What is the meaning of Luke 16:27? Then I beg you, father, • The rich man, now fully aware of his eternal condition, urgently pleads with Abraham. His words reveal that remorse, fear, and longing are all experienced consciously after death (Luke 16:23–24). • The intensity of “beg” underscores that no second chances exist once judgment has fallen (Hebrews 9:27). • Earthly status no longer helps him; he who was once rich is now the petitioner, illustrating Jesus’ earlier warning that “many who are first will be last” (Luke 13:28; Mark 10:31). he said, • Scripture records an actual dialogue between the realm of torment and Paradise, proving personal identity, memory, and the ability to communicate remain intact beyond the grave (Luke 23:42–43; Revelation 6:10). • His direct speech shows that acknowledgment of truth can come too late; even the damned confess realities they once ignored (James 2:19). • God’s Word faithfully preserves this conversation so that readers today may heed its warning (1 Corinthians 10:11). send Lazarus • The rich man now values the very one he had despised. Lazarus, whose sores he once ignored, is viewed as a potential messenger of mercy (Luke 16:20–21, 25). • This reversal highlights divine justice: the neglected sufferer is comforted, while the indulgent oppressor becomes dependent (Matthew 25:44–45). • He assumes a miracle—Lazarus returning from the dead—would persuade his brothers, yet Jesus later raises another Lazarus, and many still refuse to believe (John 11:43–48). • True repentance springs from hearing Moses and the Prophets, not merely witnessing wonders (Luke 16:31; Romans 10:17). to my father’s house • Concern for family surfaces too late; nevertheless, the instinct is telling: eternal realities should first move us to reach those closest to us (Acts 16:31; Joshua 24:15). • The phrase signals specific people, a literal household of five brothers (Luke 16:28). Hell’s inhabitants become evangelistically minded, yet cannot act. • Lot once tried to warn his sons-in-law, but they thought he was jesting (Genesis 19:14). Likewise, many today shrug off earnest appeals until the door of mercy closes (Luke 13:25). • While alive, believers must seize opportunities to testify, knowing that death fixes destiny permanently (2 Corinthians 6:2). summary Luke 16:27 captures the moment a condemned man pleads for missionary help he never offered in life. His desperate request affirms conscious existence after death, the unchangeable nature of judgment, and the supreme value of God’s revealed Word over dramatic signs. Because Scripture is true and literal, the passage presses every reader to heed God’s warning now, show compassion today, and share the gospel while time remains. |
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