Literal Interpretations

 Luke 16:22-23

²²And 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; ²³And in hell (hades) he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Both the Rich Man and Lazarus die.  The Rich Man is in hell and the beggar Lazarus goes to Abraham’s bosom.  Consider this, where in this passage does it state that the beggar is a believer?  Or that the Rich Man was an unbeliever?

The passage states that the Rich Man is clothed in linen and had plenty to eat.  The beggar was covered with sores, laid at the gate of the Rich Man and wanted to be fed with the crumbs from the Rich Man’s table.  This the only information provided about these two.  One is rich and one is poor.  It never states whether they are good or bad people, accepted or rejected Yeshua or even if the beggar was a righteous man.  Is one therefore to believe that beggars goes to heaven, because they do not have enough to eat and sores all over their bodies?  And that rich men go to hell?  Are you willing to accept this understanding for salvation?  Because nothing else seems to determine the final resting place of these individuals.

Luke 16:24

²⁴And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

For those that believe, this is a literal passage; one must ask the following question.  If there is such a place, where people are in such awful torment, how could a drop of water from an individual’s finger make that much of a difference?  If this occurred in the hell most people believe about, the water would evaporate even before it got to the Rich Man.

And why just the tongue?  What about the rest of the body?  The rest of the body is burning just as much as the tongue.  I have been told that the Rich Man was in so much torment that he did not understanding what he was saying.

Luke 16:25 discusses about receiving good things in life.

²⁵But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Does receiving good things in life mean one goes to hell?  Or, does receiving evil things in life mean one goes to heaven?

If one takes this passage literal, it will leave them with many unresolved contradictions.  Not  just in the Bible, but in the lives of those that profess such an understanding.

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