22. — [Into Abraham! 8 bosom.'] This expression is most probably a proverbial one. It signifies tbe place of rest and safety to whicb all believing Jews were earned after deatb. Abraham was the father of the faithful, and the head of the whole Jewish family, and to be with him after death implied happiness. The expression, " to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God," is somewhat like it. (Matt. viii. 11.)
23. — [In hell.,, in torments^ In interpreting the expressions of this verse, and several of those which follow, we must careftiUy remember that we are reading a parabolical narrative. Our Lord's language is adapted to our imderstandings. How a lost soul can be susceptible of bodily suffering before the re- surrection of the body, we cannot explain. The whole subject of the sensations of a disembodied spirit is far too deep for us to dogmatize about it. Let it suffice us to believe that lost souls can suffer intensely before the resurrection, and that they are conscious of their own lost condition, and of the happieV condition of those who are saved.
24. — [Father Abraham, have mercy. 1 It is highly probable that this description of the rich man crying to Abraham to help him, was intended to rebuke the superstitious reverence of the Jews, and specially of the Pharisees, for Abraham. " Think not," says our Lord, in another place, " to say, We have Abraham to our father." (Matt. iii. 9.) He would have them learn from this parable that Abraham himself could do nothing for those who died in sin, and that connection with Abraham would save no one from hell.
[LazavTiSy,,, water,.,, cool my tongue.'] The fathers, and all commentators have justly dwelt here on the awful contrast be- tween the state of the rich man before death and after deatb, and the complete change between his condition and that of Lazarus in another world.
[7 am tormented in this flame.'] Let that expression be noted. Few sayings in the Bible prove more strongly the reality of future punishment.
25. — [But Abraham said, Son!] In this, and the following verse, the dignity and solemnity of Abraham's language should specially be noted. On th^ one hand there is nothing about it of severity, harshness, or unkindness. On the other, there is nothing of affected pity or compassion.
[Remember.] This word should be noted. The recollection of former things will be one of the worst parts of hell.
[Thy good things!] This expression deserves notice. It is not merely ** good things," in contradistinction to " evil things," which Lazarus received. It i&^'thy good things," — "Things which thou didst consider good, and care for as thy only good.
LUKE, CaiAP. XVI. VER. 19—31. 219
to the utter neglect of thy soul, and its everlasting interests. Thou didst choose thy portion, and wast content with a mere earthly possession. Thou must now reap according as thou hast sown."
20. — [A great gvlf fixed, dc!\ The language of this verse teawhes plainly, if words have any meaning, that there is no hope of deliverance from hell for those who die in sin. Once in hell, men are ih hell for ever. The doctrines of purgatory, or of a limited duration of pupishment, are hoth mcapahle of recon- ciliation with this text.
27. — \8end him to my father's house.'} It has been argued by some that the rich man's anxiety about his five brethren was a sign of improvement in him, and that his punishment had al- already purified his heart, and made him love his brethren, and that the notion of purgatory is consequently not without truth. Both these ideas appear to me destitute of foundation. That the rich man's state was hopeless is clear from the preceding verse. That he felt anything Hke true love, or spiritual affection for his five brethren is mere gratuitous assumption. It might easily be argued that his desire to have Lazarus sent to them arose from a selfish dread of their following him to the place of torment Their company would doubtless add greatly to his misery. But it must not be forgotten that we are reading a parable, and that particular expressions in parables must not oe stretched too far.
28. — [Testify.] The Greek word so rendered is a very strong and intensive one. It is the same that is used in Acts ii. 40 ; xviii. 5 ; XX. 21 ; 1 Tim. v. 21.
29. — [Moses and the prophets.] This expression doubtless means the writings of Moses and the prophets, and the instruction con- tained in them. It is a strong evidence of the sufficiency of Scripture for man's salvation. If the Old Testament alone was better than a dead man's testimony, how much better must the whole Bible be !
30. — [They will repent] This is the reasoning of ignorant natural man. He knows neither the difficulty of repentance, nor the foolishness of expecting results finom miraculous visions which have not been produced by the word.
31. — [Though one rose from the dead.] Let the striking fact be noted that after this a man named " Lazarus" did rise irom the dead, yet the Jews remained unbelieving ! Above all let it be remembered that Christ Himself rose from the dead, and yet the Jewish nation would not believe !
Baxter remarks on this verse, — "God will bless His own means. Afirighting men will not renew their natures, and Idndle in them a love to God and holiness. How little should