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Luke 16:22-26

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

22. 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; 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24. 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. 25. 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. 26. 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.

Luke 16:22-26 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 16:22

Theological / Devotional

Carried by the angels. Compare Matt. 24:31. For principles to guide in the interpretation of Luke 16:25-31, see on v. 19. It should be remembered that the purpose of the parable is to compare the opportunities of this life, and the use made of them, with the rewards of the life to come. Destiny is fixed at death, and men must use well this present life if they would enjoy the privileges of the next.

Abraham’s bosom. A typically Jewish idiom, meaning “paradise.” The Talmud (. Kiddushim 72a; in Soncino ed., p. 369) mentions “Abraham’s lap” as a place of the blessed dead. On another occasion Jesus spoke of paradise as a place where “many” would “come from the east and west” and “sit down with Abraham” at the feast of “the kingdom of heaven” (see on Matt. 8:11; Luke 14:15).

On Jesus being “in the bosom of the Father” see on John 1:18. On “leaning on the bosom” of someone while reclining at a feast see on John 13:23. Abraham was the father of the Jews (see John 8:39, 56), and they had practically come to look to him for salvation in place of God (see on Luke 16:24). They conceived of Abraham as welcoming his children to paradise, as, in much the same way, Peter is sometimes now represented as greeting Christians at the gate of heaven.

Was buried. Those who hold that this narrative is literal, and not a parable, should note that if the rich man is literally and bodily in torment, then Lazarus was borne to heaven literally and bodily. However, the bodies of both Lazarus and the rich man returned to the dust, whence they had come (see Gen. 2:7; 3:19; Eccl. 12:7).

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