Chapter 16

16:16  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

the kingdom

(See Scofield "Matthew 11:12") .

16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

There

vs. Luke 16:19-31 . are not said to be a parable. Rich men and beggars are common; there is no reason why Jesus may not have had in mind a particular case. In no parable is an individual named.

16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

angels

(See Scofield "Hebrews 1:4")

16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

hell

(Greek - a/&dh , "the unseen world," is revealed as the place of departed human spirits between death and resurrection). The word occurs, Matthew 11:23 ; 16:18 ; Luke 10:15 ; Acts 2:27 Acts 2:31 ; Revelation 1:18 ; 6:8 ; Revelation 20:13 Revelation 20:14 and is the equivalent of the O.T. "sheol." (See Scofield "Habakkuk 2:5") . The Septuagint invariably renders sheol by hades.

Summary:

(1) Hades before the ascension of Christ. The passages in which the word occurs make it clear that hades was formerly in two divisions, the abodes respectively of the saved and of the lost. The former was called "paradise" and "Abraham's bosom." Both designations were Talmudic, but adopted by Christ in Luke 16:22 ; 23:43 . The blessed dead were with Abraham, they were conscious and were "comforted" Luke 16:25 . The believing malefactor was to be, that day, with Christ in "paradise." The lost were separated from the saved by a "great gulf fixed" Luke 16:26 . The representative man of the lost who are now in hades is the rich man of Luke 16:19-31 . He was alive, conscious, in the full exercise of his faculties, memory, etc., and in torment.

(2) Hades since the ascension of Christ. So far as the unsaved dead are concerned, no change of their place or condition is revealed in Scripture. At the judgment of the great white throne, hades will give them up, they will be judged, and will pass into the lake of fire Revelation 20:13 Revelation 20:14 . But a change has taken place which affects paradise. Paul was "caught up to the third heaven. . .into paradise" 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 . Paradise, therefore, is now in the immediate presence of God. It is believed that Ephesians 4:8-10 indicates the time of the change. "When he ascended up on high he led a multitude of captives." It is immediately added that He had previously "descended first into the lower parts of the earth," i.e. the paradise division of Hades. During the present church-age the saved who died are "absent from the body, at home with the Lord." The wicked dead in hades, and the righteous dead "at home with the Lord," alike await the resurrection ; Job 19:25 ; 1 Corinthians 15:52 . (See Scofield "Matthew 5:22") .