Luke 16:25

25 And Abraham said to him, Son, have mind, for thou hast received good things in thy life, and Lazarus also evil things; but he is now comforted, and thou art tormented.

Luke 16:25 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 16:25

But Abraham said, son
He calls him "son", not in a spiritual sense; he was not one of Abraham's spiritual seed, that trod in the steps of his faith; but because he was so according to the flesh; and in return to his calling him father: good men have not always good children, nor is any trust to be put in birth and parentage:

remember, that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things;
temporal good things; a land flowing with milk and honey; all the outward blessings of life that could be wished for, the Jews had, whilst they were in their own land; and also ecclesiastical good things, as the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, the fathers, and the Messiah according to the flesh, even all external privileges and ordinances, ( Romans 9:4 Romans 9:5 ) .

And likewise Lazarus evil things;
Christ was surrounded with the infirmities of human nature, he assumed; was attended with much outward meanness and poverty; was loaded with calumnies and reproaches; and followed with the wrath, hatred, and persecution of men; and suffered many evil things, as buffetings, scourging, spitting, and cruel mockings, and at last death itself:

but now he is comforted;
see ( Psalms 16:9-11 ) compared with ( Acts 2:25-28 ) . Christ being raised from the dead, and set in human nature at the right hand of God, is comforted with the presence of God, which for a while he was deprived of, when on the cross; and is delighted with the glory that it put upon him as man; and with pleasure sees the travail of his soul continually, his elect and redeemed ones, called and gathered by the grace of God, who are his jewels, his portion, and goodly heritage:

and thou art tormented;
as were many of the Jews, his implacable enemies and persecutors in hell, and others in captivity, bondage, and distress.

Luke 16:25 In-Context

23 And he raised up his eyes, when he was in torments, and saw Abraham afar, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he dip the end of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 And Abraham said to him, Son, have mind, for thou hast received good things in thy life, and Lazarus also evil things; but he is now comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And in all these things a great dark place is stablished betwixt us and you; that they that will from hence pass to you, be not able [+And in all these things a great dark place, either depth, is stablished between us and you; that they that will from hence pass to you, may not], neither from thence pass over hither.
27 And he said, Then I pray thee, father, that thou send him into the house of my father.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.