Skip to content

Topics Research

Question

Luke 16:19-31 -- parable or literal? Genre, first-century Jewish context. Apply Tree 3 genre gate. Literary structure (five parables in Luke 15-16).

Topics

PARABLES

  • Of the trees: Jdg 9:8-15
  • Of the lamb: 2 Sam 12:1-6
  • Of the woman of Tekoa: 2 Sam 14:5-12
  • Of the garment which was torn in pieces: 1 Ki 11:30-32
  • Of the prisoner of war: 1 Ki 20:39-41
  • Of the thistle and cedar: 2 Ki 14:9
  • Of a vine of Egypt: Psa 80:8-16
  • Of the vineyard: Isa 5:1-7; 27:2,3
  • Of the husbandman: Isa 28:23-29
  • Of the skins filled with wine: Jer 13:12-14
  • Of the vine: Ezek 15; 17:5-10; 19:10-14
  • Of the two eagles: Ezek 17
  • Of lions' cubs: Ezek 19:1-9
  • Of Aholah and Aholibah: Ezek 23
  • The boiling pot: Ezek 24:3-5
  • The gourd: Jon 4:10,11
  • The sheet lowered from the sky (Peter's vision): Acts 10:10-16
  • The two covenants: Gal 4:22-31
  • The mercenary soldier: 2 Tim 2:3,4
  • The farmer: 2 Tim 2:6
  • Furnished house: 2 Tim 2:20,21
  • The athlete: 2 Tim 2:5
  • The mirror: Jas 1:23-25
  • See JESUS, PARABLES OF

Key observation: Nave's lists the parable as a standard literary form used throughout Scripture by multiple authors. Jesus' parables follow this established biblical tradition.

LAZARUS

    1. Brother of Mary and Martha. Sickness and death of: Jhn 11:1-14. Resurrection of: Jhn 11:38-44; 12:17,18. Had dinner with Jesus: Jhn 12:1,2,9. Plotted against by the chief priests: Jhn 12:10,11.

Key observation: Nave's lists ONLY ONE Lazarus -- the brother of Mary and Martha in John 11-12. The "Lazarus" of Luke 16 does NOT receive a separate historical entry. This is consistent with the parabolic reading where "Lazarus" is a character name (meaning "God helps") chosen for its thematic significance, not a reference to a separate historical individual.

HADES

    1. The unseen world, translated "hell" in AV, but in RV the word "Hades" is retained: Mat 10:28; 11:23; 16:18; Luk 10:15; 16:23; Act 2:27,31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14. See HELL.
    1. The realm (state) of the dead: 2 Sam 22:6; Job 26:5; Psa 6:5; 17:15; 30:9; 49:15; 86:13; 88:10-12; 115:17; 116:3; Pro 15:24; 21:16; 27:20; Ecc 9:4-6; Isa 5:14; Jon 2:2; Luk 23:42,43; Jhn 8:22; 2 Cor 12:4. See HELL; IMMORTALITY; PARADISE; RIGHTEOUS, FUTURE STATE OF; SPIRIT; WICKED, PUNISHMENT OF.

Key observation: Nave's categorizes hades in two senses: (1) the unseen world, and (2) the realm/state of the dead. The second category includes passages describing the dead as unconscious (Psa 6:5; 88:10-12; 115:17; Ecc 9:4-6). Luke 16:23 appears under sense 1 (the unseen world), not as a doctrinal statement about the nature of the afterlife.

ABRAHAM

  • Also called Abram. Son of Terah (Gen 11:26,27). Marries Sarah (Gen 11:29). Divine call (Gen 12:1-3; Jos 24:3; Neh 9:7; Isa 51:2; Acts 7:2,3; Heb 11:8). Canaan given to (Gen 12:1,7; 15:7-21). God's covenant with (Gen 15; 17:1-22; Mic 7:20; Luk 1:73; Rom 4:13; 15:8; Heb 6:13,14; Gal 3:6-18,29; 4:22-31). Called "friend of God" (Isa 41:8; 2 Chr 20:7; Jas 2:23). Faith of (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:1-22; Gal 3:6-9; Heb 11:8-10,17-19; Jas 2:21-24). In Paradise: Mat 8:11; Luk 13:28; 16:22-31. Father of the faithful (Rom 4:16-18). In the genealogy of Jesus (Mat 1:1-2).

Key observation: Nave's lists Luke 16:22-31 under Abraham's entry as "In Paradise" alongside Mat 8:11 and Luk 13:28. The entry does NOT list "Abraham's bosom" as a doctrinal concept or a post-mortem location. The phrase "Abraham's bosom" (kolpos Abraam) as a location for the dead appears ONLY in Luke 16:22-23 in the entire Bible.

HELL (Nave's full entry)

  • In the AV this word occurs in OT Scriptures as translation of Hebrew "sheol" (the unseen state).
  • In the RV of OT it appears only in: Isa 5:14; 14:9,15; 28:15,18; 57:9; Ezek 31:16,17; 32:21,27; Amos 9:2; Jonah 2:2; Hab 2:5
  • Sheol is translated "grave" in AV in: Gen 37:35; 42:38; 44:29,31; 1 Sam 2:6; 1 Ki 2:6,9; Job 7:9; 14:13; 17:13; 21:13; 24:19; Psa 6:5; 30:3; 31:17; 49:14,15; 88:3; 89:48; 141:7; Pro 1:12; 30:16; Ecc 9:10; Song 8:6; Hos 13:14
  • In the RV the Greek word "gehenna" is translated "hell" in: Mat 5:22,29,30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47; Luke 12:5; Jas 3:6
  • The RV introduced "Hades" in: Mat 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27,31; Rev 1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14
  • THE FUTURE HOME OF THE WICKED: Psa 9:17; Pro 5:5; 9:13,15-18; 15:24; 23:13,14; Isa 30:33; 33:14; Mat 3:12; 5:29,30; 7:13,14; 8:11,12; 10:28; 13:30,38-42,49,50; 16:18; 18:8,9,34,35; 22:13; 25:28-30,41,46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 3:17; 16:23-26,28; Acts 1:25; 2 Thess 1:9; 2 Pet 2:4; Jude 1:6-23; Rev 2:11; 9:1,2; 11:7; 14:10,11; 19:20; 20:10,15; 21:8. See WICKED, PUNISHMENT OF.

Key observation: Luke 16:23-26,28 is listed under "THE FUTURE HOME OF THE WICKED" alongside apocalyptic and parabolic passages. Nave's categorization does not distinguish between didactic and parabolic passages in this list.

RICH, THE (Nave's entry)

  • General scriptures: Neh 5:1-13; Job 21:7-15; 27:13-23; 31:24,25,28; Psa 49:16,17; 52:1-7; 73:3-22; Pro 14:20; 18:11,23; 28:11; Ecc 5:13,14,19,20; Jer 5:7-9,27-29; 9:23; 17:11; 22:13-19; Ezek 7:19; 28:5; Amo 6:1-6; Mic 6:12; Zep 1:18; Mat 19:23,24; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 6:24,25; 12:15-21; 16:13,14,19-26; 18:22-26; 1 Tim 6:17-19; Jas 1:9-11; 5:1-3.

Key observation: Luke 16:19-26 is listed under "THE RICH" as a general scripture about the dangers of wealth. This categorization treats the passage as a moral teaching about wealth, consistent with the parabolic reading where the rich man represents those who fail to heed Moses and the prophets.

DEATH (Nave's excerpts relevant to this study)

  • Called SLEEP: Deut 31:16; Job 7:21; 14:12; Jer 51:39; Dan 12:2; John 11:11; Acts 7:60; 13:36; 1 Cor 15:6,18,51; 1 Thess 4:14,15
  • OF THE RIGHTEOUS: ... Luke 2:29; 16:22; 23:43; John 11:11; Acts 7:59; ...
  • OF THE WICKED: ... Luke 12:20; 16:22-28; Acts 5:3-10; 1 Thess 5:3

Key observation: Nave's lists Luke 16:22 under DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS (Lazarus being carried to Abraham's bosom) and Luke 16:22-28 under DEATH OF THE WICKED (the rich man in hades). These listings treat both as illustrative of the broader topic of death, without making a distinction about genre.

JESUS, PARABLES OF

Nave's entry for PARABLES references "See JESUS, PARABLES OF." The search for "parables of jesus" returned entries in MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE (referencing the steward of Luke 16:1-7) and INSTRUCTION. The PARABLES entry itself lists OT and NT parables together. Critically, the unjust steward parable (Luke 16:1-7) is explicitly recognized as a parable of Jesus, and it uses the same "a certain rich man" formula as Luke 16:19.

These companion sites use the same tool-driven research methodology:

Site Description
The Law of God A 33-study investigation examining every major text, word, and argument about the moral law, ceremonial law, the Sabbath, and what continues under the New Covenant. 810 evidence items classified.
Genesis 6: The "Sons of God" Question Who are the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:1-4? A 10-part report built on 28 supporting studies examines the angel view vs. the godly human view using explicit biblical evidence.
The Ten Commandments A 17-study investigation of the Ten Commandments -- origin, meaning, Hebrew and Greek word studies, love and law, faith and obedience. 1,054 evidence items classified.
Bible Study Collection Standalone Bible studies on various topics -- genealogies, prophecy, biblical history, and more. Each study is a self-contained investigation produced by the same three-agent pipeline.