The Rich Man

Luke 16:19

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

One can understand who the Rich Man is by the clothing he wears, purple and fine linen, Esther 8:15.

¹⁵And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

Purple is the color of honor.  This is the Scribes and the Pharisees.  The purple clothing and fine linen was the clothing of the priesthood.  It was worn outside the temple in their work in the ministry among Israel.

Luke 16:19 states the Rich Man fared sumptuously every day.  He had plenty to eat.

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 did not fare so well.  Long before this parable was ever written, God reprimanded the Jewish religious leaders in Ezekiel 34:1-4.

 ¹And the word of Yehovah came unto me, saying, ²Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Yehovah unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ³Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 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 shepherds fed themselves the fat and were clothed with wonderful garments.  But the flock was not feed.  The flock was diseased and left without help.  The shepherds showed little compassion for the flock.  This is a picture of the Rich Man and sadly how others were treated.  In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

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