Sunday, January 29, 2012
The Rich Man & Lazarus
Week 16
Bible Text: Luke 16:19-31
Key Verse: Luke 16:29-31
Luke 16:19 a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen: fine linen would have been expensive, and purple was a color reserved for people of wealth, royalty, or connections to the Roman Empire. The rich man could be one of the colonizers, who built cities for themselves from taxes and tributes imposed on the Jews. Colonizers were also known to drive people from their farms, making former landowners their servants. Original readers of Luke would not have felt sorry for this man.
Luke 16:20 at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus: the Greek may be translated as "thrown at the rich man's door". This is not the Lazarus Jesus raised from the dead (John 11:43-44). If this is a parable, it is the only one in which Jesus gave a name to one of the characters "covered in sores".
Luke 16:24 send Lazarus: the rich man believes he can give commands from Hades and Lazarus will obey. Notice that he speaks to Abraham and not directly to Lazarus.
Luke 16:30 someone from the dead: the story may suggest that Lazarus was intended, but Luke's account seems to imply that Jesus was speaking also of his own resurrection. If a person's mind is closed and Scripture is rejected, no evidence, not even a resurrection, will change him.
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Monday: Devotional Reading – Time for prayer & adoration:
Read through the scripture several times, just listening to the words.
Tuesday: Literary Reading – Listen for literary content:
Focus on the text, itself.
Wednesday: Lutheran Theological Reading – Read from a Lutheran perspective:
Reflect on the convictions, insights and expectations that rise particularly from our Lutheran Heritage.
Thursday: Historical Reading – Read with an ear for History:
Reflect on the historical situation.
Friday: Catch up on missed reading time
Saturday & Sunday: Day of Rest
For More Detailed Reflection Questions please check-out the link "Daily Reflection Questions" link.
