Luke 16:19-31 - Jezuiti

24-26: “The rich man still tries to be in charge of things. He begins with a polite address, ‘Father
Abraham,’ as if reminding Abraham of his descent from the patriarch. (Abraham responds by calling him
his child in 16:25). A part of Abraham’s family, he deserves some consideration … The man’s wish is not
granted. He has already received his share of good things (as though there is a limited supply). Moreover,
the chasm between the rich man in Hades and Lazarus with Abraham is too great to cross. The fact that it
is ‘fixed’ means that it has been established by God.” (Hultgren, p. 113)
The fact that the rich man identifies himself as a “son of Abraham” (i.e. a Jew) is, in and of itself, a
condemnation, since he makes it clear that, although he was of Jewish descent, yet he made no effort to
put the demands of his Jewish faith into practice in his own life.
“The idea of an intermediate state of the soul, release from which may be obtained by intercession of the
saints, is clearly dwelt upon in the Testament of Abraham, where the description is given of a soul which,
because its good and its evil deeds are equal, has to undergo the process of purification while remaining in
a middle state, and on whose behalf Abraham intercedes, the angels joining him in his prayer, whereupon
the soul is admitted into paradise.” (Kaufmann Köhler, “Purgatory”; online at:
www.jewishencyclopedia.com). Some early rabbinic authors suggested that there was the possibility of
post-mortem repentance, and that such a soul would be freed from torment a year after his/her death 4 .
27-28: Once again, the rich man tries to invoke the “family bond” he and his brothers share with
Abraham. However, if his brothers are no more sensitive to the needs of the poor and marginalized than
this rich man was, it is at best a superficial type of relationship, which, in the end, doesn’t really impact
their lives very much. It is somewhat hypocritical—and more than a little cynical—to “play this card” at
this point. Interestingly, once again, the man’s concern remains somewhat selfish—he is interested only in
the needs of his own immediate family, and does not acknowledge in any way his long-term neglect of
Lazarus’ needs. If this man truly had considered himself part of Abraham’s family, then he would
necessarily have understood that Lazarus was, in a very real way, his brother as well, deserving of his
concern and attention. “The rich man’s claim that Abraham is his father is of no effect, for he has not done
the deeds which would have signified repentance from his self-centred, callous way of life.”
(http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cpr26l.shtml)
29: “Moses and the prophets (referring to the Old Testament books) are clear in their teaching. God’s will
is not difficult to figure out. One is supposed to help the poor and miserable that are nearby. The brothers
are without excuse.” (Hultgren, p. 114)
30: “The rich man … objects to what Abraham has just said. His brothers will certainly repent if someone
goes to them from the dead. That a person from the realm of the dead would visit the brothers seems at
first sight to depend on post-Easter Christian imagery. But the motif is older than Christianity. Various
texts speak of the dead contacting the living, especially through dreams [I Sam 28:6-19; II Kings 21:6; Isa
8:19; Samuel Lachs provides several ancient Jewish examples in his Rabbinic Commentary on the New
Testament]” (Hultgren, p. 114)
4 “The view of purgatory is still more clearly expressed in rabbinical passages, as in the teaching of the Shammaites: ‘In
the last judgment day there shall be three classes of souls: the righteous shall at once be written down for the life
everlasting; the wicked, for Gehenna; but those whose virtues and sins counterbalance one another shall go down to
Gehenna and float up and down until they rise purified; for of them it is said: I will bring the third part into the fire
and refine them as silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried' [Zech. xiii. 9.]; also, He [the Lord] bringeth down to
Sheol and bringeth up again’.’ (I Sam. ii. 6) … Regarding the time which purgatory lasts, the accepted opinion of Rabbi
Akiba is twelve months; according to Rabbi Johanan ben-Nuri, it is only forty-nine days. Both opinions are based upon
Isa. lxvi. 23-24: From one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship
before Me, and they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me; for
their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; the former interpreting the words "from one new moon
to another" to signify all the months of a year; the latter interpreting the words ‘from one Sabbath to another,’ in
accordance with Lev. xxiii. 15-16, to signify seven weeks.” (www.jewishencyclopedia.com)