The Beggar
Luke 16:20
20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores
Why did the beggar lay around with sores? Because the shepherds of Israel did not concern themselves, Ezekiel 34:4.
4The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
The beggar, Lazarus in the Greek means God is his helper. What does the Rich Man do for the beggar? Nothing.
Ephesians 2:11-12 describes the condition of the Gentiles prior to Messiah.
11Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
The Gentiles were without hope, were without God and were looked down upon. The beggar, Lazarus, represents not only the gentiles without hope, but all those without hope shun by the upper religious class. The lower classes of the people in Israel. These were not taken care of by the upper religious class. Their only hope was to come through God. This is the understanding of Luke 16:21.
21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the Rich Man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Listen to the reality of this in Matthew 15:21-27 and think about Lazarus.
21Then Yeshua went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
She was of Canaan, a gentile. She did not want literal bread, she wanted a healing for her daughter, Matthew 15:28.
28Then Yeshua answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Why would the bread in Luke 16, be any different than that in Matthew 15? It is not. Lazarus, means one helped by God, Lazarus is a picture, Luke 16:20-21.
20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Lazarus represents the Gentiles and the lower class Jews. Those that were not worthy in the eyes of the religious leaders to receive the wonderful children’s bread. The very bread, the religious leaders were suppose to distribute. The Pharisee and Sadducees were keeping it for themselves. The hope for the gentiles and lower class of Israelites was to come from God.
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