Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!lll-winken!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ph600fev@sdcc14.ucsd.edu (Robert O'Barr) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: DEATH & HELL-5 - RICH MAN & LAZARUS Message-ID: Date: 20 Mar 91 09:05:14 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of California, San Diego Lines: 46 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I think one rule of thumb when we read the parables is that we should not overinterpret nor underinterpret them. I understand the following from the parable: The rich man had been blessed tremendously by the Lord. He did not use his riches to succor the poor rather "when the least of his brethren was an hungered, he gave him no meat" Christ in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man is teaching the consequences of such treatment of the poor. The consequence of the rich man's hatred of the poor is that at death, his body is burried yet he (his eternal spirit) goes to hades. What does the greek word hades mean? Ha.des ha-d-(.)e-z\ n [Gk Haide-s] 2: SHEOL She.ol \she--'o-l, 'she--.\ n [Heb Shebreve>'o-l] 1: an underworld where according to ancient Hebrew belief the dead have a shadowy existence In hades, the rich man suffers. Lazarus is not subject to the torments that the rich man is, rather he is with Abraham (the righteous) and there is a gulf fixed between those who did good and those who did evil. Christ also teaches us that if men don't listen to his servents the prophets, then it is unlikely that they will listen to one rising from the dead (or an angel, or a miracle, etc.) If it is true that the existance of hades is a pagan belief, then we are really accusing Christ of teaching false doctrine. Most people I know who have related their personal beliefs of what Christ is trying to teach here ( the percentage goes way up if I delete those from just two denominations ) understand that yes Christ is teaching that at death, we go to hades where if we have been wicked, we will be punished for our sins. My own opinion is that Christ, even when teaching with parables never taught in a way that even the least in tune with the spirit would be lead to believe he was advocating false and pagan doctrine. This posting I am following up to and several similar articles I have read that are of even greater length make me ask the following question. Why do people always dedicate so much effort to try to show that this parable doesn't teach what it appears to teach? Is Christ really such a poor teacher that we need several pages of well thought out arguement to conclude that what Christ appears to be teaching really can't be so? To me, there is no teacher so powerfull and clear as Jesus. Robert