Monday, September 23, 2013
Luke 16:19-20 There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores ...
THE OUTER SHELL
"Don't judge a book by its cover." It is easy to look on the surface of the two men in this parable. It is easy to see only what Jesus first describes, rich and poor. It is a common mistake to assume this parable is about money. But when we stop to consider the paradigms which Jesus was accustomed to using in his parables we remember that many of Jesus' parables make use of two men, the Pharisee and the Publican, the two brothers in the Prodigal Son, the two sons whom the father asks to work.
The situation and names change but the underlying relationships remain the same. One appears good/prosperous/saintly on the outside while inside he is patting himself on the back. The other is clearly covered in sin, but humbles himself before God. Notice how the inner attitude of the rich man is shown through the comparison with Lazarus. The rich man is so full of pride in himself that he will not even associate with Lazarus long enough to feed him the scraps off the table. Notice how our own true inner condition is vividly portrayed by Jesus in the sores and outward wretchedness of Lazarus.
Jesus knows our affinity for judging a book by its cover and therefore in this parable he gives us on the surface the true attitude of these men's hearts.
One is forgotten, the other is given a name and taken by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The very fact that we are never explicitly told why only serves to underline the fact that it is God's grace alone at work here. What work of righteousness did Lazarus do? Nothing. But even while he was covered with his sin the Lord has mercy upon him and calls him by name and saves him.
We are mistaken when we think this parable is about the men. It isn't. It is about God's great mercy.
