the silence of lazarus a study of god’s grace and its absence

The The Silence of Silence of LazarusLazarus

A Study of God’s A Study of God’s Grace and its Grace and its

AbsenceAbsence

Context of the Context of the ParableParable

14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of

money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.

15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves

in the sight of men, but God knows your

hearts; for that which is highly esteemed

among men is detestable in the sight

of God. Luke 16:14–15 (NASB95)

Condemnation of MaterialismCondemnation of Materialism

• Places mercy toward others above the accumulation of wealth (vs. 1-12)

• Condemns their “prosperity religion”

• Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus illustrates the disparity between two different concepts of justification

• Places mercy toward others above the accumulation of wealth (vs. 1-12)

• Condemns their “prosperity religion”

• Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus illustrates the disparity between two different concepts of justification

The Rich ManThe Rich Man

God’s Common Grace


“rich” - “to having an abundance of earthly

possessions that exceeds normal experience, rich,

wealthy... a rich man (i.e. one who does not

need to work for a living)(BDAG)

“rich” - “to having an abundance of earthly

possessions that exceeds normal experience, rich,

wealthy... a rich man (i.e. one who does not

need to work for a living)(BDAG)

19 Now there was a rich man, and he

habitually dressed in purple and fine

linen, joyously living in splendor every

day. 20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

Luke 16:19–20 (NASB95)




“habitually dressed” The NASB translates the imperfect tense (ongoing action with no sense of

completion) of the verb “to clothe” thus adding the word

“habitually”

“habitually dressed” The NASB translates the imperfect tense (ongoing action with no sense of

completion) of the verb “to clothe” thus adding the word

“habitually”





Luke 16:19–20 (NASB95)




“dressed in purple and fine linen” - purple dye imported at great expense and linen most

likely made from Egyptian cotton

“dressed in purple and fine linen” - purple dye imported at great expense and linen most

likely made from Egyptian cotton


habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living

in splendor every day. 20 “And a poor

man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

Luke 16:19–20 (NASB95)




“feasting lavishly everyday” (HCSB) “feasted sumptuously

every day” (ESV) “fared sumptuously

everyday” (KJV)

“feasting lavishly everyday” (HCSB) “feasted sumptuously

every day” (ESV) “fared sumptuously

everyday” (KJV)


habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously

living in splendor every day. 20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered

with sores, Luke 16:19–20

(NASB95)




splendor - “pertaining to living in ostentatious luxury”

(Louw Nida)

splendor - “pertaining to living in ostentatious luxury”

(Louw Nida)



linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 “And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,

Luke 16:19–20 (NASB95)




“gate” - the term for big gate often used to describe a palace

gate (Strong’s)

“gate” - the term for big gate often used to describe a palace

gate (Strong’s)





Luke 16:19–20 (NASB95)




• This wealth was only available to the Rich Man through the provisions of God available to all mankind

• Could he have enjoyed this wealth without the constancy of God’s physical laws?



3 And He is the radiance

of His glory and the

exact representation of

His nature, and upholds

all things by the word of

His power. When He had

made purification of sins,

He sat down at the right

hand of the Majesty on

high,Hebrews 1:3

(NASB95)








10 “For every beast of

the forest is Mine, The

cattle on a thousand

hills. 11 “I know every

bird of the mountains,

And everything that

moves in the field is

Mine.Psalm 50:10–11

(NASB95)






• Could he have accrued his wealth without the rule of law executed through the Divine institution of government?



• Could he have accrued his wealth without the rule of law executed through the Divine institution of government?

1 Every person is to be in

subjection to the governing

authorities. For there is no

authority except from God, and

those which exist are

established by God... 3 For

rulers are not a cause of fear

for good behavior, but for

evil. ... 4 for it is a minister of

God to you for good. But if you

do what is evil, be afraid; for it

does not bear the sword for

nothing; for it is a minister of

God, an avenger who brings

wrath on the one who practices

evil.Romans 13:1–4 (NASB95)

Failure of the Prosperity Failure of the Prosperity GospelGospel

“Because God is good I have been blessed”Vs. “Because I am good

God blessed me”

“Because God is good I have been blessed”Vs. “Because I am good

God blessed me”

45 …for He causes

His sun to rise on

the evil and the

good, and sends

rain on the

righteous and the

unrighteous.

Matthew 5:45

(NASB95)

Failure of the Prosperity Failure of the Prosperity GospelGospel

22 Now the poor man

died and was carried

away by the angels

to Abraham’s

bosom; and the rich

man also died and

was buried.Luke

16:22 (NASB95)

• The benefits of this common grace stopped at death

• Lazarus was lovingly “carried away by the angels”

• The rich man “died and was buried”

• The man who had “fared sumptuously every day” now “lifted up his eyes being in torment”

• The benefits of this common grace stopped at death

• Lazarus was lovingly “carried away by the angels”

• The rich man “died and was buried”

• The man who had “fared sumptuously every day” now “lifted up his eyes being in torment”

Hell - The Absence of Hell - The Absence of God’s GraceGod’s Grace

24 And he cried out and

said, ‘Father Abraham,

have mercy on me,

and send Lazarus so

that he may dip the tip

of his finger in water

and cool off my

tongue, for I am in

agony in this

flame.’Luke 16:24

(NASB95)

• Hell is often described as a place of flame and physical torment

• We must take care not to materialize hell

• Hell is not hell because of flames etc. but due to the absence of GRACE, LOVE, AND HOPE



• Hell is not hell because of flames etc. but due to the absence of GRACE, LOVE, AND HOPE

An Existence Without GodAn Existence Without God


7 and to give relief to you who

are afflicted and to us as well

when the Lord Jesus will be

revealed from heaven with His

mighty angels in flaming fire, 8

dealing out retribution to those

who do not know God and to

those who do not obey the

gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9

These will pay the penalty of

eternal destruction, away from

the presence of the Lord and

from the glory of His power,2

Thessalonians 1:7–9 (NASB95)



• Hell is not hell because of flames etc. but due to the absence of GRACE, LOVE , AND HOPE






11 “I say to you that many

will come from east and

west, and recline at the

table with Abraham, Isaac

and Jacob in the kingdom

of heaven; 12 but the sons

of the kingdom will be

cast out into the outer

darkness; in that place

there will be weeping and

gnashing of

teeth.”Matthew 8:11–12

(NASB95)








The Silence of LazarusThe Silence of Lazarus

20 And a poor man

named Lazarus was laid

at his gate, covered with

sores, 21 and longing to

be fed with the crumbs

which were falling from

the rich man’s table;

besides, even the dogs

were coming and licking

his sores.Luke 16:20–21

(NASB95)

• Lazarus is the extreme opposite of the rich man

• He is seemingly untouched by “common” grace

• Paralyzed and starving he lay just outside the glow of the rich man’s splendor




Justifying GraceJustifying Grace


14 Blessed are those who

wash their robes, so that

they may have the right to

the tree of life, and may

enter by the gates into the

city. 15 Outside are the dogs

and the sorcerers and the

immoral persons and the

murderers and the idolaters,

and everyone who loves and

practices lying.Revelation

22:14–15 (NASB95)









25 But Abraham said,

‘Child, remember that

during your life you

received your good

things, and likewise

Lazarus bad things; but

now he is being

comforted here, and you

are in agony.Luke 16:25

(NASB95)

• While bereft of common grace Lazarus fully participated in justifying grace

• Silent in his suffering he quietly enjoyed his reward

• Despite all his misery Lazarus had lived a life of hope and now received the prize he had sought

• While bereft of common grace Lazarus fully participated in justifying grace

• Silent in his suffering he quietly enjoyed his reward

• Despite all his misery Lazarus had lived a life of hope and now received the prize he had sought


the silence of lazarus a study of god’s grace and its absence

Documents

poor man

nasb95 slide

fine linen purple dye

study of gods grace

absence slide

big gate

silence of lazarus

living bdag