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Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Wiersbe notes that "The most important thing about a steward is that he serve his master faithfully (1 Cor. 4:2). When he looks at the riches around him, the steward must remember that they belong to his master, not to him personally, and that they must be used in a way that will please and profit the master." (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) NET Note on reported to - These are not formal legal charges, but reports from friends, acquaintances, etc.; (The marginal note in the NAS translates it "accused.") Matthew
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Wiersbe - This particular steward forgot that he was a steward and began to act as if he were the owner. He became a "prodigal steward" who wasted his master's wealth. His master heard about it and immediately asked for an inventory of his goods and an audit of his books. He also fired his steward. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) And this manager was reported (diaballo) to him as squandering (diaskorpizo) his possessions (huparcho) - This story reminds me of Bernie Madoff who created the greatest Ponzi scheme in history (at one time worth of 64.8 Billion dollars)! If you are finding yourself envious of that huge number, you definitely need to read the story of Madoff, who paid an even higher personal price for his squandering the possessions of investors who put their trust in him! Squandering is in the present tense meaning it was habitual practice to scatter abroad or disperse his master's possessions! Of course in this context the verb meant to squander and is the same word used to describe the prodigal son squandering his inheritance (Luke 15:13+). Mattoon says the idea of diaskorpizo is "to winnow, like a person that separates the grain from the chaff by throwing it up high into the air and letting the wind blow away the chaff (cf Mt 25:24, 26)." This literal use depicts the way this "scam artist" handled his master's resources, throwing away money with no sense of responsibility or accountability. This is the antithesis of a good steward and violates the basic sense of the role a steward was to fulfill which was to take judicious, wise care of his master's possessions. THOUGHT- Beloved, as we read this story, we need to be reminded of the fact that as God's children we are stewards of our Father's possessions, and one day will be required to give an account to Him of our handling of those possessions. Paul writes "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Cor 5:10+) and "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom.14:12+) Vance Havner often said, "God called us to play the game, not keep the score." If we are faithful stewards, God will reward us generously, and that reward will forever bring glory to His name. Do you really believe you will have to give an account to God? You say now wait a minute - Jesus paid for all my sins didn't He? Yes, your sins are totally forgiven, but that is not what this accounting is about! It is about how you used (or wasted) your time, talents and money in this drama call life! You can't take it with you, but you can send it on ahead! Are you? I sometimes wonder why twice in heaven John says God will wipe away every tear? (Rev 7:17, Rev 21:4). It is only a guess, but it occurs to me that it could be because in heaven we realize what we could have done on earth for God's glory if we had used the time, talents and treasures faithfully and fruitfully, abiding in His Vine (Jesus Jn15:5) and filled with (supernaturally enabled) His Spirit (Eph 5:18+)! O God, don't let us (myself or anyone reading these words) waste this fleeting treasure of time You've given us (Ps 144:4), but to use it for Your great glory and bring forth eternal fruit "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Eph 3:20+) In Jesus' Name. Amen David
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Wiersbe - In His portrait of the prodigal and the elder brother, Jesus described two opposite philosophies of life. Prior to his repentance, the prodigal wasted his life, but his elder brother only spent his life as a faithful drudge. Both attitudes are wrong, for the Christian approach to life is that we should invest our lives for the good of others and the glory of God. This chapter emphasizes that truth: life is a stewardship, and we must use our God-given opportunities faithfully. One day we must give an account to the Lord of what we have done with all He has given to us, so we had better heed what Jesus says in this chapter about the right and wrong use of wealth. Neither of the two accounts in this chapter is called a parable either by Jesus or by Luke, so it is likely that our Lord was describing actual happenings. However, whether they are actual events or only parables, the spiritual values are the same. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) Brian Bell - Like the prodigal(wasteful) son, this steward wasted his master’s goods , just as many people are doing today. From the prodigal son to the prodigal steward. Many people are doing the same today…wasting what God has entrusted into their care! (ED: GREAT POINT AS LUKE USES THE SAME VERB DIASKORPIZO OF THE PRODIGAL SON IN Lk 15:13+ AND HERE OF THE PRODIGAL STEWARD!) Michael Andrus has some helpful background on the parable in Luke 16:1-9 - On the surface this appears to be a strange story for Jesus to tell. Why would he employ a rogue like this dishonest manager as an example of something good? But it doesn't seem quite so strange when we look at some of the other characters Jesus appealed to in His teaching. Perhaps you recall the parable of the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-8 he didn't fear God and he didn't respect man, but Jesus saw in him a positive spiritual truth. Or recall how Jesus commanded us in Mt 10:16 to be "wise as serpents?" Or what about the simile He used of His own return, namely that He will come as a "thief" in the night? In none of these cases is the Lord condoning all the activities of the one pictured. He is not condoning the judge's hard‑heartedness, or the serpent's poisonous mouth, or the thief's penchant for relieving other people of their personal property. Nor is he here in this parable condoning the shrewd manager's dishonesty. Rather in each case He is attempting to make one salient point, to teach us one positive truth from the illustration. An ancient proverb explains Jesus' use of these characters: "It is wise to learn, even from an enemy." The unjust judge does allow himself to be moved by the needs of people, and so does God. A serpent is careful and on the lookout for danger, and so should a Christian be. A thief will come at an unexpected moment, and so will Jesus Christ. Likewise the dishonest manager in our story demonstrates cleverness, shrewdness and prudence in the way he uses money to prepare for the future, and so should we. The real theme of this parable, and indeed of the entire chapter, Luke 16, is money. (Luke 16:1-9 Money–Godly Ways of Giving It: A Bad Man's Good Exa) ILLUSTRATION of stewardship - This past summer we all heard about Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation receiving Warren Buffett’s gift of $31 billion. In 2 years they will start receiving Increments of $3 billion a year. Must give away every nickel that is contributed in the previous year. In the next 2 years, the foundation plans to double its staff to about 600 people to handle the additional money. I wonder what they’ll invest in. I wonder how much will be a temp blessing(earthly), or a how much will be an investment to the future? (Brian Bell) Disciples (3101)(mathetes from manthano = to learn which Vine says is "from a root math, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor". Gives us our English = "mathematics") describes a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal. Mathetes is used of superficial followers of Jesus as well as of genuine believers, so clearly the ultimate sense is determined by the context. Mathetes uses by Luke - Lk. 5:30; Lk. 5:33; Lk. 6:1; Lk. 6:13; Lk. 6:17; Lk. 6:20; Lk. 6:40; Lk. 7:11; Lk. 7:18; Lk. 7:19; Lk. 8:9; Lk. 8:22; Lk. 9:14; Lk. 9:16; Lk. 9:18; Lk. 9:40; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 9:54; Lk. 10:23; Lk. 11:1; Lk. 12:1; Lk. 12:22; Lk. 14:26; Lk. 14:27; Lk. 14:33; Lk. 16:1; Lk. 17:1; Lk. 17:22; Lk. 18:15; Lk. 19:29; Lk. 19:37; Lk. 19:39; Lk. 20:45; Lk. 22:11; Lk. 22:39; Lk. 22:45; Acts 6:1; Acts 6:2; Acts 6:7; Acts 9:1; Acts 9:10; Acts 9:19; Acts 9:25; Acts 9:26; Acts 9:38; Acts 11:26; Acts 11:29; Acts 13:52; Acts 14:20; Acts 14:22; Acts 14:28; Acts 15:10; Acts 16:1; Acts 18:23; Acts 18:27; Acts 19:1; Acts 19:9; Acts 19:30; Acts 20:1; Acts 20:30; Acts 21:4; Acts 21:16 Rich man (4145)(plousios from ploutos = wealth, abundance, riches) is an adjective which defines that which exists in a large amount with implication of its being valuable. Literally plousios refers to having an abundance of earthly possessions that exceeds normal experience. The idea of being materially affluent and rich dominates its secular usage. Luke uses this adjective 3 times in this parable (Lk 16:19, 21, 23) with 7 other uses of rich, most in the context of who does or does not attain to eternal life in heaven (Kingdom of God): Plousios uses by Luke - Lk. 6:24; Lk. 12:16; Lk. 14:12; Lk. 16:1; Lk. 16:19; Lk. 16:21; Lk. 16:22; Lk. 18:23; Lk. 18:25; Lk. 19:2; Lk. 21:1 Manager (steward)(3623) (oikonomos from oíkos = house + némo = manage, distribute, dispense; see related oikonomia) is literally the manager or superintendent of a household or estate. A steward manages another's wealth. He does not own that wealth himself, but he has the privilege of enjoying it and using it for the profit of his master.
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Wiersbe comments that "The children of this world" are wiser only "in their generation"; they see the things of time, but not the things of eternity. Because the child of God lives "with eternity's values in view," he should be able to make far better use of his opportunities." Sons of this age describes unsaved sinners in general and is used by Jesus later in Luke describing the distinction in marriage on earth versus the situation in heaven... “In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.” 34 Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age (ETERNITY IN HEAVEN - THEIR "CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN" - Php 3:20+) and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (Luke 20:32-36+) Shrewd (phronimus) is a morally neutral term which speaks of common sense, keen foresight, practical intelligence, smarts, being prudent. Most of the NT uses have a positive sense conveying the sense of prudence. Jesus' point of comparing sons of light to this dishonest manager is that the believer is expected to think and to use his God-given wealth wisely.
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Wiersbe - It is tragic to see how God's wealth is being wasted by Christians who live as though Jesus never died and judgment is never coming. The old couplet is certainly true: The only difference between men and boys/Is that men buy more expensive toys. The heritage of the past must be used wisely in the present to guarantee spiritual dividends in the future. All of us should want to meet people in heaven who trusted Christ because we helped to pay the bill for Gospel witness around the world, starting at home. Thoreau (AN UNBELIEVER) wrote that a man is wealthy in proportion to the number of things he can afford to do without, and he was right. I once heard the late Jacob Stam pray, "Lord, the only thing we know about sacrifice is how to spell the word." I wonder if today some of us can even spell the word! (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) Faithful (4103) (pistos from peitho = to persuade) is someone who is dependable, trustworthy, steadfast, unswerving. Webster says that "Faithful" means firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance and implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted. Steven Cole on Luke 16:10-12 - Temporal versus eternal: Lay up treasures in heaven. The second contrast consists of three contrasts that all point to the same thing, namely the temporal versus the eternal. Jesus contrasts “a very little thing” with “much” (Lu 16:10); “unrighteous mammon” with “true riches” (Lu 16:11); and, “that which is another’s” with “that which is your own” (Lu 16:12). The “very little thing,” “unrighteous mammon,” and “that which is another’s” all refer to temporal resources, or money. It belongs to another, namely, to God, as we have seen. “Much,” “the true riches,” and “that which is your own” all refer to eternal treasures laid up in heaven, which no man can take from you (thus you truly possess them [Mt 6:20]). Thus Jesus is saying that the faithful steward will provide true riches for eternity in contrast to this unrighteous steward who provided himself only with temporal provisions. Isn’t it ironic that to us, money is a big deal, but to God it’s “a very little thing”! If you don’t think that money is a big deal to people, even to God’s people, just ask some dear old saint to part with his or her riches for the sake of God’s work and see what kind of response you get! In my church in California, a very wealthy man who was in his eighties had set up a fund to help young people who wanted to go into Christian work attend Christian colleges or seminaries. He had moved out of the area and the fund was depleted, so I wrote him a very tactful letter thanking him for his generosity, telling him of some of the young people who had been helped, and informing him that the fund had been depleted. He wrote back an angry letter accusing us of being after his money and telling us that if we ever asked him for money again, he wouldn’t give! We hadn’t even asked for money; we had just informed him that the fund was depleted. I’m sure that he could have given $100,000 to the fund and he still would have had plenty left for all his years on this earth. Sadly, none of this man’s four grown children were Christians, and they were all financially successful. But rather than willing his large estate to the Lord’s work, he probably willed it all to his unbelieving children. His money was a big deal to him! But God views our money as a very little thing. It is the litmus test by which God tests us to see if we can handle true riches, namely, souls. If we are faithful in managing the money God gives us for His purposes, He will entrust eternal souls into our care. We will have eternal rewards in heaven, even if we don’t have much in terms of earthly possessions. (How to be Truly Rich) Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." KJV Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. No servant can serve two masters Luke 9:50; 11:23; Joshua 24:15; Mt 4:10; 6:24; Ro 6:16-22; 8:5-8; James 4:4; 1 Jn 2:15,16 he will hate the one and love the other Luke 14:26 Luke 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 16:1-13 How to be Truly Rich - Steven Cole Luke 16:1-13 Investing Earthly Finances with an Eternal Focus - John MacArthur Related Passages: Joshua 24:15+ “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SERVING TWO MASTERS See in depth comments on Jesus virtually identical statement in Matthew 6:24 (some duplication of comments below) Warren Wiersbe - If God is our Master, then money will be our servant, and we will use our resources in the will of God. But if God is not our Master, then we will become the servants of money, and money is a terrible master! We will start wasting our lives instead of investing them, and we will one day find ourselves "friendless" as we enter the gates of glory. Henry Fielding wrote, "Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil!" Jesus said, "Make money your servant and use today's opportunities as investments in tomorrow's dividends." Be a wise steward! There are souls to win to the Saviour, and our money can help get the job done. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) No servant (oiketes) can serve (douleuo - present tense - continually) two masters (kurios) - No (oudeis from ou = not + dé = but + heis = one) means literally "but absolutely not one", and emphasizes not even one or not the least. Absolutely no man has the inherent ability habitually serve two owners at the same time, in the sense that they both can be his master. This is a basic foundational truth. Why? Because servitude to one consumes your life and precludes servitude to the other. A servant was not part time but belonged to one master 100% of the time. He was subject to the master at all times and in everything he said or did. He was not free to relate to another master at any time. Everything he was and everything he possessed in fact belonged to the master! That is picture Jesus wants us to understand. Slavery was full-time and "all in" so to speak! Note there are only Two options. No middle ground allowed. No straddling the fence. Compare Joshua 24:15, 19, 20+, 1Sa 7:3 1Ki 18:21, Hosea 10:2KJV, Jas 4:4, 2Ti 4:10 Spiros Zodhiates - The absence of neutrality is conspicuous. It goes without saying that multiple bosses never work. Two owners will fight over the priorities and work of a single employee. If both impose equal work, the employee either has to work two shifts or prioritize at the risk of angering one of his bosses. Contradictory orders from two owners are impossible to carry out. Opposing employers wear out their employees. In plain language, Jesus said, it cannot be done. (Exegetical Commentary on Matthew) See in depth commentary on related passages: James 4:4 -James 4:4 Commentary 1 John 2:15 - 1John 2:15 Commentary 1 John 2:16 -1John 2:16 Commentary Jesus carefully choose the picture of a slave. There could be no doubt about the issue of control. Jesus' point is that our will will be enslaved by either God or materialism ("mammon"). Either Jesus Christ is our Lord, or money is our lord, but both cannot be lord at the same time (cp 1 Ti 6:9) Jesus' teaching reminds me of the old saying that "oil and water" don't mix. We see this same principle in many other ways. You cannot be a liar and be a truthful man at the same time. You cannot be immoral and be virtuous at the same time. You cannot be a worldling and be spiritual at the same time. You cannot gain the approval of the world and the approval of God at the same time. Many try to play both sides of the fence but the Lord states that this is impossible. WHO IS YOUR MASTER? (From a note I wrote on Mt 6:24 in 2009) - Dear believer, guard your heart carefully, lest it be deceived by sin and you try to create heaven on earth rather than setting your mind on things above. Remember that whatever you store up, will cause you to spend much of your time and energy thinking about! It is the early part of 2009 as I write this note and America is reeling from a painful recession (or worse). As one who is fully retired, I have lost about 25% of my retirement fund, and this has served as a poignant test of my heart and where my allegiance and trust lies. I never gave money much thought before this recession, but God has used this down time to expose the roots of evil in my heart. He has shown me that my love for money was more than I would have ever realized in times of plenty. Blessed be the ways of the Lord, Who lovingly discloses our "blind spots" that we might grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. THOUGHT - Ask yourself "Does Christ or money occupy more of my thoughts, time, and efforts?" Or to phrase it another way "Have I bowed to Christ or financial security as my lord and master?" The answer might be painful as it was to me, but if properly responded to, it will yield a sharing in His holiness (Heb 12:10+) and the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11+) Life Application Bible Commentary – MASTER MONEY - Money can easily take God's place in your life. It can become your master. Money is a hard master and a deceptive one. Wealth promises power and control but often cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made—and lost—overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, and eternal life. Instead, let God be your Master. His servants have peace of mind and security, both now and forever. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? If you answer yes to most of these questions, you have a problem. Do you think and worry about it frequently? Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? Is it hard for you to give money away? Are you in debt? John
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Wiersbe - The word torment is used four times in this account (Lk 16:19-31), and it speaks of definite pain. This is the same word that is used for the doom feared by the evil spirits (Mark 5:7+) and the judgments God will send on an unrepentant world (Rev. 9:5; 11:10; 20:10). If hell is the permanent prison of the damned, then hades is the temporary jail, and the suffering in both is very real. People ask, "How can a loving God even permit such a place as hell to exist, let alone send people there?" But in asking that question, they reveal that they do not understand either the love of God or the wickedness of sin. God's love is a holy love ("God is light," 1 John 1:5), not a shallow sentiment, and sin is rebellion against a holy and loving God. God does not "send people to hell." They send themselves there by refusing to heed His call and believe on His Son. The "unbelieving" are named second on the list of the people who go to hell, even before the murderers and the liars (Rev. 21:8; also see John 3:18-21, 36). (Bible Exposition Commentary - NT) Specific torments in the Luke passage (Lk 16:19-31) are the flame (whether literal or figurative), in agony, the sight of the righteous, the sensation of unquenchable thirst, the remembrance of one's previous life, and the worst of al the realization that they are in a hopeless situation for all of eternity! Meditate much on hell. Let us go into hell by contemplation that we may not go into hell by condemnation. -- A Puritan Musing MacArthur on Lazarus in his bosom (kolpos) - the shock (to the Pharisees listening to this parable) is this man is in Heaven. The next shock is he’s not just in Heaven, he’s taken by the angels to Heaven. The next shock is he’s not just taken by the angels to Heaven, but he’s not on the periphery. He’s not at the back of the room or the back of the crowd looking over everybody’s head and between their heads to see who’s sitting up at the main table. He’s sitting next to Abraham. Wow … This is just way out there. A broadside on their theological assumptions! The Pharisees knew where Abraham was, because he was the father of the faithful. They knew Genesis 15:6-note says, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned (imputed) it to him as righteousness.” That truth establishes Abraham, not only as the father of the race physically, but the father of the faithful spiritually. He is the first one of whom it is said he received an imputed righteousness by faith, which is the way salvation always comes. And so Abraham was their hero racially and spiritually; and here goes Lazarus right into the presence of Abraham. The Jews believed then and believe today that Abraham is in Heaven; that if there’s a hierarchy in Heaven, then Abraham’s at the top. If there’s a chief seat at the great Messianic banquet in the glories of Heaven (Ed: See Lk 14:15ff-note), Abraham is in that seat. He is the most honored of all people, of all Jews; and the Jews are most honored in their minds of all people. And to take this wretched, stinking, foul beggar and place him at the table beside Abraham is way beyond comprehension for them. He would’ve been refused fellowship with any Pharisee. No Pharisee would’ve gone near that man under any circumstance whatsoever. He was refused even minimal fellowship, even the minutest attention of giving him some crumbs to eat. The religious elite passed by him and never even saw him; and now he is in close, intimate fellowship with the greatest of all Jews, Abraham. One of the tortures of hell is everybody knows they’re not in the Kingdom of God. See above for similar picture in Luke 13:26-30 Bosom is depicted by John at the Last Supper "There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom (kolpos) one of His disciples (John), whom Jesus loved." (Jn 13:23) Thomas Watson described the divergent perspectives of the Rich Man and Lazarus noting that "What a wicked man fears, a godly man hopes for." As
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Wiersbe - If God grants riches, and we use them for His glory, then riches are a blessing. But if we will to get rich, and live with that outlook, we will pay a great price for those riches. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) Adam
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Wiersbe - They professed to trust God, but they measured life by wealth and possessions, the same as the unbelieving worldly crowd. Far too many professed Christians today are making the same mistake. With their lips, they honor the Lord; but with their wealth, they live like the world. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24)
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Wiersbe asks "Why is one man wealthy and another man poor? Had the Jewish people obeyed God's commandments concerning the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee, there would have been little or no poverty in the land, for the wealth and real estate could not have fallen into the hands of a few wealthy people (see Lev. 25, and note Ex. 23:11; Deut. 14:28-29). The Old Testament prophets denounced the rich for amassing great estates and exploiting the widows and the poor (Isa. 3:15; 10:2; Amos 2:6; 4:1; 5:11-12; 8:4-6; Hab. 2:9-13). In Jesus' day, Palestine was under the rule of Rome, and life was very difficult for the common people." (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) POSB on fact that rich man (plousios) was unnamed - The rich man did not know God; therefore, he was unknown to God and God was not able to honor him. He was nameless to God. Lazarus knew God and was known by God. His very name, Lazarus, means God is my Help or Helper. Paul wrote "if anyone loves God, he is known by Him." (1Co 8:3, cf Gal 4:8-9, Jn 10:14, 27)....He was complacent, hoarding and allowing money to lie around making more and more for himself and his estate while needs lay all around him—right at his gate (cf Mt 25:43, 1Jn 3:17, Mk 4:19, 1Ti 6:9, Zech 7:6, Dt 15:7). (Borrow Luke Commentary) While in the world's eyes this man was "filthy rich," in fact he was spiritually poor! As Jesus warned earlier "that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God." (Lk 16:15+) Everyday that he lived brought him closer to losing everything he had, including his eternal soul. This rich man's wretched, miserable, poor and blind spiritual condition reminds me of Jesus' solemn warning to the church at Laodicea ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.(Rev 3:17-20+) The words of Jehovah in Jeremiah's prophecy are apropos to this rich man who glorified in the praise of men rather than God... Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24) He habitually dressed in purple (porphura) and fine linen (bussos/byssos) - Habitually dressed is the imperfect tense pictures him day after day clothing himself with incredibly luxurious garb. Even on his "routine days" he still clothed himself in incredibly luxurious clothes. Purple (porphura) was cloth dyed with a very costly dye obtained from the shellfish murex. It would be used for the outer garment and the fine linen for the undergarment. In the Septuagint it was the material used to construct God's Tabernacle and the garments of the priests. The combination of purple and fine linen stands for the ultimate in luxury (both were used to construct God's Tabernacle!) This man would have been on the front cover of the Hebrew edition of GQ ("Gentlemen's Quarterly")! Pulpit Commentary - The words which describe the life of Dives were chosen with rare skill; they are few, but enough to show us that the worldly hero of the story lived a life of royal magnificence and boundless luxury. His ordinary apparel seems to have been purple and fine linen. This purple, the true sea purple, was a most precious and rare dye, and the purple garment so dyed was a royal gift, and was scarcely used save by princes and nobles of very high degree. In it the idol-images were sometimes arrayed. The fine linen (byssus) was worth twice its weight in gold. It was in hue dazzlingly white. And fared sumptuously every day. With this princely rich man banquets were a matter of daily occurrence. Luther renders the Greek here, "lebte herrlich und in Freuden." Thus with all the accompaniments of grandeur this nameless mighty one lived, his halls ever filled with noble guests, his antechambers with servants. Everything with him that could make life splendid and joyous was in profusion. Some have suspected that our Lord took, as the model for his picture here, the life of the tetrarch Herod Antipas. The court of that magnificent and luxurious prince would certainly have well served as the original of the picture; but Herod was still living, and it is more likely that Jesus was describing the earth-life of one who had already been" dismissed" from his earthly stewardship, and who, when he spoke the parable, was in the world to come. (ED: THAT IS AN INTERESTING COMMENT - THE IMPLICATION IS THERE WAS A REAL RICH MAN, BUT IT IS STILL CALLED A PARABLE!). John MacArthur gives some background, which while not stated directly, is certainly implied - The outer garment that the people wore in those days if they were wealthy enough was made out of...fulled wool. It was placed into a basin, and then it was mingled with clay (Ed: And urine!!! See note), and the time consuming, laborious, hands-on process produced a kind of white that was almost blazing, brilliant, shining white. It was a very expensive process done for the elite who alone could afford it. They had whiter clothes than everybody else, and it wasn’t because of their detergent. It was because of this process (fulling). And if you wanted to really make the outer garment especially luxurious, you would dye it with Tyrian purple. (A Testimony of One Surprised to be in Hell, Part 1) Gene Brooks - The fine linen (bussos/byssos) refers to his undergarments. He had the best underwear money could buy. (Ed: No humdrum "Fruit of the Loom" for this rich man!) Brian Bill on fine linen (bussos/byssos) - He was not a “Fruit of the Loom” kind of guy! This linen was produced from the flax that grew on the banks of the Nile River. It was white, very soft, and kept him cool in the warm weather. Because it was so expensive, it was only worn by those who were really rich. Often it was just kings and queens who could afford it. This guy had it all and lived in dazzling splendor every day. While some people are quiet about their wealth, this man strutted around like a peacock. While some are able to splurge once in awhile, he lived in opulence every day. He wanted everyone to know how rich he was. He was in love with himself. He had servants galore, bountiful food, and a gorgeous home. (What Happens When You Die?) Joyously (euphraino) living in splendor (lampros) every day ("who feasted sumptuously every day" = NET; Lit., making merry in splendor.) - Not only is he living in luxury but every day is a day of lavish celebration. Wycliffe, he ate, each day, shiningly. He was flamboyant in his materialistic lifestyle. Do you know anyone who calls themselves Christian who lives this way? Woe! NIDNTT says that "such joy stems largely from those events and situations which give rise to communal rejoicing, such as a banquet." It is as if every day was a grand party for this man and his many guests! Think of the best, most costly celebration you might have perhaps one time in your life (e.g., a 50th wedding anniversary), and then picture this man having an even more costly celebration EVERY DAY of his life! Jesus is making the point that not only is he wealthy, but he "enjoyed" his wealth daily. As the commercial says "You only go around once. Grab for all the gusto you can!" To accomplish this goal one needs money, and Dives had plenty. And so Dives daily dived into decadence with delight! Sadly, like so many souls (contrast "many" in Mt 7:13+ and "few" in Mt 7:14+), THOUGHT- Dives traded temporal GUSTO for eternal GEHENNA! That's a very bad deal and surely those haunting memories (including "What if I had only._____." Fill in blank - "listened," "believed," etc) will be part of the "torment" and "agony" every lost soul experiences in hell. Joyously (2165)(euphraino from eu = well, good + phren = mind, intellect, disposition) means in active voice to make someone glad, to cheer someone up, but here it is in the passive voice mean to be glad, to be joyful, to celebrate or be jubilant. Luke uses euphraino 4 times with this sense in story of Prodigal son where it means to celebrate or to feast in token of joy (Lk 15:23, 24, 29, 32). Luke used euphraino to describe another rich man who suffered the same fate as this rich man ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry (euphraino).” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ (Lk 12:19-20-note) Splendor (only used here)(2988)(an adverb lampros from the noun lampros = shining, radiant resplendent, of Herod's robe - Lk 23:11, of angel's shining garment - Acts 10:30) means splendidly, in a sumptuous or opulent manner. It pertains to living in ostentatious luxury, with a desire to show off. Purple (4209)(porphura) is strictly speaking the purple mussel, a type of shellfish found on the coasts of the Mediterranean which was the source of a reddish–purple dye highly valued in the ancient world and in the last of the last days (cf Rev 18:12). When this shellfish was crushed, it would give off yellow fluid which would turn to a purple or blue color based on the exposure to sunlight. If it was a cloudy day, it would turn purple. If it was a clear, sunny day, it would turn blue. In the NT porphura is used of expensive garments made from cloth dyed purple. Twice used of the purple robe placed on Jesus to mock His royalty (Mk 15:17, 20), once for the rich man (Lk 16:19) and once for the ostentation in the last days, specifically describing the destruction of the great wealth of Babylon and the mourning and lamenting of the world's merchants over their loss! (Rev 18:11-12). Note that in Mt. 27:28, the same robe used to mock the King of kings was described as scarlet (kokkinos - also used in Rev 18:12) derived from a worm whose fluids were the sources of the scarlet dye. See how this ties in with the incredible statement of our Lord in Psalm 22:6 "I Am a Worm!" NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible - Although imitation purple dye existed, the dominant source of the dye came from crushing murex shellfish around Tyre. It was necessarily expensive; one source estimates 10,000 shellfish to produce a single gram of the dye (Ed: Some write this made the dye more valuable than gold!). Robes so dyed not surprisingly carried a strong odor, but purple’s expense made it a status symbol. Wikipedia - The word 'purple' comes from the Old English word purpul which derives from Latin purpura, in turn from the Greek porphura, name of the Tyrian purple dye manufactured in classical antiquity from a mucus secreted by the spiny dye-murex snail. This dye was very costly and was used for the upper (outer) garment by the wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). Porphuria - 4 uses in the NT (cf the derivative word "porphuropolis" used to describe Lydia "a seller of purple fabrics" - Acts 16:14) Mark 15:17 They *dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; Mark 15:20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him. Luke 16:19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. Revelation 18:12-note (Context - the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with Babylon, will weep and lament over her fall and the merchants will mourn over the fact that their business is forever gone!) cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet (kokkinos), and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble Comment: The adjective form of porphura, porphurous, is used in Rev 18:16-17a " ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen (bussinous adjective form of bussos -see below) and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’" Just as the great Dives died in one hour, so too did Babylon the great! And such will be the case with all of the world's rich and riches! As John says the world is "passing away" (1 Jn 2:17). THOUGHT - The question is this - Are you banking on the world or you believing in the Messiah? It will determine your destiny just as it did for Dives and Lazarus! Porphura - 48x in 48v in the Septuagint - Used especially in the construction of God's Holy Tabernacle and the Holy Garments of the priests. Exod. 25:4; 26:1,31,36; 27:16; 28:5,8,15,33; 31:4; 35:6,25; 36:35,37; 38:18; 39:1-3,5,8,24,29; 2 Chr. 2:7,14; 3:14; Prov. 31:22; Song. 7:5; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:7; Dan. 5:7,16,29; 6:3; Ex 25:4 (DESCRIBING THE CONTRIBUTION FROM THE PEOPLE FOR BUILDING GOD'S TABERNACLE) blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair, Ex 26:1 “Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen and blue and purple and scarlet material; you shall make them with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. Ex 39:1-3 Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 2He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. 3Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman. Fine linen (only here in NT)(1040)(bussos/byssos from Hebrew word byssus = linen) is a shiny white cloth made from bleached flax. Linen was laborious to manufacture, but the fiber was very absorbent and garments made of linen were valued for their exceptional coolness and freshness in the hot weather of Palestine. Linen was so valuable that it was sometimes used as a form of currency in ancient Egypt. Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. Today, linen is usually an expensive textile produced in relatively small quantities. The fine line would have been underneath the outer robe. Bussos - 40x in 38v in the Septuagint - Most often describing the fabrics used to construct God's Holy Tabernacle! That tells you how costly is this material! Ex 25:4; Ex 26:1; Ex 26:31; Ex 26:36; Ex 27:9; Ex 27:16; Ex 27:18; Ex 28:5; Ex 28:6; Ex 28:8; Ex 28:15; Ex 28:33; Ex 28:39; Ex 31:4; Ex 35:6; Ex 35:23; Ex 35:25; Ex 35:35; Ex 36:35; Ex 36:37; Ex 38:9; Ex 38:16; Ex 38:18; Ex 38:23; Ex 39:2; Ex 39:3; Ex 39:5; Ex 39:8; Ex 39:24; Ex 39:28; Ex 39:29; 2 Chr. 2:14; 3:14; Pr. 31:22; Isa. 3:23; 19:9; Ezek. 16:10; 27:7 Vincent on fine linen (bussos) - A yellowish flax, and the linen made from it. Herodotus says it was used for enveloping mummies (2:86), a statement confirmed by microscopic examinations. He also speaks of it as a bandage for a wound (7:181). It is the word used by the Septuagint for linen (Ex 25:4; 28:5; 35:6, etc.). Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called woven air. Sir Gardner Wilkinson says that some in his possession was, to the touch, comparable to silk, and not inferior in texture to the finest cambric. It was often as transparent as lawn, a fact illustrated by the painted sculptures, where the entire form is often made distinctly visible through the outer garment. Later Greek writers used the word for cotton and for silk. See Wilkinson’s “Ancient Egyptians,” first series, iii., 114 sq., and Rawlinson’s “History of Ancient Egypt,” i., 487, 512. A yellow byssus was used by the Greeks, the material for which grew around Elis, and which was enormously costly. See Aeschylus, “Persae,” 127. Croft Pentz - HEAVEN AND HELL Luke 16:19–31 There are only two places one can go after death—heaven or hell. We have a choice as to which place we will go. Some people say this is only a parable. However, in parables Jesus never mentioned the names of people. In this story He did! Jesus taught more about hell than about heaven. Look at some of the Scriptures about hell. (1) The wicked shall be turned into hell (Ps. 9:17). (2) Punishment is everlasting (Dan. 12:2). (3) The people who will be in hell are described (Rev. 21:8). There will be no rest in hell (Rev. 14:11, 20:10). There are many more. I. THE PERSONS—vv. 19–21 1. Man of wealth—v. 19. “There was a certain rich man,” Jesus said, “who was splendidly clothed and lived each day in mirth and luxury” (LB). Sometimes he is called “Dives,” the Latin word for “rich.” 2. Man of want—v. 20–21 “One day Lazarus, a diseased beggar, was laid at his door. As he lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores” (LB). II. THE PARTICULARS—vv. 22–26 1. Heaven—v. 22. “Finally the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham in the place of the righteous dead. The rich man also died and was buried” (LB). 2. Hell—v. 23. “And his soul went to hell. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham” (LB). 3. Help—v. 24. The rich man cries out for water to cool his tongue, because he is tormented in hell. 4. Helpless—v. 25. It is too late to change now. He had had the opportunity while he was alive; after death it is too late (Heb. 9:27). 5. Horror—v. 26. Once a person enters hell, they never get out! The rich man did not go to hell because of his riches, but because he lived for himself and not for God. III. THE PLEA—vv. 27–31 1. The Plain—vv. 27–28. “Then the rich man said, ‘O Father Abraham, then please send him to my father’s home—For I have five brothers—to warn them about this place of torment lest they come here when they die’ ” (LB; compare with Rev. 20:10; 14:11). 2. The Prophets—v. 29. “But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them again and again. Your brothers can read them any time they want to” (LB). There is no excuse for man to be lost. 3. The Proposal—v. 30. The rich man thought if someone arose from the dead and went back to earth, then his brothers would believe and repent of their sins. 4. The Problem—v. 31. If the brothers did not believe Moses and the other prophets, neither would they believe if someone arose from the dead and went to them. The Pharisees did not believe Jesus when He arose from the dead. Besides a real hell, there is also a real heaven. Notice some of the verses from the Bible: (1) The words of Jesus (John 14:1–6). (2) Second Corinthians 5:1 tells of a home not made with human hands. (3) Abraham looked for a city made by God (Heb. 11:10). (4) Paul told of being with Christ after death—(2 Cor. 5:8). (5) The Bible tells of the new heaven (Rev. 22:1–7). There are only two places—heaven and hell. Which place will you be after you die? What you do with Christ decides where you will be! (Expository Outlines from Luke ) ILLUSTRATION OF THE RICH MAN'S INDIFFERENCE TO ETERNAL MATTERS - When Henry David Thoreau was on his deathbed, he was visited by a minister who urged his dying friend to be ready for death: “Do you know where you’re going in the next world?” Thoreau waved him away with the words, “One world at a time.” His attitude has caused humanists to uphold him as a man of moral courage, resisting a cowardly flight to religion. He was, in fact, the model of a fool. Imagine a man in Florida boarding a plane to Alaska in mid-winter with no baggage, who answers the question, “Do you know where you’re going?” with “One city at a time, my friend.” Only a fool fails to plan ahead for the inevitable. ILLUSTRATION There was a cover article in U.S. News and World Report some seven years ago entitled, Farewell to the Rich, the Famous, and the Unforgettable. The article concerned the key obituaries of 1997: Princess Diana, Mother Teresa, James Michener, Gianni Versace, Paul Tsongas, John Denver, Jacques Cousteau, William Brennan, Ben Hogan, Charles Kuralt, and many others. Following a relatively short time on earth, all of these people tasted death, but all of them are still living somewhere in eternity. The question is,“where?” and how is that destination determined? The author of the article wrestled with these questions as he continued his obituaries for that year of ‘97: “Red Skelton, who used to end his radio and television shows with the sign-off ‘God bless,’ must by now know if he really does. Allen Ginsberg, similarly, must by now know if Buddha is prepared to take a profane Jewish poet to his ample bosom. . . . For Jimmy Stewart, it was a wonderful life, and let’s hope that what he found after death compares well with it.” He then concluded with this comment: “But too lengthy contemplation of the fragility of life cannot be good, either for the complexion or for the appetite. It can only turn us, as we consider the past year’s deaths into the spiritual equivalent of the Chicago Cubs fans, saying, ‘Wait until next year,’ not with hope but with a slight shudder." ILLUSTRATION - In 1923 a group of the world’s most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Collectively, these tycoons controlled more wealth than there was in the United States Treasury, and for years newspapers and magazines had been printing their success stories and urging the youth of the nation to follow their examples. Twenty-seven years later, let’s see what happened to them. (1) CHARLES SCHWAB—the president of the largest independent steel company—lived on borrowed money the last five years of his life, and died penniless. (2) ARTHUR CUTTEN—the greatest wheat speculator—died abroad insolvent. (3) RICHARD WHITNEY—the president of the New York Stock Exchange—was released some time ago from Sing Sing. (4) ALBERT FALL—the member of the President’s Cabinet—was pardoned from prison so he could die at home. (5) JESSE LIVERMORE—the greatest bear in Wall Street—committed suicide. (6) LEON FRASER—the president of the Bank of International Settlement—committed suicide. (7) IVAR KREUGER—the head of the world’s greatest monopoly—committed suicide. All of these men had learned how to make money, but not one of them had learned how to live. The late Robert Horton once said the greatest lesson he learned from life was that people who set their minds and hearts on money are equally disappointed whether they get it or whether they don’t. Upon the statue of Joseph Brotherton, the English church reformer and political activist of the early 1800’s, is the inscription, “A man’s riches consist not in the amount of his wealth, but in the fewness of his wants.” Hell Is for Real Luke 16:19–31 - John Phillips Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven. Indeed, it was because He knew so well the reality of that dreadful place that He came down here to warn and woo the sons of men. This passage is a statement of fact, not a parable. It records an incident torn from real life. The language may well be figurative, although some, perhaps, would question that, but hell is real. He who said “I am … the truth” and who loved men enough to die for them confronts us with this solemn scene. 1. We Do Not Know Who This Man Was: There is no record of his name. It is not in the book of life. 2. We Do Know Where This Man Went: He went to a place of conscious torment. 3. We Also Know What This Man Wanted: Too late— a. He wanted to pray. (“Father Abraham”) b. He wanted to preach. (“I have five brethren”) Note: Here are the verses in which Jesus referred to heaven: Matthew 5:12; 6:20; 7:14; 13:33; 19:17, 21; 25:26; Mark 10:21, 30; Luke 6:23; 10:20; 12:33; 16:22, 25; 18:22; John 3:13; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54; 10:28; 12:25; 14:2–3; 17:2–3. Here are the verses in which He referred to hell: Matthew 5:22, 29–30; 7:13; 8:12; 10:15, 28; 11:22–24; 12:36, 41–42; 13:40, 42, 50; 16:18; 18:8–9; 22:13; Mark 3:29; 9:43, 45, 47; 12:40; Luke 10:14–15; 11:31–32; 12:5; 16:23–25, 28; 20:47; John 5:22, 24, 27, 29–30; 9:39; 12:31; 16:8, 11; 17:12. (100 NT Sermon Outlines) A FEW "RICHISM'S" Naismith has written, “Where is happiness found? John D. Rockefeller, a Christian millionaire, said, “I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness. I would barter them all for the days I sat on an office stool in Cleveland and counted myself rich on three dollars a week.” Broken in health, he employed an armed guard. There are two ways in which a Christian may view his money—‘How much of my money shall I use for God?’ or ‘How much of God’s money shall I use for myself?’ W. Graham Scroggie Money, in truth, is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions. It takes away some cares, no doubt; but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away. There is the trouble in the getting of it. There is anxiety in the keeping of it. There are temptations in the use of it. There is guilt in the abuse of it. There is sorrow in the losing of it. There is perplexity in the disposing of it. J. C. Ryle Two-thirds of all the strifes, quarrels and lawsuits in the world arise from one simple cause—money! J. C. Ryle How we use our money demonstrates the reality of our love for God. In some ways it proves our love more conclusively than depth of knowledge, length of prayers or prominence of service. Charles Caldwell Ryrie W. H. Vanderbilt said, “The care of 200 million dollars is too great a load for any brain or back to bear. It is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it.” When I have any money I get rid of it as quickly as possible, least it find a way into my heart. John Wesley John Jacob Astor left five million, but had been martyr to dyspepsia and melancholy. He said, “I am the most miserable man on earth.” Henry Ford, the automobile king, said, “Work is the only pleasure. It is only work that keeps me alive and makes life worth living. I was happier when doing a mechanic’s job.” Andrew Carnegie, the multi-millionaire, said, “Millionaires seldom smile.”” The two great tests of character are wealth and poverty. Wealth can do us no good unless it help us toward heaven. Thomas Adams The greater our wealth, the greater our dangers. Aristotle Whenever wealth keeps a man from thinking about God it is not a blessing but a curse. John Blanchard Worldlings make gold their god; saints make God their gold. Matthew Henry Gold will be slave or master. Horace The real measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money. John Henry Jowett Few people have the spiritual resources to be both wealthy and godly. Erwin W. Lutzer God gave us wealth, not that we should be hoarders but dispensers. Thomas Manton Wealth often ends in pride. Thomas Manton Wealth is no mark of God’s favour. Poverty is no mark of God’s displeasure. J. C. Ryle Wealth ruins far more souls than poverty. J. C. Ryle The wealthiest man is he who is contented with least. Socrates Many a man’s gold has lost him his God. George Swinnock The streets of gold do not have too great an appeal for those who pile up gold here on earth. A. W. Tozer Money is like sea-water; the more a man drinks, the more thirsty he becomes Money often unmakes the man who makes it. There are no pockets in a shroud. You can blot out the sun if you hold a penny close enough to your eye. Money is like muck, no good unless it is spread. Francis Bacon Nearly half the parables Jesus told have the use of money as their main subject. It is sometimes said that we should give until it hurts. But Jesus teaches that it should hurt when we cease to give! Ian Barclay Few things test a person’s spirituality more accurately than the way he uses money. John Blanchard We cannot serve God and mammon, for as the thoughts of the one rise up, the other goes down. Donald Cargill Lust and lucre follow one another as closely akin, both seducing the heart from the Creator to the creature. A. R. Fausset Make money your god, it will plague you like the devil. Henry Fielding Time and money are the heaviest burdens of life, and the unhappiest of all mortals are those who have more of either than they know how to use. Samuel Johnson If a man’s religion does not affect his use of money, that man’s religion is vain. Hugh Martin The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money. John D. Rockefeller By doing good with his money a man, as it were, stamps the image of God upon it, and makes it pass current for the merchandise of heaven. John Rutledge It is possible to love money without having it, and it is possible to have it without loving it. J. C. Ryle POOR MAN-RICH MAN THE STRIKING CONTRASTS John
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Wiersbe - Death takes place when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26). But death is not the end; it is the beginning of a whole new existence in another world. For the Christian, death means to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:1-8; Phil. 1:21). For the unbeliever, death means to be away from God's presence and in torment (cf 2Th 1:9). The King James Version uses the word "hell" in Luke 16:23, but the Greek word is not "hell" (GEHENNA) but "hades." It is the temporary realm of the dead as they await the judgment. The permanent place of punishment for the lost is "hell," the lake of fire. One day, death will give up the bodies and hades will give up the souls (Rev. 20:13, where "hell" should be "hades"), and the lost will stand before Christ in judgment (Rev. 20:10-15). From our Lord's description, we learn that hades had two sections: a paradise portion called "Abraham's bosom," and a punishment portion. It is believed by many theologians that our Lord emptied the paradise part of hades when He arose from the dead and returned to the Father (John 20:17; Eph. 4:8-10). We know that today "paradise" is in heaven, where Jesus reigns in glory (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:1-4). There is no indication in Scripture that souls in heaven can communicate with people in hades or with people on earth. (Bible Exposition Commentary - NT) As stated at the beginning, some evangelical writers think Luke 16:19-31 is a true story but others think it is a story which Jesus used to teach a spiritual truth (aka, a parable). And so John MacArthur teaches that there is nothing in the Bible "to indicate that somebody in hell could look into Heaven (ED: BUT WHAT ABOUT JESUS' WORDS IN Lk 13:28+ WHICH WOULD SEEM TO ARGUE AGAINST THIS STATEMENT? IT IS NOTABLE THAT MACARTHUR HAS NO COMMENT [IN COMMENTARY, STUDY BIBLE, OR SERMON ] ON THE PHRASE "when you see [LOOKS LIKE LITERAL SIGHT IN CONTEXT] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God". Lk 13:28+ INTERESTING!), find father Abraham, stop him from walking down the golden streets, and ask him a question....No one in hell is omniscient, so they would not be able to see into Heaven and look around until they found Abraham. They would not know who Abraham was. No one in hell can have a conversation with somebody in Heaven. Everything in the experience of a person in hell is confined to hell. Everything in the experience of a person in Heaven is confined to Heaven...But for the sake of the story, Jesus says the rich man sees Abraham; and he knows it is Abraham; and he sees Lazarus beside him." (Sermon A Testimony of One Surprised to Be in Hell, Part 1) As the rich man (and all who refuse to repent) discovered "It does not require a decision to go to hell." Mark Hitchcock rightly states that "Hell is what we earn. "For the wages of sin is death" (Ro 6:23a). Heaven is what God gives us as a free gift by His grace. "But the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ro 6:23b). Our admission price to heaven was paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ. Make sure you have accepted it before it's too late. (55 Questions to Life after Death) As John Hannah says "No one who is ever in hell will be able to say to God, “You put me here,” And no one who is in heaven will ever be able to say, “I put myself here.” Gene Brooks - Jesus reverses what the Pharisees taught that the rich were loved by God and the poor hated. Tony Evans - Notice that this man’s thoughts were clear, his emotions were intact, and his mind was fully functional. The idea of hell as a place where people are out of their minds, screaming insanely with fire bursting out of them, is more of a medieval teaching than an accurate biblical understanding. Brian Bell on Hades (hades) - The other place, the bad place, “H. E. double toothpicks”, Hell, Hades, the underworld, place of punishment, place of perdition." (NOTE: BELL OBSCURES THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TEMPORARY ABODE "HADES" AND THE PERMANENT ABODE "HELL." = GEHENNA) C.S. Lewis was told about a gravestone inscription that read: "Here lies an atheist— all dressed up and no place to go." Lewis quietly replied, "I bet he wishes that were so!" Lewis added "The safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." Henry Alford - The most dreadful torment of the lost, in fact that which constitutes their state of torment, will be this coming to themselves, when too late for repentance. (ED: AND I WOULD ADD THE DREADFUL REALITY THAT THEY ARE FOREVER SEPARATED FROM THE ONE WHO CREATED THEM! 2Th 1:9) In Luke 13 Jesus describes those separated from God as able to see all of the Jewish Patriarchs... “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. (Lk 13:28+) Undoubtedly a major component of the torment is the awareness of separation from the presence of God. Paul alludes to this in Second Thessalonians "For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. (2 Th 1:6-9+) Scott Ardavanis - We have so trivialized the word (HELL) that we have stripped hell of its Biblical meaning. John Blanchard states, “When fifteen people were killed and 186 injured in a collision involving 75 vehicles in Tennessee, a fireman described the scene as ‘three miles of hell.’ During the Persian Gulf War in 1991, CNN reporter Bernard Shaw described the bombing of Baghdad by saying, ‘This feels like we’re in the center of hell.’ At a funeral service for millionaire Malcolm Forbes, his son Robert addressed his dead father with the words, ‘It’s been a hell of a party-thanks for the trip.’” (Blanchard, 16-17) However, others have become exaggerated in their efforts to describe hell’s horror. One preacher speaks of the “wicked hanging by their tongues by hooks while the flaming fire torments them from beneath.” Another says, “The flames of fire gush from ears, eyes and nostrils and out of every pore”–ridiculous! These kinds of statements go beyond a sobered, Biblical approach. This is a more vivid imagination than what is revealed in Scripture. (Donnelly 1987) (A Sermon from Hell)
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Wiersbe - Abraham gave two reasons why Lazarus could not bring the comfort that was requested: the character of the rich man and the character of the eternal state. The rich man had lived for the "good things" of earth, and had experienced abundant temporal blessings. He had his reward (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16). He had determined his own destiny by leaving God out of his life, and now neither his character nor his destiny could be changed. Lazarus could not leave his place of comfort and make even a brief visit to the place of torment. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) You received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony - The point is that the fortunes of the two are inverted. Life for the rich man was as good as it would ever get. Life for Lazarus was as bad as it would ever be! And if you are a believer going through great trials or afflictions, know that this is as bad as it gets for you! The best is yet to come! You received (618) (apolambano from apo = from + lambáno = to receive, take) means to receive fully, receive in full what is one’s due, get back, recover fully what is promised or even to receive by way of retribution. This radical reversal of the fates of Lazarus and the rich man is a fulfillment of Jesus' words in Lk 13:30-note “And behold, some are last (Lazarus) who will be first and some are first (rich man) who will be last.” Good things (18)(agathos) means intrinsically good, inherently good in quality but with the idea of good which is also profitable, useful. Sadly the rich man did not use his good things to aid the poor man. Bad things (2556)(kakos) is a word which basically denotes a lack of something so that it is "bad" or "not as it ought to be. Kakos means not meeting accepted standards of behavior, and thus worthless, bad or inferior. Being comforted (3870)(parakaleo from para = side of, alongside, beside + kaleo = call) means literally to call one alongside, and includes the idea of giving help or aid or relieving sorrow or distress. The present tense is used for being comforted and are in agony - both are eternal states! This is the great reversal Jesus described in Luke 6:20-25 (Lazarus) And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.(Lk 6:20-22-note) (Rich Man) "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 25 “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." (Lk 6:24-25-note)
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Wiersbe - Then the rich man prayed for his brothers (Luke 16:27-31). He did not say, "I'm glad my brothers will also come here. We'll have a wonderful time together!" Occasionally you hear a lost person say, "Well, I don't mind if I go to hell. I'll have a lot of company!" But there is no friendship or "company" in hell! Hell is a place of torment and loneliness. It is not an eternal New Year's Eve party at which sinners have a good time doing what they used to do on earth. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) People in hades have a concern for the lost, but they cannot do anything about it! That you send him to my father's house-- The rich man now is heaven became interested in evangelism and missions (so to speak)! It was as if he had not had a fair warning and ample opportunity to warn his brothers on earth! But sadly he was too focused on earthly matters to consider heavenly things. THOUGHT- One wonders how many believers have a similar vertically oriented (earthly) rather than horizontal (heavenly) mindset and are content to see souls of those they have met, are related to or work with drop off interminably into eternal torment? If we as believers had a more vivid picture of the eternal tortures of the damned, would it not serve to motivate a more urgent style of evangelism? I think it would and can attest that is what has happened to me as I compose these notes on hell. We must remember that once we get to heaven there is no more evangelism. Today is our opportunity of this one lifetime! Are you redeeming the time? Beg the Father to fill you with Holy Spirit boldness so that you let the Bad News motivate you to begin to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with many people with you have never had a spiritual conversation! Amen! Robertson on send him - The Roman Catholics probably justify prayer to saints from this petition from the Rich Man to Abraham, but both are in Hades (the other world). It is to be observed besides, that Abraham makes no effort to communicate with the five brothers. But heavenly recognition is clearly assumed. Dante has a famous description of his visit to the damned (Purg. iii, 114). MacArthur makes the point that "This is both a complaint and a request (ED: THE REQUEST IS OBVIOUS - "SEND LAZARUS"). The complaint is, “You know, the reason I came here, and the reason my brothers are going to come here, is because we have insufficient data. If someone had come back from the dead to warn us, if I had had a sufficient sign, if somebody had come who has been on the other side of death, this would have been sufficient. I wouldn’t be here, and my brothers won’t come. Erwin Lutzer writes - We might think this man would have preferred to have his brothers join him in hades for the sake of the companionship. But he was more than willing to never see them again if he only knew that they would be on the other side of the gulf where Lazarus and Abraham were meeting for the first time. Apparently, even in Hades there is compassion, a natural human concern about the fate of those who are loved! (Borrow Lutzer's book - One Minute After You Die).
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Wiersbe - Moses and the Prophets tell sinners how to repent and be saved, and the Jews heard them read every Sabbath in the synagogue. Though miracles can attest to the authority of the preacher, they cannot produce either conviction or conversion in the hearts of the lost. Faith that is based solely on miracles is not saving faith (John 2:23-25). A man named Lazarus did come back from the dead, and some of the people wanted to kill him! (see John 11:43-57; 12:10) Those who claim that there can be no effective evangelism without "signs and wonders" need to ponder this passage and also John 10:41-42. In the rich man's lifetime, God had spoken to him in many ways. God had permitted him to have riches, yet he did not repent (Ro 2:4-5). Lazarus had witnessed to the rich man, and so had the Old Testament Scriptures that were familiar to the Jews, but his heart remained unbelieving. The fact that Lazarus died first was a strong witness to the rich man, a reminder that one day he would also die, but even a death at his very doorstep did not melt the man's heart. In spite of the fact that he was in torment in hades, the rich man did not change; he was still self-centered. He prayed, but it was for his comfort and the safety of his family. He was not concerned about other lost sinners; his only concern was his five brothers. He argued with God instead of submitting to His will. This indicates that the punishment of lost sinners is not remedial; it does not improve them. Hades and hell are not hospitals for the sick; they are prisons for the condemned. Dr. Luke does not tell us how the covetous Pharisees responded to this account. They certainly knew Moses and the Prophets, and this meant even greater responsibility—and greater condemnation (John 12:35-41). We must remind ourselves that the rich man was not condemned because he was rich, nor was Lazarus saved because he was poor. Abraham was a very wealthy man, yet he was not in torment in hades. The rich man trusted in his riches and did not trust in the Lord. (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24)