Luke 7:36-50
“Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  (37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, (38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hear, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
(39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who was touching him and what kind of a woman she is—that she is a sinner.’
(40 Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’
‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said.
(41 ’Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. (42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’
(43 Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.’
‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said.”
(44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. (45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. (46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. (47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’
(48 Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’
(49 The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’

Matthew 12:43-45
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation."

Luke 11:24-26
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

Matthew 12:43-45
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation."

Luke 11:24-26
"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, `I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

1. Where does the evil spirit come from, go to and where does it plan to go?
2. Why is it able to return to the house it left?
3. What does it mean “swept clean and put in order?”
4. What does the evil spirit take with it when it returns?
5. What is the final condition of the man? Why?
6. Matthew 12:25 “…That is how it will be with this wicked generation." What does this tell us about this wicked generation? Give examples of this being fulfilled.
7. What can we learn about evil spirits from this parable?

“The subject of the parable is a house occupied by an undesirable tenant. When the tenant vacates or is evicted, the house is swept and made neat and clean. However the house is left unoccupied. The tenant who left, unable to find anywhere else to live, sneaks back to the house bringing seven other homeless with him, and they all move in and become squatters.
What makes this parable unusual is that the tenant is a demon and the house is a human being. Most parables picture simple physical things –vineyards, houses, sheep, business, banquets, and suchlike. This parable enters into the metaphysical. Only one other parable, the Rich Man and Lazarus, does that. In this parable of the Empty House, Jesus simply describes some familiar facts about demon    possession. The people listening to Jesus would not find the parable strange, because they knew from experience that demons could enter into a person and do him harm.
The background to the parable is explained in earlier verses. When we learn the circumstances in which Jesus told this parable, we understand why Jesus chose demon possession as an illustration. Jesus had cast out a demon from a man who was both blind and dumb, and the man was then able to see and hear (Mtt 12:22-24). Some debate and discussion arose out of this miracle, and this led Jesus to utter the parable of the Empty House.
The point of the parable is aimed at the Pharisees who were maligning Jesus in the discussion (Mtt 12:24-28). The typical Pharisee was certainly like a house "swept clean and put in order", for he lived in a most orderly, scrupulous, and religious manner. The problem was that he was an empty house, a house "unoccupied". For though he might zealously purify himself by religious rituals, he neglected to fill himself with justice, mercy, compassion, and such like. So he was a nice neat house but untenanted, just waiting for evil to come back and squat. Since the discussion had been about casting out demons, Jesus used that topic as an analogy of an even worse problem suffered by the Pharisees.
We learn the lesson from this parable that, when we get rid of evil, we must fill the void with good, otherwise the evil will come back with a vengeance. It is like weeding a garden but neglecting to fill it with good plants and leaving the ground bare. Many more weeds will soon infest the soil than you removed.
To make ourselves ready for judgment day, we cannot be satisfied with merely ridding ourselves of evil. We must also fill ourselves up with good. When we consider the "deeds of the flesh" (Gal 5:19-21), we should make up our minds to be rid of such as these. Yet we must also go on to consider "the fruits of the Spirit" and make up our minds that we will be filled with such as these (Gal 5:22-25). Taken from Internet

Matthew 19:29-20:16
“And anyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
(1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. (2 He agreed to pay them a denarius (usual daily wage) for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
(3 About the third hour (9:00 a.m.) he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. (4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. (5 So they went.
He went out again about the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.) and did the same thing. (6 About the eleventh hour (5:00) he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’
(7 ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.
He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’
(8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.
(9 The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. (10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. (11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. (12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
(13 But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? (14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. (15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?
(16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”  

Luke 16:19-31
"There was a rich man who was dressed in fine linen and lived in luxury every day. (20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores (21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
(22 The time came when Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. (23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. (24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.
(25 But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is confronted here and you are in agony. (26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
(27 He answered, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, (28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
(29 Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
(30 ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
(31 He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” 

1. Where did Lazarus go when he died?
 2. Where did the rich man go when he died?
 3. What is hell like?
 4. What did the rich man ask Abraham?
 5. Why couldn’t Abraham send Lazarus to the rich man?
 6. Why wouldn’t Abraham send Lazarus to the rich man’s five brothers?
 7. Who rose from the dead not long after this parable was told? Did everyone believe in Him? What does this show about the unrepentant heart?

"The parable of Lazarus and the rich man has been the foundation for many of the erroneous beliefs about "hell" within traditional Christianity. Some have viewed it not as a parable, but as a true story Christ told to give details about the punishment of sinners in hell. Yet a thorough, unbiased examination of this story will show that the generally accepted interpretations of this passage of Scripture are fallacious and misleading. In this article, we will go through the parable verse by verse to determine what Christ was truly teaching. 

Those who insist that this is not a parable, but a true, literal story Christ told to describe the condition of the lost in hell must overlook several facts to arrive at that conclusion. First, Yeshua the Messiah never accuses the rich man of any sin. He is simply portrayed as a wealthy man who lived the good life. Furthermore, Lazarus is never proclaimed to be a righteous man. He is just one who had the misfortune to be poor and unable to care for himself. If this story is literal, then the logical implication is that all the rich are destined to burn in hell, while all the homeless and destitute will be saved. Does anyone believe this to be the case? 

If hell is truly as it is pictured in this story, then the saved will be able to view the lost who are burning there. Could anyone enjoy eternal existence if they were able to see lost friends, family, and acquaintances being incinerated in hell, yet never burning up? Additionally, if hell (as it is traditionally taught) is an abyss of fire and brimstone where sinners are tormented forever, does anyone really believe that one drop of water would relieve the pain and anguish of someone suffering in its flames? 

These are just some of the difficulties we encounter when we try to make the account of Lazarus and the rich man literal, instead of realizing that it is a parable. If it is a true story, then all of the things Christ said must be factual. If all the points of the story are not literal, then we must view this tale as an analogy Jesus used to teach larger spiritual truths. 

Most people think that the Messiah spoke in parables to make the meaning clearer for the uneducated people he was teaching. Reflecting this belief, an appendix to the NKJV says that "Jesus’ reputation as a great teacher spread far and wide. And no wonder. He taught in parables, simple stories, that made His lessons clear to all who were ready to learn" ("Man for All Times," p. 1870). Yet Christ said his purpose for speaking to the people in parables was exactly the opposite of the explanation cited above. 

MATTHEW 13:1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables . . . 10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’" (NKJV) 

As this passage and the parallel Scripture in Mark 4 clearly state, Yeshua spoke to the people in parables to hide the spiritual meaning of what he was saying. He only intended for his disciples to understand what the parables truly meant. It is no wonder, then, that so many have misunderstood what Christ was teaching with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. 

Let’s start by getting some background information on the situation in which Christ told this parable. Luke tells us that all the tax collectors and sinners were coming to Christ to hear what he had to say (Luke 15:1). This made the Pharisees and scribes jealous and they complained, vehemently criticizing Yeshua for receiving sinners and eating with them (Luke 15:2). They were probably envious of Christ’s growing fame, afraid that his popularity would diminish their own authority and prestige. 

So the Messiah first spoke a three-part parable (the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son) to those gathered around him. This parable was designed to show the tax collectors and sinners (as well as the Pharisees) that God was concerned for them and that He would seek out the lost and welcome them into His family when they repented and turned back to Him. 

The self-righteous, accusing Pharisees and scribes, who Christ acknowledged as the legitimate religious teachers of the Jews (Matt. 23:1-3), should have been the ones telling these people of God’s love for them. They should have been the ones teaching these sinners, exhorting them to return to God and receive His love and forgiveness. However, because of their faith in their own righteousness and their contempt for these tax collectors and sinners who didn’t measure up to their standards, the Pharisees and scribes excluded them and considered them accursed (John 7:49). 

Afterward, speaking primarily to his disciples but with the Pharisees (and probably the crowd) still listening in, Christ related the parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1-13). The Pharisees, who were "lovers of money" (Luke 16:14), realized that the Messiah was alluding to them with this parable and took offense. They scoffed at Jesus. The final part of Christ’s response to the derision of the Pharisees and scribes was the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. 

We’ll now examine this parable in detail to grasp exactly what the Messiah was teaching about the Kingdom of God. 

LUKE 16:19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day." (NKJV) 

We begin by scrutinizing the description Christ gives us of the rich man. First, he tells us that this man is clothed in purple and fine linen. This type of clothing would not have been out of the ordinary for one of considerable wealth during this time period. However, this raiment also has symbolic meaning. The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary says: "The wearing of purple was associated particularly with royalty . . ." ("Purple," p. 863). In addition, the New Bible Dictionary tells us: "The use of linen in OT times was prescribed for priests (Ex. 28:39). The coat, turban and girdle must be of fine linen." ("Linen," p. 702). 

So we see that the garments worn by this rich man were symbolic of royalty and the priesthood. With that in mind, let’s see what God told Moses just before giving the Israelites the Law on Mount Sinai. 

EXODUS 19:6 And ye shall be to me a royal priesthood and a holy nation: these words shalt thou speak to the children of Israel. (Brenton’s LXX) 

The clothing of the rich man identifies him symbolically with the people of Israel, who God chose to be a special people. They were called to be a witness to the nations surrounding them, confirming the blessings available to those who would obey God and keep His laws. Unfortunately, only infrequently did they live up to the high calling given to them by the Eternal. Eventually He had to send them into captivity for their refusal to honor their part of the covenant ratified at Mount Sinai. At the time of Christ, only the remnant of the house of Judah which had returned from the Babylonian captivity continued to have a covenant relationship with God. The rich man in this parable represents the Jews of Jesus’ day, exemplified by the religious teachers, the Pharisees and scribes. 

Verse 19 also tells us that the rich man "fared sumptuously every day." Figuratively, this represents the magnificent spriritual feast available only to the Jews, who were the sole remaining part of God’s called people Israel. In the first century A.D., they were the only people on earth who had the true religion. Indeed, Paul recounts the glorious station of the house of Judah in Romans 9:3-5. 

ROMANS 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen by race. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ. God who is over all be blessed for ever. Amen. (RSV) 

The Jews were truly rich, feasting on God’s spiritual blessings. Yet these very gifts caused them to stumble because they prompted them to self-righteousness. They gloried in the gifts, without glorifying the Eternal God who gave them. Instead of being a "royal priesthood" that was a blessing to all nations, they instead loathed and despised the surrounding Gentile peoples. Certainly, as Paul wrote, "their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them" (Rom. 11:9). 

LUKE 16:20 "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." (NKJV) 

In contrast to the rich man, we now see Lazarus. The first thing to note is that he is depicted as a beggar. This is an apt description of the Gentiles who "laid at the gate" of Judah. Paul describes the predicament of the Gentiles before they received Christ in Ephesians 2:12. 

EPHESIANS 2:12 Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (RSV) 

This Scripture is also a fitting representation of the position of the Gentile nations before the Messiah’s sacrifice for the world’s sins. They were certainly "excluded from the commonwealth of Israel," "strangers to the covenants of promise," and "without hope and without God in the world." The Gentiles were beggars, located outside Judah and longing to be fed spiritual crumbs from the table of the divinely blessed Jews. 

Additionally, we are told that dogs came and consoled Lazarus in his misery, licking his sores. The Jews considered the surrounding Gentiles to be unclean "dogs." Even Christ himself used this unflattering comparison when he conversed with the Greek Syrophoenician woman while in the region of Tyre (Mark 7:24-30). 

Also important to the story is the meaning of the name Lazarus. This Greek name is a form of the Hebrew Eleazer, and it literally means "he whom God helps." The use of this particular name is very significant to the message of the parable, for the Gentiles would indeed become "those whom God helped" through the sacrifice of His son, Yeshua. 

LUKE 16:22 "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." (NKJV) 

The next events recorded in this parable are the deaths of Lazarus and then the rich man. Since the parable has been figurative up until this point, there is no reason to assume it becomes literal now. 

First, to prove that this language is symbolic and not meant to be taken literally, let’s examine exactly what we are told by Christ. He says that first, Lazarus dies and is taken to the bosom of Abraham. Notice, there is no mention of his burial here. Then later the rich man dies, and he is buried (in Hades, according to verse 23). So the time sequence given indicates that upon his death, Lazarus was taken immediately to Abraham’s bosom, while afterward the rich man was buried in Hades after his death. 

If this story is literal, then we have a contradiction in the Bible. Here, Lazarus is shown to have immediately received the promise of eternal life. Yet the author of Hebrews clearly tells us that Abraham, as well as all the other Old Testament saints, have not yet received the promises given to them by God. 

HEBREWS 11:13 All these [Abraham, Noah, Abel, etc.] died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. . . . 39 And all these [including Abraham], having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (NASB) 

The great men and women of faith listed in Hebrews 11 have not yet been made perfect and given eternal life. They, along with all the saints of God from every age, are currently sleeping in their graves (Job 3:11-19 Psa. 6:5 115:17 Ecc. 9:5, 10; I Cor. 15:20 Isa. 57:1-2 Dan. 12:2 Acts 2:29, 34; 13:36). These saints are awaiting the first resurrection, which will take place when Yeshua the Messiah returns at the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Matt. 24:30-31 I Cor. 15:51-52 I The. 4:16 Rev. 11:15-18). 

Clearly, there is no way to reconcile the numerous Scriptures listed above with a literal understanding of the story of Lazarus and the rich man. What, then, does the death of these two men represent? 

The deaths of both the rich man (who represented the Jews) and Lazarus (who represented the Gentile nations) are symbolic in this parable. Here, their demise depicts an elemental change in the status and position of the two groups. 

To confirm this, let’s look at the meaning of Lazarus being "carried to Abraham’s bosom." The figurative meaning of being in one’s bosom is to be in a position of closeness, to be highly regarded. This symbolism is indicated by the ancient practice of having guests at a feast recline on the chest of their neighbors. The place of highest honor would therefore belong to the one seated next to the host, calling to mind the example of John at the Last Supper (John 13:23). Paul explains this imagery in Galatians 3:6-9 by telling us how the Gentiles could be in this place of highest honor. 

GALATIANS 3:6 . . . Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. (NKJV) 

As the passage above (as well as the fourth and ninth chapters of Romans) shows, Gentile believers become "sons of Abraham" through faith in Christ. This faith allows Gentiles to no longer be "strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19). For centuries the Jews had received the benefits of being God’s chosen people by virtue of being Abraham’s physical descendants. But after the sacrifice of Christ, this place of honor and blessing would be given to the people represented by Lazarus. This is the meaning of being "carried to the bosom of Abraham" in this parable. 

In contrast to Lazarus, the rich man was buried in Hades. An understanding of the original meaning of the Greek word hades is necessary to grasp the message of the parable. Regarding the possible etymology of this word, the The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology states that hades ". . . comes from idein (to see) with the negative prefix, a-, and so would mean the invisible . . . In the LXX hades occurs more than 100 times, in the majority of instances to translate Heb. she’ol, the underworld which receives all the dead. It is the land of darkness . . ." (vol. 2, p. 206). 

Most likely, hades originally meant "unseen." Later, it came to refer to the hidden state of those buried in the earth. Symbolically, this parable shows that a point would come when the house of Judah would become "unseen" by God, out of favor because of their unbelief. There would come a time when the Jews as a whole would no longer be God’s favored nation. Their hard hearts would lead them to reject their Messiah (John 1:11). 

LUKE 16:23 "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." (NKJV) 

What did Christ mean by saying here that the rich man was in "torments in Hades"? The key to discovering the symbolic meaning of this verse is the Greek noun basanois, translated "torments" above. 

According to Friberg’s Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, basanois, which is a form of the noun basanos, means "strictly, a touchstone for testing the genuineness of metals by rubbing against it . . ." 

The etymology of basanos found in Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament is very helpful in correctly understanding this verse: 

In non-biblical Gk. [basanos] is a commercial expression, or is used in relation to government. It then acquires the meaning of the checking of calculations, which develops naturally out of the basic sense of [basanos, basanizein] . . . In the spiritual sphere it has the figur[ative] sense, which is closely related to the original concrete meaning, of a means of testing . . . 

The word then undergoes a change in meaning. The original sense fades into the background. [Basanos] now comes to denote "torture" or "the rack," espec[ially] used with slaves . . . [Basanos] occurs in the sense of "torment" . . . 

The change in meaning is best explained if we begin with the object of treatment. If we put men instead of metal or a coin, the stone of testing become[s] torture or the rack. The metal which has survived the testing stone is subjected to harsher treatment. Man is in the same position when severely tested by torture. In the testing of metal an essential role was played by the thought of testing and proving genuineness. The rack is a means of showing the true state of affairs. In its proper sense it is a means of testing and proving, though also of punishment. Finally, even this special meaning was weakened and only the general element of torture remained (vol. I, pp. 561, 562, emphasis mine). 

In this verse, basanois simply conveys a sense of testing and proving through punishment. When this understanding is combined with a proper discernment of the symbolism of Hades, we can begin to see the point Yeshua is making. As a whole, the house of Judah would to be cut off and replaced during this current age by those Gentiles who in faith would accept the sacrifice of the Messiah. 

If the Pharisees and scribes understood this prophetic parable, it must have astonished and infuriated those who listened as Christ spoke. The implication that the house of Judah and the Gentile nations were to change places, with the Jews becoming alienated from God while the Gentiles were to become the "seed of Abraham," would have been almost impossible for them to believe. 

LUKE 16:24 "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.’" (NKJV) 

First, notice that the rich man identifies Abraham as his father, just as the Pharisees did (John 8:39). The rich man (Judah) is now shown to be undergoing reproof, testing, and punishment in "this flame" (singular, not "these flames"). It is quite obvious that the flame is not literal, because a wet fingertip on the tongue would do nothing to quench the pain inflicted by real flames. 

The word rendered "torment" here is a form of the Greek verb odunao, which literally means "grief," "pain," or "suffering." Predominantly, it conveys the sense of mental anguish, not physical pain. Forms of this word are found only four times in the Scriptures, all in the writings of Luke. It appears twice in this parable, in verses 24 and 25. In Luke 2:48, it is used to describe the anxious distress that Mary and Joseph felt after they discovered the 12-year old Jesus missing on the trip home from Jerusalem after the Passover feast. In Acts 20:38, it depicts the sorrow the elders of the Ephesian Church felt at Paul’s farewell announcement that they would never see him again. 

The rich man cries out from the symbolic darkness of Hades for comfort because of the suffering caused by the flame. The explanation of the symbolism of the flame will require a little background information. 

In Deuteronomy 11 and 28, Moses delineates God’s part in His covenant with Israel. Moses told them that if they obeyed the Eternal, they would be the most blessed nation on earth. Conversely, if they disobeyed, God promised to curse and eventually destroy them because of their sins. 

As the history of Israel in the Tanakh shows, only rarely did they obey God. Although the Eternal was patient and forgave them many times when they repented and turned back to Him, eventually He was forced to curse Israel as He had vowed to do. 

First the house of Israel, the ten tribes that composed the northern kingdom with Samaria as their capital, was carried into captivity by Assyria (c. 722 B.C.). Hosea, who prophesied during the end of the northern kingdom, said this about God’s chosen people who were called to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation. 

HOSEA 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (NKJV) 

Then, about 135 years later, the southern kingdom of Judah was subdued and finally conquered by Babylon (c. 587 B.C.). God had delivered His people to their enemies, as He had promised. 

The people of Judah were given another chance. After the Persians defeated the Babylonians, the Jews were allowed to return to Judea (c. 538 B.C.) and eventually they rebuilt the Temple. Chastened and aware that their sins had brought about the captivity, many sought to obey God’s laws upon their return to the land. 

But by the time of Christ, once again unbelief had become a major problem. Many of the religious teachers of the day had substituted human traditions for the laws God had given Israel (Matt. 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13). Because of their lack of faith, they didn’t really believe the very Scriptures they professed to follow (John 5:39, 45-47). In the end, they rejected the anointed one God sent to them and had the Romans crucify him. 

Now back to the question at hand. What does the flame in the parable represent? 

When one looks at the history of the Jewish people from the time of Christ until today, one theme remains constant — persecution. With the quashing of the Jewish revolts against Rome (66-70 A.D. and 132-135 A.D.), the saga of the Jewish people in the Diaspora has been one of persistent and harsh persecution from virtually all quarters. The Inquisition of the 15th century and the Holocaust of the 20th century are two of the more well-known anti-semitic episodes, but many more are recorded on the bloody pages of history. For their unbelief and rejection of truth and knowledge, the Jews have been cursed by God with the "flame" of suffering and grief down through the centuries. Unfortunately, most of that mistreatment has come at the hands of those who called themselves "Christians." 

The Jews pictured by the rich man in this parable are in their present state because of their unbelief, which ultimately manifested itself in the rejection of the Messiah, Yeshua. Unfortunately, this parable shows that the punishment and testing they would undergo would not immediately lead them to Christ. Instead of calling on the Messiah, the rich man calls on his ancestor Abraham to help ease his suffering. 

LUKE 16:25 "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. (NKJV) 

Abraham clearly identifies the rich man as his descendant by calling him "son." He tells him that things have changed. When the Jews were God’s chosen people, they enjoyed the spiritual blessings associated with that status. But now, Abraham says, Lazarus is enjoying those blessings while the rich man is grieving and in sorrow. "Tormented" here is another form of odunao, the same Greek verb found above in verse 24. 

LUKE 16:26 "’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.’" (NKJV) 

What is the "great gulf" which stands between the rich man and Lazarus? Paul aptly explains it to us in the eleventh chapter of Romans. He tells us that because of the Jews’ unbelief, "God has given them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, to this very day" (Rom. 11:8). Paul goes on to say that "a partial hardening would happen to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles had come in" (Rom. 11:25). In II Corinthians 3:14-15, Paul tells us that the Israelites’ "minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart." 

The "great gulf" mentioned by Abraham is nothing less than God’s blinding in this age of the Jews as a whole to the truth about their Messiah! It’s not that the Jewish nation won’t acknowledge Christ; they cannot recognize his true identity because of God’s actions! Yet because of the Eternal’s great mercy, this state of affairs will not last forever (Rom. 11:26). 

LUKE 16:27 "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.’" (NKJV) 

Yielding himself to his destiny, the rich man asks one more thing of his forefather Abraham. He pleads with him to send someone to warn his brothers, so that they may escape "this place of torment" (basanou), the testing and punishment that he was undergoing. 

The fact that the rich man has five brothers is a vital clue to his true symbolic identity. Judah, the progenitor of the Jews, was the son of Jacob through Leah (Gen. 29:35). He had five full-blooded brothers: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Zebulun (Gen. 35:23). 

While the significance of this seemingly pointless detail has been neglected by scholars throughout the centuries, you can be certain that it did not escape the notice of the Pharisees and scribes to which Christ was speaking. They thoroughly knew their history and were extremely proud of their heritage. Yeshua wanted those self-righteous Pharisees to know exactly who He was referring to with this parable. This detail cements the identity of the rich man as the house of Judah, the Jews! 

LUKE 16:29 "Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’" (NKJV) 

Once again Abraham refuses the rich man’s request, telling him that the brothers already have a witness in the writings of Moses and the prophets that will allow them to escape his fate. Moses, as well as the prophets, are shown several times in the New Testament to support Yeshua’s identity as the Messiah (Luke 24:27, 44 John 1:45; 5:46 Acts 3:22-24; 7:37; 26:22-23; 28:23). Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers would have to recognize the prophesied Messiah because of the things written about him in the Tanakh. This echoes what Yeshua told the Jews in John 5:45-47. 

JOHN 5:45 "Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you — Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" (NKJV) 

As the Scriptures show, the Jewish leaders of Christ’s day generally failed to recognize the very one Moses wrote about (Deut. 18:15, 18). 

LUKE 16:30 "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.’" (NKJV) 

Christ uses the last two verses of this parable as an amazing prophecy of his pending resurrection from the dead. The rich man says that although his brothers may not accept the scriptural evidence for the identity of the Messiah, they will accept the evidence of one who is raised from the dead. 

But Abraham answers and plainly tells him that anyone who rejects God’s Word about the Messiah will also refuse to acknowledge the evidence of a miraculous resurrection. This last verse is a sad prophecy about the Jews and about all the Israelites who have not, despite God’s resurrection of His son from the power of the grave, recognized Christ as the Messiah. 

Christ ends this parable abruptly, with no real resolution presented. The picture presented is a bleak one, yet there is hope for the Jews and for all Israel. In Romans 11, Paul laid out that hope in such a manner that scarcely few today have really believed it. 

In Romans 11:1 Paul rhetorically asks if God has cast away His people, Israel. He answers his own question emphatically by saying "Certainly not!" He tells us that God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Paul writes that there is currently a remnant of Israel, analogous to the seven thousand reserved to God in Elijah’s time (I Kings 19:18), that God has elected by grace. The rest God hardened, that the Gentiles might also be included in salvation through grace. He gives the resolution of the situation in verse 26. 

ROMANS 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (NKJV) 

The same God that blinded Israel unto disobedience will have mercy on all that have been rebellious due to that blindness. To quote Paul once again, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" Praised be the Eternal Creator of all things! 

CONCLUSION
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man, long used by mainstream ministers to teach the reality of "hell," really has nothing to say about punishment or reward in the afterlife. Christ used this story, which fit the common misconception about life after death in his day, to show the fate that awaited the Jewish nation because of the unbelief and faithlessness which led them to reject him as the Messiah. They still suffer from that fate to this very day. Yet the time is soon coming when God will pour on the Jews the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Christ whom they pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn (Zec. 12:10)."  Bryan T. Huie  Updated: January 9, 1998 
 

Matthew 5:14-16
 (14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. (15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
 
Mark 4:21-25
(21 “He said to them, ‘Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? (22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
(23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
(24 Consider carefully what you hear,’ he continued. ‘With the measure you use—it will be measured to you—and even more. (25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.’”
 
Luke 8:16-18
 (16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. (17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
 
Luke 11:33-36
(33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
(34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.
(35 See to it, the, that the light within you in not darkness. (36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it is dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”
 
Luke 12:1-3 )
(1“…Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying, ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. (3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the
ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

 
 
1. Why do you have a light? What is the reason for having a light?
 
2. Jesus said He was the light of the world. People are in darkness until they know who Jesus is. What do you Christians have that people who do not believe in Jesus don’t have? (Jesus within them; light within them)
 
3. When Jesus said, “let your light shine before men,” what did He mean?
 
4. What happens when people see the good deeds that God has asked us to do?
 
5. What will be made known? (what is hidden or concealed)
 
6. What does Jesus mean by, “Whoever has will be given more, whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him"? (if we have the truth by knowing Jesus we will receive more truth; if we don not have the truth of Jesus, even the knowledge of truth we have will be taken away.)
 
7. In Luke 11:29-36, Jesus is talking to Pharisees who want a sign that He is the Son of God. When He says, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.” Luke 11:34 He is saying to them that if they knew He was the Son of God, they wouldn’t need to ask for a sign, their eyes would be good. However, by asking for a sign, what are they are showing?
 
8. What does Jesus mean by, “Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it is dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you?” (if we know Jesus, we will see clearly)
 
9. What does Jesus mean by, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17
(Truth will be made known. Verses 16 and 18 explain different aspects of verse 17.)
Verse 16–“No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”
The disciples and other believers naturally make the truth known when they obey God.
Verse 18–“Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”
Those who believe and obey the truth about Jesus will be given more truth while those that reject Jesus, even the truth they know about Him will be forgotten:
 

James 1:23-24
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”
In the following portion of Scripture Jesus adds to His declaration that truth will be made known. Even the falsehood of the Pharisees will be revealed:

Luke 12:1-3
“…Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying, ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” 

Bible Memory Verse
"I am the good shepherd…" John 10:11

 
In the land of Israel, where Jesus lived, many people were shepherds. WHAT IS A SHEPHERD? In our memory verse, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. Jesus meant that like a good shepherd took good care of his sheep, He takes good care of His people.

* PSALM 23—Written by King David
(1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” King David is saying that God takes care of him. God will give him everything he needs.
(2-3 “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
He is saying that God tells him what to do; he leads him to the things he needs, physical needs, emotional needs and spiritual needs.
(4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” A rod and a staff were the two weapons the shepherd had to protect himself from wild animals, to guide the sheep or just to make it easier to walk. A rod was a short club and a staff was a long, straight stick. King David is saying that no matter what trouble he has to go through in life, he knows God is with him and will provide what is necessary to comfort him.
(5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” King David is saying that God will take care of him no matter if enemies surround him. Our enemies might be the devil and his demons that are trying to get our family or us to sin, but God has promised to protect us from them if we just trust Him.
(5 “You anoint my head with oil;” Anointing with oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Anointing your head with oil meant receiving God’s special blessing.
(5 “my cup overflows.” King David had more blessings than he could even count.
(6 “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” King David knew, that because he was a child of God, God would always take care of him life and forever.
 

 
1. Who wrote Psalm 23?
2. What were a rod and a staff?
3. What kind of a shepherd is Jesus?
4. Why is Jesus a good shepherd? Jesus As the Good Shepherd

* JESUS AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
 

John 10:11-13
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
(12 The hired man is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. (13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."
 
1 Who attacks the sheep? (wolf)
2. Who attacks people?  (devil)
3. Who runs away when he sees the wolf coming because he cares nothing for the sheep? (hired hand)

Jesus is saying that some people will tell us there is another way to get to heaven besides believing in Him, but they are like the hired man that runs away. A good shepherd does everything he can for the sheep even risking his life against wolves, bears or lions that try to attack the sheep. Jesus was like a good shepherd because He is willing and able to care for all the needs of people. He loved people so much that He was willing to die to pay the debt for their sins. But Jesus did not stay dead. Now He is in heaven. We can pray to Him and He will take care of us just like the good shepherd will always take care of his sheep.

Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words if mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who build his house on the rock. (25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.
 
Luke 6:46-49
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say? (47 I will show you what he is like who cones to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. (48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. (49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

: 
1. Who is the man who “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” compared to?(person who built the foundation of his house on the rock—Jesus is called the Rock)
 2. What happened to him when the storms came?
 3. Who is the person who doesn’t obey God compared to? (man that built the foundation of his house)
 4. What could the storms be compared to (the storms of life, which we all experience)
 5. What lesson is Jesus teaching in this parable?

Bible Memory Verse:
"…he was lost and is found." Luke 15:32

 
Luke 15:11-32
(11 “Jesus continued: ‘There was a man who had two sons. (12 The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided the property between them.
(13 Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and squandered his wealth in wild living. (14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. (15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. (16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
(17 When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. (19 I am no longer worthy to called you son; make me like one of your hired men.” (20 So he got up and went to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
(21 The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to called your son.”
(22 But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. (23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. (24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.
(25 Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. (26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. (27”Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”
(28 The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. (29 But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. (30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
(31 “My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. (32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”’” 
 

1. What is a parable (“a brief story used to teach some moral lesson or truth”–World Book Dictionary)? Jesus taught using parables. He would tell a story in order to teach people something they should know and about the way they should live. 
 2. How many sons did the father have?
 3. This is called the parable of the Lost Son or Prodigal. What is a prodigal? (person who is wasteful )
 4. Which son was the prodigal son? Why?
 5. A severe famine takes place in the land? What is a famine? (no food–no food growing in the land so people were going hungry)
 6. What did the younger son decide to do when he had wasted all his money and had to feed pigs?
 7. Why do you think the older son reacted the way he did?
 8. What do you think the older son lacked?
 9. Why is God like the father in the parable of the prodigal son?
 10. What do we have to do for God to forgive us?
 
  
* PLAY—THE PRODIGAL SON
 
 
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:11-32
CHARACTERS: Narrator, Younger Son, Father, Older Son
 
 
Younger Son: Father, give me my share of your property.
 
Narrator: So the father gave him his share of the property. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there wasted all his money in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went & hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his field to feed pigs. He longed to feed his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said,
 
Younger Son: My father’s servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.
 
Narrator: So he went back to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son and threw his arms around him. The son said to his father.
 
Younger Son: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to called your son.
 
Narrator: But the father said to his servants…
 
Father: Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
 
Narrator: So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
 
Servant: Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.
 
Narrator: The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father    went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father,
 
Older Son: Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. Now my brother who has wasted all your money comes home, and you kill the fattened calf for him!
 
Father: My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we have to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found.
 
Narrator: The angels rejoice with God when a sinner asks for forgiveness of his sin and gives his life to Jesus. God, our Heavenly Father, will forgive and accept us any time we ask Him.
 
Jesus is saying that God is so happy when one sinner repents (turns from his sin) that He rejoices AND treats him as a son.
 
 
* PRODIGAL SON PARAPHASED: THE PARTY
 
Once there was a father with two sons. One day the younger son said to his dad, “Listen old man. I’m sick and tired of hanging around here waiting for you to keel over from a heart attack or whatever. Gimme my inheritance now while I’m still young enough to enjoy it.”
So, the father handed the young man his money and the boy set off on a long trip to The Big City (probably Toronto or Vancouver or something). When he got there, he was a party animal—staying up late, throwing his money around, and purposely doing all the stuff his father had warned him never to do. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.
Finally, the money was gone and the boy had nowhere to go. So he got the only job he could—working in a homeless shelter cleaning up the bathrooms where people threw up and passed out on the floor.
He was really hungry, not even making enough money to buy food. Even these homeless people have more to eat than I do, he thought. You know what I oughtta do?I oughtta go back home. Every year my dad hires migrant workers to work in the fields. I bet if I told him I was sorry he’s hire me and I’d at least have something to eat!
So he got up and headed home. All along the way he rehearsed what he was gonna say to his dad. But when he got close to home, his dad was watching out the window for him. And he ran out to greet the boy without even changing out of his pajamas! And he stood there in the middle of the road, hugging his son.
“Dad, I’m sorry I messed up…” the son began. But he couldn’t even get his apology out for all the hugging his dad was giving him.
“Welcome home, Son!”
“But, Dad…”
“Welcome home!”
His dad turned to a friend and said, “Order an extra large pizza with lots of cheese. Break out the nachos and root beer. Tonight, we’ll celebrate!”
Pretty soon, the boy’s older brother came home from work. He smelled the pizza, he heard the music, he saw people playing Twister on the back porch and he knew what was going on. They were having a party!
He refused to go in. Finally, his dad came out to invite him in, but he said, “What’s the deal? I work for you twenty four/seven and I can’t even invite a few friends over to play video games! And then this son of yours goes and wastes all his money and you throw him a big homecoming party!”
And his dad said, “You live with me all the time and you can have anything you ask for. But your brother was lost and hopeless, and now he’s home. He was as good as dead, but now he’s got a second chance at life. Don’t you get it? I had to throw a party. I had to! Come on in—the pizza is hot and the root beer is cold and the party is just getting started.