Actual Event or Parable?

The purpose of Jesus' parables was not on whether or not it was an actual event, or could be an actual event. The purpose of a parable was to get a message across. How factual or fictional a parable was has nothing to do with that message. Arguing over the factual content of a parable completely ignores the meaning of it.

Whether ot not it's factual is completely irrelevant.

 

How many times in any of Jesus parables does fire mean anything else but fire? If fire here does not mean the fire of Hell, what other option does one have?
DHK

 

I took a word to study in this parable to find a little truth..first of all..both men died spiritually. both have been placed in the family of God..One in the rest of God..one under the law and is in an environment of having to continually meet standards (hell)..
now the verse:
(Luk 16:28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

torment is one of the focal point of this story..yet there are other references of torment in the bible..
(1Jo 4:18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

and then theres the key....

(Rev 14:11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

(the mark is the law...deeds of the carnal mind and work of the carnal flesh to please God...)

(Rev 14:12) Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

the rest is in the people who keep the commandments and the faith...

what is the law of God ?...its not eye for an eye.. thats the carnal mans law...
Its One Shall Die for Another..thats Gods law.
His New law..His law of MERCY

and you wait to see the results...those who are dead in christ wait patiently...To Accept Jesus As their Lord.

(Rev 14:13) And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

When Jesus Died..The Two Men were Placed Into His Death...Lazarus waited patiently. He couldnt do anything to receive Gods Blessings.
The Rich Man Died but believed he could continue to live by the carnal laws he knew of...he couldnt enter into the rest of Jesus.. He couldnt accept Jesus As Lord.....It was "Hell" To Him.

He Feared Jesus,Because accepting Jesus Is Accepting Defeat of Carnal Flesh. He Feared Love.
Because He Agreed That following Laws to Please God Was Worthy Enough For God and, not another Dying For Him.

He Still Believed He Was Alive because the Law Didnt Do Its Complete Work...What Is The Law Designed To Do ?...To Kill Completely..


and they were not physically Dead..they were spiritually dead.
This is a parable about a spiritual condition...
The difference between living under the law or by Grace.

the same truths have held for the last 2000 years as they have only applied to the two types of peoples God has dealt with "in Christ".

Those who accept the free gift of Grace and those who believe they must earn it.

Anyone can believe anything they want to. It wont change a thing. This parable is not about an "Afterlife"..its about a spiritual condition while one is alive and battling their spiritual against their carnal natures. Its a Spiritual story concerning the Living only.......

This is a parable that is chocked full of spiritual truths for the living..
this was just one word...

Me2

 

Me2 you are sounding more and more like you are believing mysticism and Eastern Occultism then you are Christianity. Little frightening.

There is no special interpretation to this story that Jesus told. No likeness to Israel or the Gentiles. No special ethereal explanation.

Jesus was allowing us to see truths about death and the afterlife. The angels carried Lazarus to paradise or Abram's bosom. The rich man who was a sinner was lost and cast into Hell.

I believe the lost will see what they missed. They will be able to see those who were saved.
This is part of their torment to view what could have been for them if they had chose to serve God.

As far as God sending someone from the dead. Why not? Did not he send back Samuel through the necromancy of the witch of Endor to warn Saul?
Why could he not have sent back Lazarus' spirit to visit the rich man's brother if he so chose to?
Is anything impossible with God. Yet, JEsus knows the hardness of mens hearts. Look at the fact that men still were full of doubt after they saw Jesus crucified then saw him resurrected.
He knew they would not believe.

As far as a soul having fingers etc. Why not?
When the pharisees questioned Jesus about the afterlife with the story of the woman who had so many husbands, did he not say the people in Heaven would be like the angels. He did not say they would be angels but like them. The only difference will be after the resurrection when the soul reunites with the body and the body becomes glorified just like Jesus' body.

 

A soul has fingers?

The human body and the soul work together as one unit..but..without the body..
the soul would have no input sensors..no output sensors.

So we go through a temporary pause while we have no body in death ..there will be no talking..no listening, etc, etc.
the soul has no sensory inputs or outputs without a physical body..

so the obvious stands out to me..its a parable about a spiritual environment..but it is interesting that we would have physical attributes..
Could we be alive in a body with sensory inputs and outputs..maybe in a state of SPIRITUAL DEATH?

Sorta like the situation that we are born in..we just dont know it until God chooses to explains it to us...at least ...some of us.

 

Parable, for most of the reasons all ready stated, but hardly a place to make a hard and fast stand. A hard and fast opinion, however would be fine.

 

Wow, when I voted I thought this was cut and dried.

I voted parable; the fact that Jesus told a story does not mean it has to be based on real events to guarantee Jesus honesty. What about the Great Supper/Feast parables? Did a King really go out and kill a bunch of people for not accepting an invite?

Did someone elsewhere post the question: if Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom, where did Abraham go?

It is possible that he was referring to recent events known to his hearers, although why the death of a beggar would be on their minds I am not sure. I would certainly be careful before I started spiritualising/allegorising about Jews and Gentiles: after all, what was on the Lord's mind in teaching this; what issues amongst his hearers was he addressing?

peace in Him