telling this is to counter the Sadducees who denied the afterlife. His comments about serving Mammon just a few verses before this parable serve as an introduction.

You can serve God with your mammon, but you cannot serve Him alongside mammon. And if you resist paying taxes, you don't understand how God works. We are merely stewards of the things God places in our hands for His service. His comments on money drew a look of disdain from Pharisees and Sadducees alike.

Thus, with the main parable here, the Rich Man served Mammon. Bailey notes that it's a trilogy of parables. The prodigal wastes his father's wealth, the dishonest steward his master's wealth, and this rich man his own wealth.

The format is two parts. First is ABBA; the second is a dialogue (back and forth).

A. The rich man banquets in life
B. Lazarus is starving
B. Lazarus goes to heaven (reclining at a banquet leaning back against Abraham)
A. The rich man goes to hell

The theme is banquets and pain. The dialogue is between the Rich Man and Abraham.

The parable begins with the rich man wallowing in self-indulgence. To wear purple at all signals extravagant wealth, but this guy wore it every day, so that everyone would know he was filthy rich. It's supposed to be funny to note that even his underwear was expensive (Egyptian cotton, actually). And if he feasted daily, he was ignoring the Sabbath observance.

Lazarus holds a rare position, the only figure in a parable with a name. But then, his name refers to someone who has received God's help. It appears God wasn't helping him much at this point in the story. Rich people didn't use napkins at dinner; they wiped their hands pita bread and tossed it. That's what Lazarus was hoping to eat.

He couldn't stand, so he lay at the street entrance to the rich man's garden, a buffer that kept people away from the door of his courtyard. He needed help to move. The wording suggests that he seldom got very much of that discarded bread. Try to imagine the compassion fatigue of people who are doing okay running a gauntlet of annoying beggars; nobody cared about Lazarus.

I think Bailey misunderstands what dogs in ancient times represented, back before the modern habit of using guard dogs in the Middle East. He goes on at length under the supposition of guard dogs. Only after several paragraphs does he briefly note this was unlikely in the case of Lazarus. Then he turns around and talks about how some major figures got along fine with various wild animals in the Ancient Near East and since. Did Lazarus get along okay with the dogs?

Nobody in First Century Palestine kept dogs as pets; the beasts were feral and dangerous. They were more like jackals. To have them come and lick his sores, as if he were one of them, was probably the ultimate indignity, not to mention utterly repulsive. Yet it no doubt did him some good, given what we know of the antiseptic effects of dog saliva.

So Lazarus died and joined the heavenly banquet. Not long after, the rich man also died, and went off to Hades. Apparently the rich man knew Lazarus all along, but never bothered to care about him. Suddenly, he needs Lazarus to care about him. There is no apology or address for Lazarus, but an appeal to Abraham. He plays the ethnic card, calling Abraham his "father". The rich man had nothing in common with Abraham's record of faith, yet here he is calling out like a beggar. He wants to become what Lazarus' name represents, someone God helps.

He has the gall to demand service, just as he had in life. More tomorrow.


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