djhwoodwerks
Well-Known Member
I find starting at Luke 16:14 Jesus is addressing those hate-filled Pharisees.
Those Pharisees (before Jesus) held a high standing with men, but Jesus was teaching 'change was coming'.
Now, the tables, so to speak, would turn on them. A dramatic change in a reversal of positions to take place.
Those religious leaders adhered to the Law of Moses, so they said.
Jesus enrages those Pharisees at Luke 16:18. The old Mosaic Law allowed for divorce on various grounds, but now Jesus says everyone who divorces a wife and marries another commits adultery .......
Jesus was underscoring to them the magnitude of the change he is bringing about.
Those money-loving, self-righteous Pharisees are like that un-named rich man at Luke 16:19-21.
The Pharisees viewed the poor, or common people, with contempt.
The beggar named Lazarus even wants spiritual droppings or crumbs from the Pharisees' table.
But those Pharisees think of the common folk as spiritually diseased ( covered with ulcers, etc. )
Those listening to Jesus know Abraham was still asleep in the grave -Psalms 115:17; 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5.
No one who died before Jesus' died 'ascended' according to John 3:13. That includes King David of Acts 2:34.
So, father Abraham did Not yet see the fulfillment of God's resurrection promise as per Hebrews 11:13,39.
Since the Law, John (the baptizer) came in connection to Jesus - Matthew 11:13 - so, the preaching of John and Jesus brought about a change of position. The spiritually deprived common people would now have plenty.
Whereas those of that 'rich man class of religious leaders' (aka Pharisees) refuse to accept Jesus.
They are angry and tormented by what John and Jesus had to say. What a relief it would be if John and Jesus would let up preaching. That preaching was a fiery judgement message to them.
Jesus would Not compromise or 'water down' his message to satisfy to bring relief to the Pharisees.
Those Pharisees were having their ' fill ' of good things at that moment in their lifetime, and since that would change it was a great gap or chasm permanently fixed between them and the common Lazarus people- Luke 16:25-26.
That's a whole lot of words to really say nothing. I might could agree with you about some of what you say, but the fact that Jesus said,
Luke 16:22-23 (ESV Strong's) The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
Please explain why Jesus was "illustrating" what would happen while they were alive by saying they died. The rich man died AND was buried...
Jesus' illustration was of what happens when we die, not what happens while still alive.