Can anyone explain to me the parable of Lazarus? Who does the rich man, the dogs, etc. respresent?

Question

What does the tongue and the drop of water represent and what does the chasm represent?

Answer 1

The Parable of Lazarus represents what awaits for those who have been greedy & not given a single thought to their fellow human beings while they were on earth.

A similar explanation is told in the Gospel according to St. Matthew chapter 25, verses 31-46, when Christ Speaks of Judgement Day, & how people will be Rewarded or Punished, depending on how they treated humanity during their lifetime in the world.

Back during Christ's Time, dogs in the Middle East were look down upon, on almost on the same level as pigs(they still are, out in the Middle East, in fact). So when Christ Described "dogs came to lick at Lazarus'sores," He Was Giving a direct example of just how destitute Lazarus was.

The chasm was the divide between Heaven & Hell. The souls of the Damned could not escape & enter into Heaven, & likewise, the souls of the Saved could not enter into Hell to Save lost souls.

"The tongue," was used to illustrate how thirsty the Damned soul was, & only "the drop of water" from Heaven could quench his thirst.

Answer 2

The rich man represents all the people who live in comfort today but are indifferent to the suffering of the poor. The dogs - well, it's just to make a point: the dogs brought more comfort than the rich man, even though he could have done so much if he had wanted. The drop of water represents the relief that the rch man could never have on "the other side". The chasm simply shows how definite the condemnation is. The wicked are infinitely separated from the good in the afterlife.

Answer 3

it means there is a place of pleasure and a place of suffering
7th Day Adv and Jehovah Witness who believe thos who die are not concious till judgement have some explaining about this parable and dont take the more obvious natural itnerpretation

the dogs licking the wounds of lazarus were just dogs... sometimes a cigar is just a cigar you know... it reinforces the idea that Lazarus was dirt poor

the chasm means the dead cannot go to speak with the living... which throws mediums who contact the dead into serious question also a chasm between the bosom of abraham and hades

the irony is that if someone doesnt listen to the law of moses, even if someoen rise from the dead they wont listen... there is a serious matter of the heart and a need for grace and eternal consequences

Answer 4

There was more than one Lazarus. The one you speak of to me represents the down trodden and homeless who most rich people feel are like stray dogs or less than dogs. The less they take care of them the sooner they will go away or die.I believe this Lazarus was usually content in having less and was of good spirit but was misjudged by a wealthy man. This reminds me of the movie Trading Places. I guess that some people may go through their entire life and may be judged by just one selfish experience or test. A short life of suffering might realize an eternity in heaven while a lifetime of wealth and arrogance can mean an eternity in hell. A rich man that says he cannot even afford a drop of water is a liar for sure so for this test failure means the abyss or hell for failing it.

Answer 5

your looking for too much "represent" most of the parable is just what it says. THe chasm is the split between paradise, where the OT saints went before christ and the pit or hell. when christ dies the gates to heaven were opened and the saints awaiting in paradise entered into the kingdom of heaven

Answer 6

Why do you think the story of Lazarus was a parable?

Answer 7

Its not a parable...Jesus was relating a real story of a real person.

Answer 8

Rich people that are selfish and do not keep Gods Law