Lazarus and the Rich Man
March 20, 2025 - Thursday of the Second Week of Lent
Luke 16:19-31
What a strange place Hades is. There, the eyesight improves—the rich man can see from afar the one he did not see during his lifetime (Luke 16:24). There is neither lavish food nor water. There are no servants to bring a glass of water to their thirsty master, and the orders of the rich are no longer being carried out (Luke 16:23-31). A strange place indeed, and those who suffer from the blindness of their hearts find themselves there.
"Father Abraham, have pity on me" (Luke 16:24). The rich man calls out for mercy, but it was not enough to call Abraham "our father." God demands the fruits of repentance (Luke 3:8-9). Unfortunately, the rich man did not produce such fruits. He did not invite Lazarus for a meal (Luke 14:13), nor did he even offer him the scraps from his table (Luke 16:21). As a result, he was refused mercy. And yet, he could have avoided this fate by opening his Bible and listening to Moses and the Prophets: "You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land" (Deut. 15:11); "share your bread with the hungry" (Is. 58:7).
The name "Lazarus," derived from the Hebrew name Eleazar, means "God has helped." Blessed indeed is "the one whose help is the God of Jacob" (Ps. 146:5), who sent His angels to carry Lazarus to the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22). In the book of Genesis, we read that Abraham had a faithful servant named Eliezer, whom the patriarch planned to make the heir of his house (Gen. 15:2). Now, at his side is another faithful servant, Lazarus, who has inherited God’s Kingdom (Luke 6:20).
It is worth noting that all the requests of the rich man were turned down. Abraham refused to mediate between the rich man and Lazarus; he would not send Lazarus to serve the rich man even in Hades. Why did the rich man not ask Lazarus directly for help? Was it beyond his status to ask a beggar for help, even in death? Did his pride persist even in torment? And why not ask Lazarus for forgiveness? Perhaps that would have made a difference.
The last words of Abraham respond to the rich man’s request to warn his brothers about what awaits them after death. Abraham says, "If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31). This is a clear reference to Jesus and His resurrection.
Nearly two thousand years ago, the good news that "the Lord is risen" was first proclaimed to the world (Acts 2:32). The one who suffered for our salvation has entered into His glory (Luke 24:26-27, 44). Over the centuries, this Easter proclamation has transformed the lives of many rich people who recognized in the presence of the needy the face of the suffering Jesus (Matt. 25:40). Will this Gospel transform us? Will we open our eyes to the Lazarus at our doorstep and recognize Christ in the faces of the suffering and the poor?
Lord Jesus, may Your Word transform our hearts. Help us to see You in the faces of those in need. Give us the courage to act with compassion and generosity, so that we may one day share in Your eternal glory. Amen.