Like many others, my paternal ancestors came to America 280 years ago arriving in Philadelphia. Two brothers from southwestern Germany unable to pay their passage fare entered into contract as indentured servants for a period of years before receiving their freedom. Arriving at their initial destination, they waited for their ultimate destination. The Bible tells a story that shares some of these characteristics.
In the 16th chapter of Luke’s gospel Jesus provides what appears to be two parables, one on stewardship and a second story on the rights and wrongs of wealth. The first parable (verses 1-13) was spoken primarily to the disciples and includes a disturbing moment when the objectionable behavior of an unrighteous steward is commended. The second parable below was addressed to the Pharisees because of their response (verses 14-18) to the first parable. However, it isn’t really a parable! The participants in parables don’t have names. Not only is this an actual account of a real episode, Jesus shares significant insight into the afterlife and the construct of Hades, or hell.
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
In the Old Testament every reference to hell is the Hebrew word “Sheol” (Strongs H#7585) which means “subterranean retreat, or world of the dead, grave or pit.” There are many passages in the OT that mention Sheol but it is never fully developed. However, God reveals that there will be a resurrection of the dead (Isaiah 26:19) and that one day He will swallow up Death (Isaiah 25:8). The faithful will be rewarded with everlasting life while the rest will experience eternal contempt (Daniel 12:2).
But there are hints of another aspect. When Abraham died he “was gathered to his people.” (Genesis 25:18) and the same words are used when Isaac died (Genesis 35:29). It is repeated again with Jacob. “And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.” (Genesis 49:33)
It is known as “Abraham’s bosom” or the upper chamber of Hades. The rich man was in Sheol, or Hades in Greek, and Lazarus was “far away” in another place or compartment of Hades. The text says the rich man had to “lift up his eyes” to see it. Was it also Paradise?
It is interesting that the name Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name that means “God is my help.” And this is not the same Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead. Also note that the emphasis of his name stands in deliberate contrast to the rich man who probably didn’t even know the beggar’s name.
When Jesus was dying on the cross, the repentant thief said to Him, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus replied to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)
Jesus died and went to Paradise with the thief that day and on Sunday morning He was resurrected and appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden. “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father.” (John 20:17). Thus, Jesus had been in Paradise earlier, then Paradise cannot be Heaven where God dwells. Since Jesus had “descended into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9), the Paradise He went with the thief was beneath the earth.
“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40)
It is interesting also that the rich man “saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23) which most likely means he was reclining with his head on Abraham’s chest. This is pictured again when John leaned against Jesus at the Last Supper; “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).
Where was the rich man? He was in the general realm of the dead, those who did not have faith in God and who are kept in what appears to be a lower chamber of Hades that will be emptied at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). The reminder is that “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” but what separates those to eternal damnation is their rejection of God’s perfect plan of redemption, His Son Jesus Christ who paid the penalty of our sins for all who would believe.
Why were the Old Testament saints there? Ever since Adam there has been the promise of a Messiah who would come. Acts 4:12 tells us there is salvation by no other Name and upon His descending into Hades Jesus preached to the spirits in Abraham’s bosom who were waiting for Him (1st Peter 3:18-20). Only after hearing and receiving the message of salvation through Jesus could they then enter heaven, the “train ascending on high.”
Today it is commonly understood among most theologians that this upper chamber region or “Abraham’s bosom” was emptied or evacuated after the cross and resurrection (Ephesians 4:8-10). Christ was the Firstfruits “of them that slept” (1st Corinthians 15:20). As a result, for believers today Paul writes that apart from the body we are immediately in the presence of the Lord. (2nd Corinthians 5:8) There is no “temporary” holding area for Christian believers today upon expiration.
On that Resurrection Sunday, on the Feast of Firstfruits, Jesus proved that His power over death was not limited to Himself, but by offering the firstfruits to all future resurrections when “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:52-53).
There are a number of accounts of this miraculous resurrection of the dead that were recorded by the early church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria in his Stromata. For 40 days they walked among the Israelites of whom many were unnerved and at times terrified of the event.
“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” (Matthew 8:11).
Just as those indentured servants in our colonial times had to wait for their freedom, likewise the Old Testament saints and others (i.e. Matthew 12:41-42) had to wait for their salvation through Jesus Christ. Only the indentured servants had to earn their freedom through their own wages, whereas the Bible tells us that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8)
Jesus spoke more of hell than of the heaven. It is a very real place. C. S. Lewis wrote, “The safest road to hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
Someone today who is presently bound for hell may cross your path. It has been quoted, “you may be the only Bible that a person ever reads.” As they cross your path, will they see you…..or the risen Christ in you?
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)