The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Jesus tells of a rich man who feasts daily while the beggar Lazarus lies at his gate. Both die — Lazarus goes to Abraham's bosom, the rich man to torment. The rich man's plea for warning his brothers is denied.

A sobering teaching on the eternal consequences of ignoring the poor and the sufficiency of Scripture for salvation.

Key Verses

Background

Jesus delivered this parable within a larger discourse aimed at the Pharisees, who Luke describes as "lovers of money" who had sneered at Jesus' teaching on serving God rather than wealth (Luke 16:14). The parable appears in Luke 16 alongside the parable of the dishonest manager, forming a sustained meditation on the spiritual dangers of wealth. Unlike most parables, this one names a character — Lazarus, from the Hebrew Eleazar, meaning "God has helped" — which underscores his identity as one whose only help came from God. The rich man, conspicuously unnamed, dressed in purple and fine linen, the attire of royalty and priestly aristocracy, and feasted lavishly every day.

The Event

At the gate of the rich man's estate lay Lazarus, covered in sores, longing for the scraps that fell from the table. Even dogs came and licked his wounds — a detail of utter destitution, since dogs in the ancient Near East were generally unclean scavengers. Both men died. Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham's side — a position of highest honor at the heavenly banquet. The rich man found himself in Hades, tormented in flames. From his position of agony, he could see Abraham and Lazarus at a distance. He addressed Abraham as "father," asserting his ethnic pedigree, and begged for relief. Abraham's response was measured: in life, the rich man received good things while Lazarus received bad things; now the positions were permanently reversed. A great chasm, fixed and uncrossable, separated them. The rich man then pleaded that Lazarus be sent to warn his five brothers. Abraham replied that they already had Moses and the Prophets — and that even a resurrection would not persuade those whose hearts were hardened (Luke 16:31).

Theological Significance

This parable carries an unmistakable eschatological weight. It affirms the reality of an afterlife with moral accountability, the permanence of post-mortem conditions, and the sufficiency of Scripture for salvation — a sufficiency that no miracle can replace for those who choose not to believe. The final line is devastating in its irony: Jesus himself would soon rise from the dead, and many would still refuse to believe. The parable also challenges any theology that equates earthly prosperity with divine favor. The rich man's problem was not his wealth per se, but his studied indifference to Lazarus at his very gate. The proximity of need and the failure to act is the heart of the indictment. Echoing Amos 6:1–7 and Isaiah 58:6–7, the parable insists that covenantal faithfulness requires active care for the poor.