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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 10 - Lazarus and the Rich Man
Lazarus and the Rich Man
Luke 16:14
14 And [de] the Pharisees [Pharisaios] also [kai] , who were [huparcho] covetous [philarguros] , heard [akouo] all [pas] these things [tauta] : and [kai] they derided [ekmukterizo] him [autos] . KJV-Interlinear
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things, and they were scoffing at Him. NASB
The Pharisees are described as 'lovers' of the things of this world. They coveted things in this life more than the things of the next. They certainly discounted in their own minds the spiritual side of life.
Jesus represents truth. He actually is truth. The Pharisees who were present represent those who reject truth no matter how clear that truth is. They are the hard core folks who will reject anything that goes against their own selfish will. They have an agenda in life and that is simply 'me first.' This includes everything they enjoy in life - recognition, status, approbation, money, wealth, the good life, ego, their self perception of being authorities concerning the things of life and heaven, and so forth.
The Pharisees and folks like them, will look at the outward things of life and assume that those who are healthy, those who are smart, those who are wealthy, are the blessed of God. And if so, then they are the ones to whom God will look for leadership both now and in the Kingdom to come. They are the chosen of God - or so they think.
This is where we find an elite minded sect. They are the wealthy, the intelligent, the connected and therefore they are the elite of mankind. Their ideas must be right, otherwise God would not allow them to have the successes that they have. Right? And of course that is wrong because the spiritual life and spiritual success is not of this world and not comprised of things of this world.
So those who think in the worldly realm, mammon as we saw in the Unjust Steward parable, are detached from reality. The more detached you are from truth, the more distorted your views become. Disaster looms on the horizon as a result. Eventually the 'elite' or their kind of thinking, leads to their feeling that they do not need God.
When the leadership is detached from truth and when the masses begin to respond to them, then there will still be some semblance of prosperity, but sooner or later when the population on the whole drifts toward ignorance of God, then disaster, when it comes, will be horrendous. Prosperity does not stop on a dime, but diminishes over time.
In Jesus day, rejection of God was at its high. After the Cross there was a revival among the population and that resulted in forty years of prosperity, though it was on the decline. Everything hit bottom prior to and during 70 A.D. When the Romans finally rolled over Judea and over a million died and the cities of Judea and the surrounding region were thoroughly sacked.
The God of the universe is standing right there in their presence. They scoff. Who are the arrogant ones here? Jesus Christ created te universe in an instant, He created the angels prior to that. He creates and sustains human life and everything that exists. Yet here He is in the clothing of a very poor carpenters son who had no money, no acceptable clothing, no lands, no wealth, no education, no titles, no certifications, nothing that would normally impress the Pharisees. They only recognized obvious success and accomplishment as they define it and that which is compatible with their life style, and ... that which does not threaten their way of life.
They scoffed, they derided, they snuffled up their noses at him, or blew their noses on Him. Though truth was right in their midst. Though there were overwhelming miracles, and miracles being performed on a daily basis, they rejected them all. They simply did not consider them as anything to be concerned about. Their life style was on the line and that was all that mattered. Anything that challenges their position, their authority, their way of life will be fought to the maximum, even if it means their own self destruction (in truth), though they would reject the idea that it would come to that.
Jer. 6:10
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed, And they cannot listen. Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them; They have no delight in it. NASB
In order to maintain their positions they need the approval of the masses. If public opinion were ever to go against them, then they would be out of jobs. So the Pharisees, though they looked down their noses at the common man, were in fact slaves to the public opinion they so wished to control.
Jesus Christ has to be discredited at all costs if their life style and positions were to continue. The needs of the common masses were irrelevant. This is the attitude of the self serving politician or any self serving leader whether in small social circles or on the national playing field of life.
Evil leaders will make bold and devoted claims as to their leadership abilities, their wisdom, and their concern for the common man, in their desperate attempt to have that which would not otherwise come to them if people could only discern the truth. Deceit and a naive public are the evil leaders only allies.
Evil leaders are then supported by and they rely on, a stupid and cowardly public. Anything else and they would not have their positions of power.
When the public recognizes this deceit, then good decisions and prosperity will result and evil is placed in check. When the public fails in recognizing evil, then trouble will manifest itself.
Warnings and reminders are always with us on a personal, regional, national, or even international level, so that we can see truth and that we are not in control of our very existence. Those warnings could be a simple accident in the home, or a hurricane, and so forth. Man has but only to recognize the signs and then respond to Gods call in order to make his own life better.
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Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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