Revealing The True Meaning of The Parable of The Rich Man & Lazarus

All of Jesus’ parables use fictional stories or scenarios to reveal deep, spiritual truths. But some of those parables, upon first read-through, can leave us with more questions than answers.

In some cases, that was even the intention. Because that allowed certain profound concepts to be concealed from those who listened to Jesus with malicious intent and wouldn’t bother to think deeper (Matthew 13:10-15).

At the same time, this type of educational storytelling enables those who listen in faith to build a deeper, stronger understanding of spiritual concepts. It’s an opportunity to internalize important truths in the very way God designed our brains to learn—by prayerfully putting the pieces together ourselves, alongside further reflection and study.

So if we don’t quite grasp the fullness of a parable right away, no need to be worried. Most of these stories are meant to be revisited. To be pondered intentionally and studied.

This is especially true for the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

We get a description of Hades, some place called Abraham’s Bosom, and a mythical situation involving judgment and the afterlife. It paints a vivid scene in our minds that provokes big questions.

So let’s get to the bottom of what Jesus demonstrated through this story:

• Overview of the parable
• Context and purpose
• The parable’s true meaning
• What it means for us today

First, let’s walk through what happens in the story.

Introduction and overview

Photo by cottonbro studio from Pexels

Also called the “Rich Man and the Beggar,” the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is found in Luke 16:19-31. It’s a fictional story designed to demonstrate two important truths: that our eternal destiny isn’t determined by status or heritage, but by a sincere effort to align with the loving character of Jesus Christ. And that if we know the right things to do and make a habit of not doing them, fear-based attempts to “scare us straight” aren’t going to make a difference.

The story begins with an unnamed rich man living in the lap of luxury, “feasting lavishly every day” (verse 19, CSB). Then we’re introduced to a poor, sickly beggar named Lazarus, covered in sores.

Jesus gave us two extremes right at the start. The ultimate in earthly success and privilege, and the ultimate in suffering and unfortunate circumstances.

Then, after introducing the two main characters, He set the scene. A hungry Lazarus would wait by the rich man’s gate, hoping for scraps of food from the rich man’s table. But he was left to starve. The poor man died.

Then, Lazarus was taken to a comforting afterlife in “Abraham’s Bosom,” or some translations simply say “Abraham’s side” (verse 22). But when the rich man died, he ended up somewhere else.

“And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (verse 23, ESV).

Upon seeing this, the rich man called out to Abraham.

“‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the top of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’” (CSB)

But Abraham refused.

“‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither those from there cross over to us’” (verses 25-27, CSB).

Realizing there was no hope left for him, the rich man’s attention shifted to his family.

His five brothers were still alive, presumably living the same self-centered life he did. He begged Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them, so they wouldn’t end up in Hades like him.

So the rich man believed that if only someone from the realm of the dead would appear to them and warn them where they’re headed, that miraculous encounter would convince them of the error of their ways.

But Abraham told the rich man that his brothers already had all the information they needed to repent, or to change the direction of their lives. All through their upbringing, they had the books of “Moses and the prophets.” They had Scripture.

Jesus closed the parable with Abraham saying, “If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead’” (CSB).

And that’s it. So let’s keep digging to find all the hidden gems Jesus packed into that story.

Context and purpose of the parable

If we look through all of Luke 16, this parable directly follows some rather pointed teachings about faith, conviction, life priorities, and what’s truly valued in the “kingdom of heaven.”

Bible scholars believe it was given as part of a chain of parables Jesus shared in the autumn of AD 30 or early spring of AD 31, in the pasture lands of Perea.¹

His audience was made up of everyday people (laity), the disciples, and, notably, the Pharisees (verse 14).

If we look back a chapter, in Luke 15, Jesus told several parables about the kingdom of God with different examples of the depth of God’s love, and how we can enter into that love as well—the Parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost [Prodigal] Son.

These parables were nothing but hopeful, sharing the good news of God’s mercy and His desire to save us all, no matter our past, our mistakes, our earthly status, etc.

And this didn’t sit well with the Pharisees.

So many of these religious leaders were self-righteous and legalistic, believing they were more spiritually worthy than others because they made their whole lives about rituals and rule-following. They meticulously upheld the “traditions of the elders,” which functioned like extended rules and practices just to keep them from even getting close to breaking one of the commandments or ceremonial laws of the Torah (Matthew 15:1-20; Mark 7:1-13).

What’s worse, they had zero compassion for those who fell short of their standard of holiness. They didn’t care to understand why God would be merciful to those they considered outcasts, or those who struggled with certain outwardly visible sins.

So it’s not hard to see how these ideas clashed with the unconditional love, mercy, and compassion that Jesus emphatically proclaimed as key identifiers of God’s kingdom.

Then, right before the story of the Rich Man, Jesus told the Parable of the Unjust Steward, which shows how what we’re “shrewd” with reveals where true our priorities lie (Luke 16:1-14).

That parable closed with a warning that we can’t serve both God and wealth/status/security/etc. Just as a person can’t fully devote themselves to, say, 2-3 different bosses at their job at the same time. There’d be inevitable conflict that would eventually force a choice of loyalty to one over others (Luke 16:13).

So this was the last straw for the Pharisees, who “were lovers of money” and they began “scoffing at Him” (Luke 16:14, CSB). So Jesus called them out:

“And He told them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight’” (Luke 16:15, CSB).

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus continued this response. He used this story to confront the Pharisees’ misconceptions about what it really meant to follow God.

It would also address another prevailing belief at the time—that if a person was poor or sickly, it was the result of their particular sinfulness, or that of their parents (Job 4:7-8; 22:5; John 9:1-3).²

So, many listeners in Jesus’ day would have automatically assumed the rich man would be saved and go to heaven. And poor Lazarus—who was penniless, homeless, and full of sores—surely must have done something to deserve all that. They’d likely assume he was destined for condemnation.

Then Jesus turned this assumption upside down by telling of a rich man sent to Hades while a poor man goes to live blissfully in the company of Abraham.

This explains why Jesus said, “For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15, NKJV). This parable showed the Pharisees that God doesn’t see us the way other humans do. He sees the innermost self—who we are inside and where our true loyalties lie.

Though the rich man was deemed successful by earthly standards, his staunch indifference toward a homeless, hungry Lazarus revealed that he harbored pride and selfishness where love should have been.

The kingdom of heaven, on the other hand, is defined by the infinite, unconditional, reconciling, transformative love of Jesus. And we can see how the rich man didn’t seem interested in being a part of that ideal.

So the story revealed him to be in Hades instead.

But why does Jesus call it Hades? And for that matter, why refer to heaven as Abraham’s Bosom? It seems like a strange way for Him to talk about the afterlife.

Besides that, some things about this parable don’t quite make sense. How can the rich man see heaven from where he’s “in agony” in what many assume to be hell?

Time to dig a bit deeper.

Literal portrayal of the afterlife? Or did the story have a different purpose?

Say thanks! Give a shoutout to Mayron Oliveira on social or copy the text below to attribute. Photo by Mayron Oliveira on Unsplash

The scenario described in this parable wasn’t meant to be a theological revelation of what the afterlife itself is like. Like many of Jesus’ parables, the story’s backdrop was just a means to get His point across in a powerful, memorable way. It showed how our priorities while we’re alive will ultimately reveal the true allegiance of our hearts—which determines if we’re saved and receive eternal life, or not.

The rich man’s continual choice to elevate self at the expense of others was a pretty good indicator of what he actually valued.

But how do we know for sure that Jesus wasn’t using an accurate depiction of what happens after death to make this point?

For one, when other parts of Scripture talk about death and judgment, they paint a different picture.

• We don’t “go” anywhere immediately after we die. Our mortal bodies decompose, and the breath of life that makes us a living human soul goes back to God, so we are no longer in any sort of conscious existence (Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10; 12:7). But this is temporary, which is why this is often compared to “sleep” (Daniel 12:2; John 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:20), since we won’t have any awareness until the resurrection at the Second Coming (John 5:28-29; 6:40; Acts 24:15).

• “Hell” is not as much a place as it is an event that will occur after the Millennium, when God destroys the Devil and sin—which would by proxy include those who have rejected God and sided with sin. They will cease to exist, and that effect will last forever. It’s also called the “second death” (Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8) or the “lake of fire” (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14-15; 21:8). (See also John 5:28-29 and 2 Peter 3:7).

• Hell does not burn forever. It only lasts until sin is destroyed (Psalm 37:10; Malachi 4:1, 3; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).

• Our souls are not inherently immortal—immortality is only given by God at the Second Coming to those who have accepted His gift of eternal life with Him (1 Timothy 6:16; Romans 6:23; John 3:16; 1 John 5:11-12; John 14:6, Job 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Matthew 10:28).

(For further study on these concepts, visit: What Does the Bible Say About Heaven, What Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe About Hell, or What Happens When You Die)

Jesus always upheld Scripture and emphasized its unchanging truth and wisdom. It would be out of pattern for a description of the afterlife in a made-up story, which differs from the rest of Scripture, to be the way He establishes what happens after death and the judgment.³

There are also other clues in the text that this isn’t a literal description of the afterlife. It’s full of figurative language, and it references familiar mythology of the time.

Ellicott’s Commentary provides some insight:

“It is obvious that no single detail of such a description can be pressed as a literal representation of the unseen world. What was wanted for the purpose of the parable was the dramatic and pictorial vividness which impresses itself on the minds of hearts of men, and this could not be otherwise gained.”⁴

And New Testament professor Barbara R. Rossing, MDiv, ThD, explains that “the parable was probably not originally intended as a didactic explanation of the afterlife. To understand the meaning, we should turn to the three responses of Abraham denying the rich man’s requests…”⁵

So overall, this approach to storytelling isn’t unique to this parable. While Jesus’ other parables might not have been as “colorful” as this one, most of them were fabricated stories that would demonstrate a profound moral truth.

In this case, Jesus used imagery His audience was familiar with. During their exile in Babylon, the Jews were heavily influenced by Babylonian mythology.⁶ Over time, Jewish folklore began to take on pagan concepts about the afterlife, mirroring Babylonian, Egyptian, and Greek stories about an eternal place of torment, the soul being immortal, and warnings from the dead.⁷

But whether His audience believed in this picture of the afterlife or just considered it mythology, the point of the story would still be clear—regardless of human status, our habits will reveal our spiritual priorities.⁸

The meaning of The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Photo by Keira Burton from Pexels

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus teaches us that the way we treat others indicates the true state of our hearts. As in, whether we’ve truly chosen to follow God or not.

Our actions alone can’t earn us a spot in heaven, of course. We’re saved by our choice to accept Jesus, then He helps us grow spiritually through our relationship with Him (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Romans 12:2). Over time, our action patterns reveal the choice we’ve made (James 2:18).

The greatest indicator of a Christ-like character is the love we have for others (Matthew 22:36-40; Matthew 25:40-45). And this isn’t just a passive appreciation for fellow human beings. It’s active and attentive. When we see someone in need, we feel compassion tugging at our hearts and look for a way to help.

But instead of helping Lazarus when he very easily could have, the rich man turned away.

From beginning to end, the parable reveals the true character of the rich man. Though he was successful by earthly standards, he failed to show any love to Lazarus.

Even as he suffered in Hades, his entitlement kept him from learning his lesson. He had the audacity to call for Lazarus’ help twice (verses 24 and 27), practically ordering him around like a servant, even though he refused to help Lazarus before!

But this kind of attitude would feel familiar to many of Jesus’ listeners. They were so concerned with themselves, gaining external success and validation, that they often fell into self-centeredness. And this led to apathy toward the suffering of others.

Jesus showed His listeners that lack of love is what ultimately keeps us out of alignment with God. Especially if that’s coupled with an unwillingness to change.

He also reminded them that God loves the outcasts the world forgets.

Throughout the Bible, we see a picture of a God who comforts and empathizes with the suffering (Jeremiah 31:25) and defends the oppressed (Psalm 140:12). And as our hearts are transformed to be like Christ’s, we’ll feel compelled to do the same (Matthew 25:31-46).

The rich man didn’t understand the impact of this love-fueled transformation. So, when considering the fate of his family, his mind went straight to scare-tactics. He asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, “lest they also come into this place of torment” (Luke 16:28, ESV).

But Abraham told him it wouldn’t work. True conversion doesn’t form out of a response to fear.

So we can deduce from Abraham’s response that the rich man (and his brothers) knew better. He told the rich man that “Moses and the Prophets” [the Old Testament] are enough reason for someone to turn from their sinful ways and follow God (Luke 16:31). Because the Bible demonstrates how unconditional love is the highest ideal of God. Matthew 22:36-40 even tells us that “the Law and the Prophets” are summed up in the way we love God and love others.

True conversion, then, is a two-fold process motivated by love—we learn about God’s love from Scripture, which helps us to love Him and others (1 John 4:19).

So if the rich man and his family refused to follow the Scriptures during their lives only because they didn’t know how bad the consequences would be…that reveals that they didn’t already consider those teachings to be inherently meaningful or important.

That’s why Abraham knew that a sudden appearance of the spirit of Lazarus still wouldn’t work. Miracles can dazzle the eye and fear can incite an emotional response…but neither are actual ingredients of a true heart transformation.

In fact, as we see in other New Testament events, the miracles Jesus did only provoked the Pharisees to oppose Him more intensely than before. And the miraculous resurrection of a man—who also happened to be named Lazarus—would drive them to plot Jesus’ demise (John 11:38-53). And when Jesus Himself was resurrected after being crucified, they would deny it and try to cover it up (Matthew 27:62-66).

What does this parable mean for us today?

The final words of this parable are just as relevant today as they were when Jesus said them:

“If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31, ESV)

And as theologian Samuele Bacchiocci, PhD, put it, “nothing or no one can supersede the convicting power of the revelation that God has given us in His Word.”⁹

If we know what Scripture teaches and yet continually choose to live differently, that reveals what we truly value and prioritize. And even a dramatic, fear-driven warning won’t change that. Probably because a heart that prioritizes wealth and prosperity over love is more likely to be concerned about this life now, and less about anything beyond that.

What’s more, beliefs that are motivated by fear of consequences don’t produce a loving relationship with God. Yet that’s the one relationship that matters! That’s what determines our salvation. Not our accomplishments. Not our status. Not our circumstances. Only Jesus. And He knows if our desire to accept Him and know Him is genuine.

So all in all, if we want to know the foundational truths to build our values and beliefs upon, we can look to Scripture. And it ultimately reveals that all facets of God’s character stem from unconditional love (Matthew 22:36-40; see also Hosea 6:6; Galatians 5:22-23; Micah 6:8; 1 John 1:9-11; 3:11-18; 4:7-21).

Photo by Vitaly Gariev from Pexels

Stemming from this, we can also deduce from Jesus’ words that our actions do matter—but in a different way than the religious elite thought back then.

A habitual disregard of the needs of others (especially while proclaiming to be a believer) is a sign that our fallen human nature is in the driver’s seat. But if we follow God and try to emulate love, this also tends to show up in the way we treat other human beings.

And this is great news. This parable overturns a dangerous, relentless myth that’s found a way to express itself throughout all time periods of history: that the teachings of the Bible need to be accompanied by fear and sensationalism to have an effect on our hearts.

Sadly, that’s what the rich man thought.

He knew Scripture. And the Old Testament has plenty to say about how to live and what it means to follow God (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 17:5; and many more).

But he didn’t care about those things enough to live them out. He didn’t actually want a genuine relationship with God—which is why eternity in His kingdom, governed by unconditional love, wasn’t enough to convict him.

It was only after the rich man’s life was over that he wanted to warn his family. Since they were just like him, he knew that reminding them of Scripture wouldn’t be enough. He figured they’d need the threat of terrible torment in the afterlife to convince them to change.

But for those who love Jesus and are tired of this sin-sick world, eternal life with Him means everything. Any other alternatives wouldn’t even matter. Whatever happens or doesn’t happen to those who choose otherwise wouldn’t even factor into the decision.

So while this feels like quite an elaborate parable compared to some of His others, Jesus actually simplified something for all of us. The real decision we all face as human beings is just this: Do we ultimately want God, His love, and His ways? Or not?

There’s also another parable in which Jesus used a surprising, head-scratching scenario to bring about honest introspection.

What is “Abraham’s Bosom”?

The phrase “Abraham’s Bosom” isn’t used anywhere else in Scripture as a name for heaven. But in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it’s used to show how the character of Lazarus ended up a place of closeness and honor next to Abraham—which would’ve been deeply meaningful in Jewish culture.

Abraham was the great patriarch of Jewish history and a symbol of their covenant heritage. There are several Scriptural references of Jewish people identifying themselves as descendants of Abraham, calling him their father (Psalm 105:6; Isaiah 51:2; Matthew 3:9; Luke 3:8; 19:9; John 8:33, 39).

And the concept of Abraham’s Bosom was “in common use among the Jews to express the future state of blessedness. … It rested on the idea of a great feast, in which Abraham was the host.”¹⁰

Overall, this tells us that in the Jewish mind at the time, the greatest honor they could receive in paradise was to have a place of honor at Father Abraham’s side.¹¹

So Jesus describing a poor beggar ending up in “Abraham’s Bosom” helped drive home the point of His parable, overturning the religious assumptions promoted by many Jewish religious leaders.

Include ideas for social media text (if possible).

• The Rich Man and Lazarus: Afterlife Model or Fictional Story? This parable teaches that how we treat others reveals our true priorities—and that if we choose not to live out the Bible’s principles, the threat of a hellish afterlife won’t be enough to transform us into loving Christians.

  But because of its fantastical setting, it’s certainly sparked a lot of questions and discussions! What might you have wondered about this parable?

• God’s-Eye Perspective. God doesn’t look at our success, power, or how many possessions we own—He looks at how we treat others (see Luke 16:19-31, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus).

1. Nichol, Francis D., Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (1957), p. 814. [↵]
2. “The Rich Man and Lazarus: Literal or Figurative?” Bibleinfo.com. [↵]
3. Rodríguez, Ángel Manuel, “Luke 16:19-31,” Biblical Research Institute; Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18; Psalm 119:160; Hebrews 13:8. [↵]
4. ”Luke 16 comments,” Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers. [↵]
5. Rossing, Barbara R., “Commentary on Luke 16:19-31,” WorkingPreacher.org, Luther Seminary. [↵]
6. Sigvartsen, Jan A., “The Afterlife Views and the Use of the TaNaKh in Support of the Resurrection Concept in the Literature of Second Temple Period Judaism: The Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha,” Andrews University, p. 6-8; Loan, Pop-Coman, “The Afterlife: An Exegetical and Theological Analysis of Christ’s Discourse in Luke 16:19-31,” Andrews University, p. 20 [↵]
7. Papaioannou, Kim, PhD, “The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and Tales of Revelations from the Afterlife,” Ministry Magazine. [↵]
8. Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, p. 830. [↵]
9. Bacchiocchi, Samuele, “Immortality or Resurrection? A Biblical Study on Human Nature and Destiny,” Biblical Perspectives (2001), p.175. [↵]
10. ”Luke 16 comments,” Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers; see also “Abraham’s Bosom,” Jewish Encyclopedia; “The Afterlife: An Exegetical and Theological Analysis of Christ’s Discourse in Luke 16:19-31,” Andrews University, p. 14-15. [↵]
11. Kohler, Kaufmann, “Abraham’s Bosom,” Jewish Encyclopedia. [↵]

More Answers