Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 16:19
Verse 19. 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 way, and are now suffering the torments of an eternal fire. The account is equally instructive in whichsoever of these lights it is viewed.
Let us carefully observe all the circumstances offered hereto our notice, and we shall see-I. The CRIME of this man; and II. His PUNISHMENT.
1. There was a certain rich man in Jerusalem. Provided this be a real history, there is no doubt our Lord could have mentioned his name; but, as this might have given great offense, he chose to suppress it. His being rich is, in Christ's account, the first part of his sin. To this circumstance our Lord adds nothing: he does not say that he was born to a large estate; or that he acquired one by improper methods; or that he was haughty or insolent in the possession of it. Yet here is the first degree of his reprobation-he got all he could, and kept all to himself.
2. He was clothed with purple and fine linen. Purple was a very precious and costly stuff; but our Lord does not say that in the use of it he exceeded the bounds of his income, nor of his rank in life; nor is it said that he used his superb dress to be an agent to his crimes, by corrupting the hearts of others. Yet our Lord lays this down as a second cause of his perdition.
3. He fared sumptuously every day. Now let it be observed that the law of Moses, under which this man lived, forbade nothing on this point, but excess in eating and drinking; indeed, it seems as if a person was authorized to taste the sweets of an abundance, which that law promised as a reward of fidelity. Besides, this rich man is not accused of having eaten food which was prohibited by the law, or of having neglected the abstinences and fasts prescribed by it. It is true, he is said to have feasted sumptuously every day; but our Lord does not intimate that this was carried to excess, or that it ministered to debauch. He is not accused of licentious discourse, of gaming, of frequenting any thing like our modern plays, balls, masquerades, or other impure and unholy assemblies; of speaking an irreverent word against Divine revelation, or the ordinances of God. In a word, his probity is not attacked, nor is he accused of any of those crimes which pervert the soul or injure civil society. As Christ has described this man, does he appear culpable? What are his crimes? Why, 1.
He was rich. 2. He was finely clothed. And 3. He feasted well. No other evil is spoken of him. In comparison of thousands, he was not only blameless, but he was a virtuous man.
4. But it is intimated by many that "he was an uncharitable, hard-hearted, unfeeling wretch." Yet of this there is not a word spoken by Christ. Let us consider all the circumstances, and we shall see that our blessed Lord has not represented this man as a monster of inhumanity, but merely as an indolent man, who sought and had his portion in this life, and was not at all concerned about another.
Therefore we do not find that when Abraham addressed him on the cause of his reprobation, chap. xvi. 25, that he reproached him with hard-heartedness, saying, "Lazarus was hungry, and thou gavest him no meat; he was thirsty, and thou gavest him no drink, &c.;" but he said simply, Son, remember that thou didst receive thy good things in thy lifetime, chap. xvi. 25. "Thou hast sought thy consolation upon the earth, thou hast borne no cross, mortified no desire of the flesh, received not the salvation God had provided for thee; thou didst not belong to the people of God upon earth, and thou canst not dwell with them in glory." There are few who consider that it is a crime for those called Christians to live without Christ, when their lives are not stained with transgression. If Christianity only required men to live without gross outward sin, paganism could furnish us with many bright examples of this sort. But the religion of Christ requires a conformity, not only in a man's conduct, to the principles of the Gospel; but also a conformity in his heart to the spirit and mind of Christ.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. There was a certain rich man , etc.] In Beza's most ancient copy, and in another manuscript of his it is read by way of preface, he said also another parable: which shows, that this is not a history of matter of fact, or an historical account of two such persons, as the rich man and the beggar, who had lately lived at Jerusalem; though the Papists pretend, to this day, to point out the very spot of ground in Jerusalem, where this rich man's house stood: nor is it to be understood parabolically of any particular rich man, or prince; as Saul the first king of Israel; or Herod, who now was reigning, and was clothed in purple, and lived in a sumptuous manner: nor of rich men in general, though it greatly describes the characters of such, at least of many of them; who only take care of their bodies, and neglect their souls; adorn and pamper them, live in pleasure, and grow wanton, and have no regard to the poor saints; and when they die go to hell; for their riches will not profit them in a day of wrath, nor deliver from it, or be regarded by the Judge, any more than hills and mountains will hide them from his face: but by the rich man are meant, the Jews in general; for that this man is represented, and to be considered as a Jew, is evident from Abraham being his father, and his calling him so, and Abraham again calling him his son, ( Luke 16:24,25) of which relation the Jews much boasted and gloried in; and from his brethren having Moses and the prophets, ( Luke 16:29) which were peculiar to the Jewish people; and from that invincible and incurable infidelity in them, that they would not believe, though one rose from the dead, ( Luke 16:31) as the Jews would not believe in Christ though he himself rose from the dead, which was the sign he gave them of his being the Messiah: and the general design of the parable, is to expose the wickedness and unbelief of the Jews, and to show their danger and misery, for their contempt and rejection of the Messiah; and particularly the Pharisees are designed, who being covetous, had derided Christ for what he had before said; and, who though high in the esteem of men, were an abomination to God, ( Luke 16:14,15). These more especially boasted of Abraham being their father; and of their being the disciples of Moses, and trusted in him, and in his law; and thought they should have eternal life through having and reading the books of Moses and the prophets: these may be called a man, because this was the name by which the Jews style themselves, in distinction from the Gentiles, whom they compare to beasts; (see Gill on Matthew 15:26) and this they ground on a passage in ( Ezekiel 34:31) and ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men: upon which their note is f485 , ye are called, da , men, but the nations of the earth are not called men.
And they may be called a certain man, a famous man, a man of note, as the Jews, and especially the Pharisees, thought themselves to be; and therefore coveted the chief places in the synagogues, and at feasts, and loved salutations and greetings in market places, and to be called of men Rabbi, and master: as also a rich man; for the Jews in general were a wealthy people, lived in a very fruitful country, and were greatly indulged with the riches of providential goodness; and particularly the Pharisees, many of whom were of the great sanhedrim, and rulers of synagogues, and elders of the people; and who by various methods, amassed to themselves great riches, and even devoured widows' houses; (see Luke 6:24 18:18,23 20:47) and they were also rich in outward means and ordinances, having the oracles of God, his word, worship, and service; and as to their spiritual and eternal estate, in their own esteem; though they were not truly rich in grace, not in faith, nor in spiritual knowledge, nor even in good works, of which they so much boasted; but in appearance, and in their own conceit, they were rich in the knowledge of the law, and in righteousness, which they imagined was perfect, and so stood in need of nothing; no, not of repentance, and especially of Christ, or of any thing from him: which was clothed in purple and fine linen ; or byssus, which is said to grow on a tree, in height equal to a poplar, and in leaves like a willow, and was brought out of India into Egypt, and much used there, as it also was among the Jews: hence we often read of axwb or Uwbd ywbl garments of byssus, or fine linen: the Jews in general dressed well; their common apparel were fine linen and silk; (see Ezekiel 16:10,13) and so the Arabic version here renders it, silk and purple; and the Persic version, silks and bombycines: and the priests particularly, were arrayed in such a habit; the robe of the ephod, and also its curious girdle, were of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine linen, and at the hem of it were pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, ( Exodus 28:6,8,33). And as for the Pharisees, they loved to go in long robes, and to make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, which were fringes of blue, joined unto them; and which may figuratively express the fine outside show of holiness and righteousness, they made; and fared sumptuously every day . The Jews in common lived well, being in a land that flowed with milk and honey; (see Ezekiel 16:13) and especially the priests, who offered up lambs every day, besides other offerings, of which they had their part; as also the Pharisees, who were often at feasts, where they loved the chief places: and this may signify the easy and jocund life they lived; knowing no sorrow upon spiritual accounts, having no sense of sin, nor sight of the spirituality of the law, nor view of danger; but at perfect ease, and not emptied from vessel to vessel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19-31 - Here the spiritual things are represented, in a description of the different state of good and bad, in this world and in the other. We ar not told that the rich man got his estate by fraud, or oppression; but Christ shows, that a man may have a great deal of the wealth, pomp, an pleasure of this world, yet perish for ever under God's wrath an curse. The sin of this rich man was his providing for himself only Here is a godly man, and one that will hereafter be happy for ever, in the depth of adversity and distress. It is often the lot of some of the dearest of God's saints and servants to be greatly afflicted in thi world. We are not told that the rich man did him any harm, but we d not find that he had any care for him. Here is the different conditio of this godly poor man, and this wicked rich man, at and after death The rich man in hell lifted up his eyes, being in torment. It is no probable that there are discourses between glorified saints and damne sinners, but this dialogue shows the hopeless misery and fruitles desires, to which condemned spirits are brought. There is a day coming when those who now hate and despise the people of God, would gladl receive kindness from them. But the damned in hell shall not have the least abatement of their torment. Sinners are now called upon to remember; but they do not, they will not, they find ways to avoid it As wicked people have good things only in this life, and at death ar for ever separated from all good, so godly people have evil things onl in this life, and at death they are for ever put from them. In thi world, blessed be God, there is no gulf between a state of nature an grace, we may pass from sin to God; but if we die in our sins, there is no coming out. The rich man had five brethren, and would have the stopped in their sinful course; their coming to that place of torment would make his misery the worse, who had helped to show them the way thither. How many would now desire to recall or to undo what they have written or done! Those who would make the rich man's praying to Abraha justify praying to saints departed, go far to seek for proofs, when the mistake of a damned sinner is all they can find for an example. An surely there is no encouragement to follow the example, when all his prayers were made in vain. A messenger from the dead could say no mor than what is said in the Scriptures. The same strength of corruptio that breaks through the convictions of the written word, would triump over a witness from the dead. Let us seek to the law and to the testimony, Isa 8:19, 20, for that is the sure word of prophecy, upo which we may rest, 2Pe 1:19. Circumstances in every age show that n terrors, or arguments, can give true repentance without the specia grace of God renewing the sinner's heart __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM δε 1161 CONJ τις 5100 X-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S πλουσιος 4145 A-NSM και 2532 CONJ ενεδιδυσκετο 1737 5710 V-IMI-3S πορφυραν 4209 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ βυσσον 1040 N-ASF ευφραινομενος 2165 5746 V-PPP-NSM καθ 2596 PREP ημεραν 2250 N-ASF λαμπρως 2988 ADV
Robertson's NT Word Studies
16:19 {He was clothed} (enedidusketo). Imperfect middle of endiduskw, a late intensive form of enduw. He clothed himself in or with. It was his habit. {Purple} (porfuran). this purple dye was obtained from the purple fish, a species of mussel or murex (1Macc. 4:23). It was very costly and was used for the upper garment by the wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). See also #Mr 15:17,20; Re 18:12. {Fine linen} (busson). {Byssus} or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. "Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called _woven air_" (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective bussinos occurs in #Re 18:12; 19:8,14. {Faring sumptuously} (eufrainomenos lamprws). {Making merry brilliantly}. The verb eufrainomai we have already had in #12:19; 15:23,25,32. lamprws is an old adverb from lampros, brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. this parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (verse #14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity.
