Luke 16:23-24
and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes the rich man's stark realization of separation. What's easy to miss is that he "lifted up his eyes" while in torment, suggesting this painful awareness and vision is part of his suffering, not just a passive observation. He sees Abraham and Lazarus, but crucially, they are "far off," highlighting the unbridgeable chasm between their destinies.
This parable is told immediately after Jesus highlights the importance of using wealth wisely and warning against greed. It depicts the eternal consequences for a rich man who lived selfishly and a poor man named Lazarus who suffered greatly but remained faithful. The rich man's torment is intensified by seeing Lazarus in comfort, and his pleas to Abraham reveal his desperate desire to warn his still-living brothers.
What does it truly mean to be 'in torments' after death? This parable paints a stark picture, not of vague discomfort, but of conscious suffering.
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus, while symbolic, directly addresses the state of the soul after death. The rich man is described as "in torments," experiencing "pain, anguish." This isn't a passive existence; he "lifted up his eyes" and became aware of his surroundings and his new reality.
Key aspects of this torment include:
This awareness in torment is crucial; it underscores that the state after death is not one of oblivion but of conscious experience, where the choices made in life have eternal consequences.
Imagine seeing what you desperately want, but being utterly unable to reach it. This parable reveals a profound separation that defines the afterlife.
A pivotal element in the rich man's torment is the "great gulf" fixed between him and Abraham's side. This isn't just a physical distance; it represents an absolute, irreversible separation between the place of torment and the place of comfort.
This separation has several implications:
Understand the original words
Hades · Greek Noun
The place of the dead; in the New Testament, it is often depicted as a place of conscious existence separated from God, involving suffering for the unrighteous while awaiting final judgment.
basanos · Greek Noun
Severe physical, mental, or spiritual suffering; often used in Scripture to describe the condition of those separated from God’s presence and experiencing divine judgment.
eleēo · Greek Verb
Compassion or kindness shown toward someone who does not necessarily deserve it; it is an appeal for God’s or another's favor to relieve suffering.
odunaō · Greek Verb
Severe, acute distress or pain; frequently used in apocalyptic or eschatological contexts to describe the experience of those enduring the effects of judgment.
This parable, told by Jesus, offers a stark picture of the afterlife and the eternal consequences of one's earthly choices, emphasizing the importance of compassion and faith.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus' death and resurrection are central to the Christian faith, providing the theological framework for understanding salvation and the afterlife.
c. 33-62 AD
Early Church Growth and Persecution
The early church, founded on Jesus' teachings, spread rapidly but also faced significant opposition and persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
c. 60-62 AD
Writing of Luke's Gospel
Luke, a physician and companion of Paul, writes his Gospel, likely for a Gentile audience, aiming to provide an orderly account of Jesus' life and ministry.
This verse immediately follows the one in question, showing Abraham's response to the rich man's torment, highlighting the stark contrast between the two destinies and the permanence of their separation.
Matthew 13:42Jesus describes the final judgment where the wicked will be thrown into a 'furnace of fire,' emphasizing the torment and suffering that awaits those separated from God, mirroring the rich man's experience.
Isaiah 14:15This passage speaks of the fallen king of Babylon being brought down to the realm of the dead, to the lowest parts of the Pit, illustrating a similar descent into a place of suffering and separation from divine favor.
Hebrews 12:29This verse describes God as a 'consuming fire,' which connects to the rich man's torment in flame, suggesting that facing God's holiness without Christ is inherently a painful and destructive experience for the unrighteous.
Revelation 20:14-15This passage describes the final casting of death and Hades into the lake of fire, which is the second death, reinforcing the concept of a place of torment and eternal punishment beyond the earthly realm.
vincentLuke 16:23: "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
HellRev., Hades. Where Lazarus also was, but in a different region. See on Matthew 16:18.
pulpitLuke 16:23: "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Verse 23. - And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments; more accurately, in Hades (the unseen world of the dead) he lift up his eyes. The idea of suffering does not lie in these first words, but in the participle "being in torments," which immediately follows. It is noticeable that, in this Divine picture of unhappy life in the other world there is no coarse, vulgar wo…
The verse emphasizes the rich man's stark realization of separation. What's easy to miss is that he "lifted up his eyes" while in torment, suggesting this painful awareness and vision is part of his suffering, not just a passive observation. He sees Abraham and Lazarus, but crucially, they are "far off," highlighting the unbridgeable chasm between their destinies.
This parable is told immediately after Jesus highlights the importance of using wealth wisely and warning against greed. It depicts the eternal consequences for a rich man who lived selfishly and a poor man named Lazarus who suffered greatly but remained faithful. The rich man's torment is intensified by seeing Lazarus in comfort, and his pleas to Abraham reveal his desperate desire to warn his still-living brothers.
This parable is told immediately after Jesus highlights the importance of using wealth wisely and warning against greed. It depicts the eternal consequences for a rich man who lived selfishly and a poor man named Lazarus who suffered greatly but remained faithful. The rich man's torment is intensified by seeing Lazarus in comfort, and his pleas to Abraham reveal his desperate desire to warn his still-living brothers.
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The gulf serves as a powerful reminder of the finality of God's judgment and the absolute nature of the separation between those who are with Him and those who are not.
"and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I a…" — The verse emphasizes the rich man's stark realization of separation. What's easy to miss is that he "lifted up his eyes" while in torment, suggesting this painful awareness and vision is part of hi…
