the Parable of Lazarus
There is a parable called Dives about a rich man (unnamed) and a beggar named Lazarus. The beggar begs for scraps from the rich man’s table. Then they die and the roles are reversed. The rich man in hell begs for a drop of relief from the beggar in paradise. Which is refused. The rich man then (this seems noble of him, actually) asks that Lazarus be sent to the rich man’s brothers, so that seeing one risen from the dead they would believe and not end up in hell. Abraham in heaven retorts that the brothers already have the law and the prophets. They don’t believe those witnesses, so they wouldn’t believe Lazarus risen from the dead. Luke 16:19-31.
Is this the only parable with a named individual in it? Every other parable I can think of just has types. “A certain rich man,” “servants,” “the sowers.”
Why this one parable with a name in it?
Its not the name itself. The name Lazarus means God Helps. There is no particular reason in the parable why the beggar should be named God Helps.
As we all know, there is a real Lazarus who came back from the dead who is mentioned only in John. Though he was not a beggar so far as is known. We can imagine someone writing the parable after the fact who also knew about Lazarus. Such a scribe might accidentally or on purpose add Lazarus’ name in given the coincidence that the parable ends in a statement about a man coming back from the dead.
But I prefer to think that Jesus told this story after Lazarus’ miracle. it is very pointed.
Zen
May 18, 2023
Now I am curious if this was before or after Lazarus came back from the dead.
Because, of course, no one would believe him even if he did come back from the dead… which he did.
Eric
May 18, 2023
I’ve always assumed the parable was told before the miracle with Lazarus, as it was one of the last things Jesus did before going to Jerusalem for the last time. But then, events in John’s timeline don’t share a lot of reference points with events from the synoptic gospels, and not every event and story told in the gospels necessarily flows in chronological order anyway.
As an aside, people might enjoy “Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus” by Ralph Vaughan Williams. it’s written for string orchestra and harp, takes a bit longer than 12 minutes to perform, and we in the Church recognize the main melody as the one from “If You Could Hie to Kolob.” Beautiful piece.
E.C.
May 18, 2023
@ Eric,
My high school orchestra won State with Williams’s ‘Dives and Lazarus’. It really is a beautiful piece, and during that performance my entire orchestra experienced unity in harmony to a degree I’ve never recaptured since. Thanks for reminding me of that moment, which helped me understand the yearning C.S. Lewis termed ‘joy’.
It truly is such an interesting parable . . .
Zen
May 18, 2023
According to this chronology of the Gospels, the parable came first. That is consistent with other harmonies I have looked at.
https://byustudies.byu.edu/further-study-chart/7-6-synopsis-of-the-four-gospels/
G.
May 19, 2023
I don’t think harmonies are very reliable.
Jacob G.
May 19, 2023
When reading this with the kids, #2 asked if this was real or just another parable. I said parable, and I’ve often thought this sounds like a middle eastern parable, possibly an interpolation, but more likely Jesus adapted a parable floating around to make a specific point.
#2 then asked if that was what the afterlife was like. I said no and talked a little bit about 138. Judgement and hell come later after the spirit world. I think the darkness the wicked suffer in the spirit world is similar to here, and that also is part of our time to prepare to meet God.
“They wouldn’t believe if one (named Lazarus) were to rise from the dead.” Ouch, very pointed. I like it this arrangement.
One final thought: I came across and have since toyed with the idea that Lazarus and the Rich Young Man where the same person. If so, I imagine this parable also hitting Lazarus pretty hard, and perhaps his experience in the spirit world was similar to Alma’s.
Zen
May 19, 2023
One of the interesting things about this parable, is that it is a reworked Egyptian story, about Osiris.
G – yes, you are right about gospel harmonies.
Ivan A Wolfe
May 20, 2023
Why was the beggar named?
Well, why he had that specific name, I leave to speculation by better people than me. But as to why he was named – well, Jesus often told parables that included details that would shock the audience:
“Parables occasionally named a character; the surprise for ancient hearers would be that Jesus names the beggar rather than the rich man.”
Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (p. 9037).