First Sunday After Trinity, June 2, 2024
First Sunday After Trinity, June 2, 2024
Here Jesus tells a story bringing to life the reality of his mother Mary’s proclamation in what has become known as The Magnificat (Lk. 1:46-55). In her song, Mary declares the greatness of the Lord. That greatness is exemplified by the reversals which the Lord brings about: the mighty are cast down, the lowly are uplifted; the hungry are filled, the but the rich are sent away empty (Lk. 1:52-53). The telling of the story with its careful choice of details reflects more on Jesus’ agenda rather than an accurate depiction of the afterlife.
The narrative is carefully constructed to emphasize the reversals taking place between the two characters, Lazarus and the Rich Man. The Rich Man, who dined so sumptuously at his table without giving a thought to the crumbs that fell from it, contrasts with Lazarus, who received comfort from the dogs and who desired like a dog to eat the crumbs that fell from the Rich Man’s table (Mt. 15:37). But after death the Rich Man received torment in Hades while Lazarus received comfort at Abraham’s side. In this life, the Rich Man had a mansion on an estate while Lazarus possessed only a space at the estate’s gate, but in the afterlife, Lazarus had blessed rest in the company of his father Abraham while the Rich Man suffered without rest or blessedness. While in the world, the Rich Man had no awareness of Lazarus or his condition but after this world, the Rich Man was acutely aware of Lazarus and his circumstances.
Abraham is harsh in his refusal of the Rich Man’s plea (vs. 25) … even harsher in his rebuttal of the request to send a messenger (vs. 29) … and even harsher still in his rejection of those who do not hear Moses and Prophets (vs. 31). But God has one more reversal in mind. The rest of this story is completed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Jesus and his Gospel… this Jesus and the Holy Spirit that he sends… this Jesus who even welcomes tax collectors and sinners and eats with them… this Jesus turns the Lazarus and the Rich Man tale into an account of God’s mercy as well as his judgment.
Table Talk: Discuss the Gospel’s freedom vs. strict accountability under the Law.
Pray: Father, give me Jesus’ word not Abraham’s. Amen
Luke 16:19-31
19 There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 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. 24 And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us. 27 And he said, Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 31 He said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.