Peter and John were arrested for speaking about it. The chief priests tried to kill Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Two examples corroborate Jesus' word on the resurrection and its failure to persuade unbelievers. Abraham observed that even a resurrection would not convert those who turned away from God's Old Testament message. But the rich man insisted that a resurrected person would be more powerful a persuader than Moses and the Prophets. Abraham replied that the Law and Prophets were enough to lead them to Paradise.

Failing at that, the rich man asked for Lazarus to go and preach to his five brothers. Abraham replied that no one could get across the abyss that separated them. The rich man did not protest the injustice of his plight but asked Abraham to send him some water by Lazarus. The rich man also died and was buried (perhaps the beggar's body had been thrown in the dump) and ended in Hades. At the door of his villa lay a sick beggar named Lazarus, hungry for crumbs, with sores licked by the town dogs.

A rich man lived in luxury with the finest of clothing and food. What God has joined together let man not put asunder.' (Matt.19:5–6 referring to Gen.2:24)ġ6:19–31 Then Jesus went on to amplify His message with a second parable about money. 'Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. What the Law of Moses said about divorce pertained to a special case, the remarriage of a divorced woman: 'When a man takes a wife.if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a bill of divorce.and becomes another man's wife.and the latter husband dislikes her and writes her a bill of divorce.then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife.'(Deut.24:1–4)īut Jesus based His teaching of divorce on the pre-Law teachings of Genesis. Rabbi Akiba thought that finding a prettier woman would be grounds for divorce. 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' “Thou shalt not covet….” (Could they have understood?)įor example, the Pharisees were taught by Rabbi Hillel that a man could divorce his wife if she upset him by burning his supper. But the substance of the Law did not change. The Gospel was exciting very strong reactions: angry rejection, or aggressive pursuit. The Law and the Prophets was an era of 2000 years that ended with John the Baptist and was succeeded by the era of the Gospel (probably news to them).They might be able to convince the public of their virtues, since wealth was seen as a sign of God's favor, but God was able to see their hearts and found their greed abominable.Jesus then gave them a series of four short responses. Hell.ġ6:14–18 When Jesus finished the parable of the bad steward and said we cannot serve God and money, the Pharisee who were listening in, laughed. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:Ģ0 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,Ģ1 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.Ģ2 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried Ģ3 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.Ģ4 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame.Ģ5 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.Ģ6 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.Ģ7 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:Ģ8 For I have five brethren that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.Ģ9 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them.ģ0 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.ģ1 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.Key Notes: On divorce.

Luke 16 19 31 commentary