Luther: the rich man and Lazarus story is just a parable Flashcards
Q: According to Martin Luther, how should the story of Lazarus and the rich man be understood?
A: Luther argued it should be understood as a parable, not a literal depiction of heaven and hell.
Q: What does Luther suggest the torment in the story symbolizes?
A: Luther suggests it symbolizes the torment of the conscience after doing good or bad deeds.
Q: How does Luther interpret the physical aspects mentioned in the story, such as the rich man wanting Lazarus to cool his tongue with water?
A: Luther interprets these physical aspects as symbolic representations within the conscience, not literal occurrences.
Q: Why does Luther emphasize that the bodies of the rich man and Lazarus were in their graves?
A: Luther emphasizes this to argue that the conversation and actions described cannot be literal, as the resurrection has not yet occurred.
Q: When does Luther suggest the resurrection will take place?
A: Luther suggests the resurrection will occur at the end of time, not before.
Q: What happened to Jesus’ body after his resurrection, according to Luther?
A: Luther notes that Jesus’ body disappeared after his resurrection, which supports his view that the story cannot be literal.
Q: How does Luther view the implications of the story for heaven and hell?
A: Luther believes all the implications for heaven and hell in the story are symbolic and not to be taken literally.
Q: What does Luther argue about the physical descriptions of Hell in the story?
A: Luther argues that they should be understood metaphorically as describing the state of the conscience.
Q: According to Luther, why is it impossible to interpret the story as a literal event?
A: Luther argues it is impossible because of the symbolic nature of the torment and the fact that bodies were in their graves.
Q: What does Luther’s interpretation of the story emphasize about the nature of parables in Scripture?
A: Luther’s interpretation underscores that parables are meant to convey deeper spiritual truths rather than literal events.
But the rich man wanted to warn his family…
But the rich man wanted to warn his family, which he should be able to do if the torment is just a symbol for tormented conscience on earth. This suggests the Shoel counter-argument is better than Luther’s.
Literal readings of the story..
Literal readings of the story as an actual event point to the key detail that a personal name (Lazarus) was mentioned. Other parables just refer to generic types of people e.g. ‘the good Samaritan’. This suggests it was a real story about heaven and hell and so shouldn’t be taken as a symbolic parable.
N. T. Wright responds
N. T. Wright responds that the story is similar to other parables however in that it involves the reversal of fortunes and concern for the poor.
