Luke 16:23

Luke 16:23

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

a. NLT: and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

b. NIV: In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.

c. YLT: and in the hades having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he doth see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom,

d. Amplified Bible: And in Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.

e. Worrell Translation: And in Hades, lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

f. Wuest Translation: And in the unseen world of departed human beings, having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus enjoying the blessedness of paradisewith him.

1. “And in hell he lift up his eyes…”

a. And [Strong: 2532 * kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. in [Strong: 1722 * en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. hell [86 * Hades] [Strongs: properly, unseen, i.e. "Hades" or the place (state) of departed souls:--grave, hell.] [TDNT: In Biblical Greek it is associated with Orcus, the infernal regions, a dark and dismal place in the very depths of the earth, the common receptacle of disembodied spirits. Usually Hades is just the abode of the wicked, Luke 16:23, Rev 20:13, 14; a very uncomfortable place.] [Thayer: name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions, Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead, later use of this word: the grave, death, hell.]

d. he lift up [Strong: 1869 * epairo ep-ahee'-ro from 1909 and 142; to raise up (literally or figuratively):--exalt self, poise (lift, take) up.]

e. his [Strong: 846 * autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

f. eyes [Strong: 3788 * ophthalmos of-thal-mos' from 3700; the eye (literally or figuratively); by implication, vision; figuratively, envy (from the jealous side-glance):--eye, sight.]

1). This man had just died and was buried for that is what Jesus said in the previous verse.

a). Luke 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;

2). Gordon Lindsay, The Life And Teachings Of Christ, “Jesus tells us that the rich man, when he passed from the body, found he was still conscious. That was the grim fact with which he had to reckon. The matter of the continued existence of the spirit after death ceased at once to be an academic question of something for theological speculation.”

3). The fact that the rich man lifted up his eyes after he was physically buried reveals that underneath this flesh body there is a spirit body that has all the features of the physical body. The Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost wrote that man is a three part being, spirit, soul and body. We are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body.

a). 1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

b). This man, though his physical body was in the ground, had a spiritual body and he had all his mental faculties.

2. “…being in torments…”

a. being [Strong: 5225 * huparcho hoop-ar'-kho from 5259 and 756; to begin under (quietly), i.e. come into existence (be present or at hand); expletively, to exist (as copula or subordinate to an adjective, participle, adverb or preposition, or as an auxiliary to a principal (verb):--after, behave, live.]

b. in [Strong: 1722 * en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. torments [931 * basanos] [Strong: (through the notion of going to the bottom); a touch-stone, i.e. (by analogy) torture:--torment.]

1). In the next verse Luke uses a different Greek word to describe the suffering of the rich man.

a).  Luke 16:24 And 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.

b). tormented [Strong: 3600 odunao od-oo-nah'-o from 3601; to grieve:--sorrow, torment.] [Thayer: to cause intense pain, to be in anguish, to be tormented.] [Vine: in the Middle and Passive Voices, signifies "to suffer pain, be in anguish, be greatly distressed" (akin to odune, "pain, distress"); it is rendered "sorrowing" in Luke 2:48; in Luke 16:24,25, RV, "in anguish," for AV, "tormented;" in Acts 2038, "sorrowing."]

c). This man though he was not in his physical body was suffering great torment, anguish, distress, and pain.

3. “…and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

a. and seeth [Strong: 3708 horao hor-ah'-o properly, to stare at (compare 3700), i.e. (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear:--behold, perceive, see, take heed.]

b. Abraham [Strong: 11 Abraam ab-rah-am' of Hebrew origin (85); Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch:--Abraham.]

c. afar [Strong: 3113  makrothen mak-roth'-en adverb from 3117; from a distance or afar:--afar off, from far.]

d. off [Strong: 575 apo apo' a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):--(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.]

e. and [Strong: 2532 * kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. Lazarus [Strong: 2976 Lazaros lad'-zar-os probably of Hebrew origin (499); Lazarus (i.e. Elazar), the name of two Israelites (one imaginary):--Lazarus.]

g. in [Strong: en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

h. his [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

i. bosom [Strong: 2859 kolpos kol'-pos apparently a primary word; the bosom; by analogy, a bay:--bosom, creek.]

1). Gordon Lindsay, The Life and Teachings of Christ: “In considering hades at the time of the rich man’s death, we must remind the reader that Christ was describing a scene that occurred before His own resurrection. In the Old Testament days even the saints went down to “sheol,” or “hades,” which is sometimes called “hell” in the King James Version, and sometimes “the grave.”…The wicked also went down to sheol…All people in the Old Testament days, whether good or bad, at death went down to sheol. But, and this is all important to understand, the wicked and the righteous were not in the same compartment—there was a great gulf fixed between the two classes of people. We should add here that after Christ’s resurrection, He took captivity captive, removing the righteous from the lower parts of the earth to heaven (Ephesians 4:8-10). So it was that when Paul ascended to paradise some years after the resurrection of Christ, he found paradise located in the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-4). But the scene Christ was describing occurred while paradise (Abraham’s bosom) was still in the heart of the earth.”

2). It is here that Korah and all those associated with his rebellion against Moses descended when the earth opened and swallowed them.

a).  Numbers 16:28-33 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.

16:30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.

16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

3). It is here that all those who throughout the ages have opposed God and his people have gone. Those who oppose him today will soon go there also if they do not repent before they die.

a). Ezekiel 32:17-32