The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 66

whither the blest Lazarus went ie termed he.m's bosom" is simply the well-known "Abraham's bosom." This term was usecl expression for that feast or banquet of the by the Jews indifferently, with "the garden he.ppy souls judged worthy of an entrance of Eden," or "under the throne of glory," into Pe.ro.clise. But in that place where the for the home of happy but waiting souls. rich man lifted up hie eyes there seems a The rioh me.n e.lso died, e.nd we.s buried. strange and o.wful solitariness. A total ab- There is B terrible irony here in this men- sence of everything, even of ezter=l ea.uses tion of burie.l. This hume.n pageantry of woe of trouble, is very noticeable. He was alone; was for the rich me.n whe.t the carrying by alone with his thoughts. And seeth Abr&- the angels into Abraham's bosom was for he.m afar o:ft', and Lazarus in his bosom. Lazarus-it was his equivalent; but while Ver. 24.-And he cried and said, Father these empty honours were being paid to his Abraham, have mercy on me, and send senseless, deserted body, the rich man was Laze.ms, that he may dip the tip of his already gazing on the surroundings of his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; for I new e.nd cheerless home. After the moment's am tormented in this flame. His intenso sleep of death, what e.n o.we.kening I longing seems to be for companionship. Ver. 23.-And in hell he lift up his eyes, "Oh for a friend," he seems to say," who being in torments; more e.ccure.tely, in Hades could speak to me, comfort me, give me the (the unseen world of the dead) he lift up his smallest alleviation of the pain I suffer I" eyes. The idea of suffering does not lie in What picture of a hell was ever painted by these first words, but in the participle "be- man comparable to this vision of eternal ing in torments," which immediately follows. solitnde, peopled alone by remorsefnl me- It is noticeable that, in this Divine picture of mories, described by Jesus? As the Divina unhappy life in the other world there is no Speaker advanced in his thrilling, melan- coarse, vulge.r word-painting such as we choly description of the rich man's conclition meet with so often in medireve.l human in the world to come, how vividly mast the works. The very fe.ot of the man's being listeners have recalled the Master's earnest. unhappy is gently represented. The graver advice to them, in his former parable of the e.spect of the torments we learn from the steward, to me.ke to themselves while her6 hapless one's own words. Still, it is all very friends who would receive them into ever- e.wful, though the fe.ots are so gently told us. lasting habitations I They eo.w the meaning "Being in torments:" How could it be other- of that detail of the parable then. Were wise for such a one as Dives? The home of they, in their luxurions abundance, were t4ey the loving, where Abraham was, would be me.king friends here who would help th1!m. no home for that selfish me.n who had never there in the eternal tents? Were they not, really loved or cared for any one eave him- perhaps, making the same mistake as the self. Whe.t were the torments? men with rich mo.n of the story? The question might hushed voices ask. A little further on the be asked-Why is Abraham, the father of the doomed one speaks of a flame and of his chosen race, the centre of this blessed W'e in tongue apparently burning, owing to the Ho.dee ? In reply, firstly, it must be remem- scorching heat; but it would be a mistake bered that the whole colouring of this parable to think of o. material flame being intended is peculiarly rabbinic, and in the schools of here. There is nothing in the description of the rabbis the life of the blessed in Paradise the situation to suggest this; it is rather the is represented as a banquet, over which, burning never to be satisfied, longing for until Messiah come, Abraham is represented something utterly beyond his reach, that as presiding. And, secondly, when the the unho.ppy man describes e.e an inextin- parable was spoken, the Se.viour was o.ctua.lly guishable flame. Were it desirable to dwell on eurth; his greo.t redemption work ha.d on these torments, we should remind men still to be accomplished. There was truth how lU!!tful desires change rapidly into tor- as well as error mingled in that strani;:e ture for the soul when the means for grati- rabbinical teaching. Messiah, as Messiah, fying them exist not. In the case of Dives, when the parable was being probably acted, hie delight on earth seems to have been ha.d not entered that realm where Abraham eooiety, pleasant jovie.l company, the being and many o.nother holy and humble me.n of surrounded by a crowd of admiring friends, bee.rt were in the enjoyment of exquisite the da.ily banquet, the gorgeous apparel, the bliss. stately house,-theee .details more than hint Ver. 25.-But Abraham said, Son; remem- at the pleasure he found in the society of ber that thou in thy lifetime reoeivedet thy courtier-friends ; but in the other world he good things, and likewise Laze.ms evil seems to have been quite alone. Wherea.e things : but now he is oomforted, and thou among the blessed there appears to be a art tormented. Abraham here simply bius sweet companionship. Le.zaruij is in the com- the tortured man to call to his memory the pany of A bro.ham, who, of course, only repre- oircumste.ncesofthelife hehud lived on earth, sents a great and goodly ga.thering. "Abro.- telling him that in these circumstances ha 68 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [cu. xvi. 1-31.