"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.'…
'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'" (Lk 16:19-31)
The rich man has no name. Among the Jews name revealed the character of the individual. It revealed who he was and what was his life etc. The poor man had a name. He is a man of character. Does the parable say that the wealth destroy the identity or the character of the person?
Before death there was a difference between the two. One who was rich was at table and lived a life of luxury. The poor man had nothing to eat. After death also there was difference between the two. The poor man was with ‘Father Abraham’ while the rich man was suffering in the nether world. Both had something in common. They were equal at one thing and that was ‘death’.
Neither the heaven (Abraham) nor the nether world could do anything to change the people of the world. Only the people of the world (Moses and prophets) could do anything to change the heart of the people who are living. Signs and wonders from above or below will not change people. Probably that is why Jesus came into the world like one of us to change our way of life: to lead us to the kingdom.
