“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes the rich man's daily, luxurious life not to accuse him of outright sin, but to highlight how his life was entirely absorbed in temporal comforts. Jesus intentionally omits any mention of specific wrongdoing, suggesting that a life solely focused on personal indulgence, even without overt vice, can lead to eternal ruin.
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse kicks off a parable where Jesus contrasts the lives of a wealthy, self-indulgent man and a poor, suffering beggar named Lazarus. The rich man, adorned in luxurious purple and fine linen and feasting daily, represents those who prioritize earthly comforts and status. This story immediately follows Jesus' teachings on using wealth wisely and the dangers of loving money, highlighting the spiritual peril of a life focused solely on material possessions and earthly pleasures.
Have you ever noticed that Jesus names the poor man but not the rich one? What does this anonymity tell us about God's perspective on wealth?
The parable intentionally leaves the rich man nameless. Commentaries suggest this is significant.
Jesus doesn't accuse the rich man of theft or cruelty. So, what's the real issue with his lifestyle of purple robes and daily feasts?
The description of the rich man's life – clothed in purple and fine linen, feasting sumptuously – isn't presented as inherently evil actions. However, in the context of Jesus' teaching, these elements serve as subtle but powerful warnings.
Ask a follow-up
The rich man received 'all his good things' in life. What's the difference between enjoying good things and living a life characterized by good works?
Jesus’ teaching in this parable draws a sharp distinction between receiving worldly comforts and actively pursuing godly living. The rich man’s downfall wasn’t necessarily his wealth itself, but his focus and his inaction.
Understand the original words
plousios · Greek Adjective/Noun
In a biblical context, wealth is often viewed as a stewardship from God. When held in isolation from God and concern for the neighbor, it can become an idol that blinds the possessor to eternal realities.
porphyra / byssos · Greek Noun
Expensive, opulent materials associated with royalty, wealth, and high social status in the ancient world.
The description of the rich man's attire and feasting immediately evokes the extreme luxury and visible wealth of the ruling elite in Roman-occupied Judea, particularly the Herodian court, highlighting the stark contrast between the lives of the wealthy and the destitute who were often found in their cities.
c. 8th-7th century BC
Phoenician Purple Dye Trade
Tyrian purple dye, extracted from murex sea snails found primarily along the Phoenician coast, becomes a highly prized and extremely expensive commodity, signifying immense wealth and status.
c. 4th century BC
Development of Fine Linen Production
Fine linen, known as byssus, becomes a luxury textile, particularly associated with ancient Egypt and the Near East, prized for its softness, transparency, and cost.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Herodian Dynasty's Lavish Courts
The Herodian rulers in Judea, like Herod the Great and Herod Antipas, are known for their extravagant palaces, banquets, and opulent lifestyles, setting a precedent for the wealthy elite in the region.
c. AD 25-35— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Teachings on Wealth
During his public ministry, Jesus frequently addressed the dangers of wealth, the love of money, and the responsibility of the rich to care for the poor, often using parables to illustrate these points.
c. AD 30-33
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Jesus tells the parable recorded in Luke 16:19-31 to illustrate the eternal consequences of a life focused on self-indulgence and the neglect of the poor, contrasting it with the reward of those who suffer for righteousness.
This passage directly condemns those who live in luxury and indulge themselves, mirroring the description of the rich man and highlighting the potential spiritual danger of such a lifestyle.
Matthew 6:19-21Jesus contrasts storing up treasures on earth with storing up treasures in heaven, which speaks to the rich man's focus on earthly comforts and possessions over eternal values.
Amos 6:4-6This prophetic passage denounces Israelites who live in luxury, recline on rich couches, and feast, drawing a strong parallel to the rich man's lifestyle and the spiritual emptiness it represents.
1 Timothy 6:17-19This instruction warns against riches and encourages generosity, directly addressing the rich man's potential failure to use his wealth for good and his self-indulgent focus.
barnesLuke 16:19: "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:"
There was a certain rich man - Many have supposed that our Lord here refers to a "real history," and gives an account of some man who had lived in this manner; but of this there is no evidence. The probability is that this narrative is to be considered as a parable, referring not to any particular case which "had" actually happened, but teaching that such cases "might" happen…
clarkeLuke 16:19: "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:"
There was a certain rich man - In the Scholia of some MSS. the name of this person is said to be Ninive. This account of the rich man and Lazarus is either a parable or a real history. If it be a parable, it is what may be: if it be a history, it is that which has been. Either a man may live as is here described, and go to perdition when he dies; or, some have lived in this w…
The verse emphasizes the rich man's daily, luxurious life not to accuse him of outright sin, but to highlight how his life was entirely absorbed in temporal comforts. Jesus intentionally omits any mention of specific wrongdoing, suggesting that a life solely focused on personal indulgence, even without overt vice, can lead to eternal ruin.
This verse kicks off a parable where Jesus contrasts the lives of a wealthy, self-indulgent man and a poor, suffering beggar named Lazarus. The rich man, adorned in luxurious purple and fine linen and feasting daily, represents those who prioritize earthly comforts and status. This story immediately follows Jesus' teachings on using wealth wisely and the dangers of loving money, highlighting the spiritual peril of a life focused solely on material possessions and earthly pleasures.
This verse kicks off a parable where Jesus contrasts the lives of a wealthy, self-indulgent man and a poor, suffering beggar named Lazarus. The rich man, adorned in luxurious purple and fine linen and feasting daily, represents those who prioritize earthly comforts and status. This story immediately follows Jesus' teachings on using wealth wisely and the dangers of loving money, highlighting the spiritual peril of a life focused solely on material possessions and earthly pleasures.
"“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day." — The verse emphasizes the rich man's daily, luxurious life not to accuse him of outright sin, but to highlight how his life was entirely absorbed in temporal comforts. Jesus intentionally omits any me…
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Last reviewed October 2026