Christians, please explain for me the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man?
This parable looks simple, but it's not. And yes, it IS a parable . . . "without a parable He did not speak to them (the crowds)." Here's the parable in Luke to save you looking it up.
`And--a certain man was rich, and was clothed in purple and fine linen, making merry sumptuously every day, and there was a certain poor man, by name Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores, and desiring to be filled from the crumbs that are falling from the table of the rich man; yea, also the dogs, coming, were licking his sores. `
And it came to pass, that the poor man died, and that he was carried away by the messengers (angels) to the bosom of Abraham--and the rich man also died, and was buried; and in the hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he doth see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom, and having cried, he said, Father Abraham, deal kindly with me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and may cool my tongue, because I am distressed in this flame. `And Abraham said, Child, remember that thou did receive--thou--thy good things in thy life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and thou art distressed; and besides all these things, between us and you a great chasm is fixed, so that they who are willing to go over from hence unto you are not able, nor do they from thence to us pass through.
`And he said, I pray thee, then, father, that thou mayest send him to the house of my father, for I have five brothers, so that he may thoroughly testify to them, that they also may not come to this place of torment. `Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them; and he said, No, father Abraham, but if any one from the dead may go unto them, they will reform. And he said to him, If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.' (Luke 16:19-31 YLT)
What is the significance of the rich man? Did he reject Jesus? Refuse to pray the sinners' prayer? What is the significance of his five brothers? What do the crumbs stand for?
What or who does Lazarus stand for? What does his name mean? Is Lazarus saved, washed by the blood of the Lamb? What is the significance of Abraham's bosom? Why is Lazarus depicted as being poor?
Is this parable about the nature of heaven and hell, or is it about something else altogether, and if so, what? Why are the locations depicted Hades and the bosom of Abraham? Why not heaven and hell?
Final Truth, Well done!