Tom Wright and Joachim Jeremias both treat it as a "parable". Other Christians consider that this is a parable created by Jesus and told to his followers. By contrast, in all of the other parables Jesus refers to a central character by a description, such as "a certain man", "a sower", and so forth. Supporters of this view point to a key detail in the story: the use of a personal name (Lazarus) not found in any other parable. Some Christians view the story not as a parable, but as an actual event which was related by Jesus to his followers.
And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, and was buried.
Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. Īlong with the parables of the Ten Virgins, Prodigal Son, and Good Samaritan, it was one of the most frequently illustrated parables in medieval art, perhaps because of its vivid account of an afterlife.ĭetail from the prefatory cycle to the Eadwine Psalter, Morgan Library leaf M.521 (recto), English c. The rich man was also given the names Neuēs (i.e. The traditional name Dives is not actually a name, but instead a word for "rich man", dives, in the text of the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. In the parable ( Luke 16:19–31), Jesus tells his audience – his disciples and some Pharisees – of the relationship, during life and after death, between an unnamed rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The rich man and Lazarus (also called the parable of Dives and Lazarus) is a parable of Jesus appearing in the Gospel of Luke.
The poor, against leprosy, lepers, Order of St Lazarus Middle panel: Lazarus' soul is carried to Paradise by two angels Lazarus in Abraham's bosomīottom panel: Dives' soul is carried off by Satan to Hell Dives is tortured in Hades Top panel: Lazarus at the rich man's door Lazarus and Dives, illumination from the 11th century Codex Aureus of Echternach