HELL: Is It A Parable?

Common Sense Commentary: More to the point ... "Is the Bible God's Word or not?"

Jesus spoke these words in Luke 16:19-31:

Vs.19 - "There was a certain rich man ...."

Vs.20 - "There was a certain beggar named Lazarus ...."

Vs.22 - "And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom ...." (Paradise)

Vs.23 - "The rich man also died, and was buried: And in hell he he lift up his eyes being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." (Paradise)


V.24 - "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may did the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."
Please read Vs.25-31 also.

The beggar did not go to Paradise because he was poor but because he believed God and the rich man did not go to Hell because he was rich but because he did NOT believe God.  This account given by Jesus Christ is either true, a lie, or a parable.  It cannot be a lie because the entire Bible condemns "false witnesses" and "all liars" into hell, as evil, from Genesis, when Satan lied to Eve, to the ninth Commandment, to the last chapter of the Revelation, Rev.21:8.  False witnesses would not constantly condemn themselves into hell and demean themselves as the Bible does.   Also, "God cannot lie" Titus 1:2.  Neither can it be a parable ... for five reasons:

(1)  Parables are ALWAYS introduced in God's Word AS "a parable.  "Learn a parable of the fig tree." Mk.13:28 and many more.

(2)  Parables NEVER use the names of real people.  Jesus, in the above account, names Lazarus,  Abraham, and Moses. This is a real account of hell.

(3)  Jesus said plainly, "There WAS a beggar named Lazarus." Now was there or wasn't there?

(4)  Jesus himself, in His own words, warned of a "Hell" at least nine times... Matt.5:22 & 29, 10:28,
11:23, 16:18, 18:9, 23:15 & 33,  Lk.12:5. None of these are parables.

(5)  Parables ALWAYS contain a deeper spiritual meaning. What possible deeper, spiritual meaning could Jesus' description of hell have than exactly what he said?  The Greek word used is "parabole" and means "to compare".  Webster defines a parable as meaning "similar to".  What could Jesus' description of hell be "similar to" or "comparable to" unless it was something even worse.

I must say that I myself  am revolted at the thought of a literal hell.  But since I find no evidence proving it does not exist and much evidence that it does exist, I must believe it.  The primary evidence is God's Word; but there are other clues too ... not that we need any other.  The Bible is sufficient.  I will write soon on the subject ... "Where Is Hell"?

Pass it on. RB