“A Certain Rich Man” and “Beggar Lazarus”: Their Lives in the Eternal World After Death

 

“A Certain Rich Man” and “Beggar Lazarus”: 

Their Lives in the Eternal World After Death

 

 

 

 

 

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table.  Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’  Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’  Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead’” (Luke 16:19–31).

(1)    In today’s passage, Luke 16:19–31, I have already meditated on Jesus’ parable of “the rich man and Lazarus” in two parts: (a) The life of “the rich man” on this earth [Title of meditation: “Have you cast off the glamourouse outer shell that the world envies, and clothed yourself instead in the garments of grace and conduct that are blameless before God?” (https://blog.naver.com/kdicaprio74/224306436734)] and (b) The life of “beggar Lazarus” on this earth [Title of meditation: “We are all spiritual ‘Lazaruses’ who cannot live without the grace of God” (https://blog.naver.com/kdicaprio74/224307522678)]  Today, as a final reflection, I would like to receive the lesson that comes from contrasting the eternal lives of “the rich man” and “beggar Lazarus” in the world after dea

 

(a)    The Eternal Life of “Beggar Lazarus” in the World After Death

 

(i)          This is what today’s passage says regarding Lazarus’ eternal life after death: “So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom…” (v. 22), “…he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (v. 23), “…but now he is comforted here…” (v. 25)

 

·         Regarding the phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s side” (v. 22)—rendered in Greek as “ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ” (apenechthēnai auton hypo tōn angelōn eis ton kolpon Abraam)—my attention was drawn specifically to the word “ἀπενεχθῆναι” (apenechthēnai).  This is a highly dynamic and sovereign term that decisively illustrates the state of the afterlife into which Lazarus entered.  Artificial intelligence provided the following explanation of the word’s profound meaning, broken down by etymology, tense, and spiritual context (Internet):

 

1.       Etymological Meaning: “Separation and Safe Transfer”

 

This word comes from the compound verb ἀποφέρω (apopherō), which is made up of two elements:

 

         “ἀπό” (apo): a preposition meaning “away from,” “separated from.”

 

         “φέρω” (pherō): a verb meaning “to carry,” “to transport,” or “to bring.”

Thus, its etymological sense is: “to completely remove someone from one place and transport them safely to another place.”  Throughout his life, Lazarus had been bound to the miserable position of lying at the rich man’s gate.  Yet at the moment of death, he was completely separated (apo) from that place of suffering and carried (pherō) to a new dwelling.

 

2.       Grammatical Feature: Compulsion and Sovereignty (Passive Infinitive)

 

The form of this word is an aorist passive infinitive, and the passive voice is spiritually significant.

 

Lazarus’ Helplessness: Lazarus had no power in himself to enter paradise or seek out Abraham’s bosom. Whether in life or in death, he was utterly powerless.

 

God’s Absolute Sovereignty: The passive voice indicates that this transfer occurred entirely through the sovereign power of God, who commands the angels.  Lazarus did nothing on his own. The angels lifted him up and carried him by holy power.

 

3.       Theological and Spiritual Meaning: “A Contrast Between Burial and Escort”

 

When viewed in its context, this word reveals a hidden source of spiritual comfort.

 

Contrast with the Rich Man: In the latter part of verse 22, the rich man dies and is simply said to have been: “buried” (ἐτάφη, etaphē).  The rich man’s body was confined to an impressive earthly tomb, but Lazarus’ soul was transported to heaven by angels (ἀπενεχθῆναι).

 

An Honorable Escort: The world treated Lazarus like refuse and no one cared for his death. Yet God sent His royal heavenly escort—the angels.  As though carrying a king in a royal palanquin, they respectfully and safely transported him into eternity.

 

Thus, “ἀπενεχθῆναι” (“was carried”) proclaims both a complete escape from the misery and suffering of earthly life and a safe arrival into an eternal place of rest through God’s sovereign love.

 

-          Beyond the word “ἀπενεχθῆναι” (apenechthēnai) (“carried away”), I also became interested in the phrase “τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ” (ton kolpon Abraam) (“Abraham’s bosom”) found in verses 22 and 23.  While “ἀπενεχθῆναι” (apenechthēnai) depicts the process of a dramatic escape and transition away from suffering, the phrase “τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ” (ton kolpon Abraam) is a key expression that perfectly captures the nature and state of the eternal afterlife that Lazarus finally reached.  An AI provided a detailed explanation of its meaning, categorized into its literal definition, its Jewish cultural context, and its profound spiritual significance (Internet):

 

a.    The Literal Meaning and Visual Imagery

 

“τὸν κόλπον” (ton kolpon): Originally means a person’s “chest,” “bosom,” or the fold of a garment that forms a space against the chest.

 

“Ἀβραάμ” (Abraam): The name of Abraham, the patriarch of faith and ancestor of Israel.

 

The imagery of this phrase goes beyond merely identifying a location such as heaven or paradise.  It depicts Abraham himself embracing Lazarus in his bosom.  This suggests that the afterlife is not a cold, impersonal place but one filled with personal warmth, love, and fellowship.

 

b.    Two Cultural Backgrounds from First-Century Judaism

 

To Jesus’ Jewish audience, this expression would immediately evoke two powerful cultural images.

 

①      The Most Honored Seat at the Heavenly Banquet

 

      In ancient Jewish culture, people did not sit upright in chairs during banquets.  They reclined on their left elbows and ate with their right hands.  Because of this arrangement, the person reclining behind another would naturally rest close to that person’s chest or bosom.

 

                          The one who reclined in the host’s bosom was considered the most beloved guest and the guest of highest honor.  This is the same imagery found in John 13:23, where the beloved disciple John reclined close to Jesus.

 

The Great Reversal: Lazarus, who spent his entire life beneath the rich man’s table, unable even to obtain the crumbs that fell from it, is now pictured at the heavenly banquet reclining beside Abraham himself—the most honored position imaginable.

 

②      An Idiom Found in Jewish Apocryphal and Rabbinic Literature

 

In Jewish concepts of the afterlife during that period (such as those reflected in writings like 4 Maccabees), “Abraham’s bosom” became a well-known expression referring to: “the paradise of paradise,” the safest resting place where the souls of the righteous dwell after death.  Many Jews believed that when a righteous person died, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would welcome that person.

 

c.    Theological and Spiritual Meaning: The Eternal Life Enjoyed by Lazarus

 

This phrase reveals several aspects of Lazarus’ eternal existence.

 

Complete Comfort and Restoration: On earth, Lazarus was covered with sores and treated as unclean. Dogs came and licked his wounds. He received little compassion or comfort from anyone.  But in the afterlife, he is embraced by the patriarch of faith and experiences complete healing and comfort for both body and soul.

 

Restoration of Spiritual Identity: The rich man left Lazarus neglected at his gate and treated him as though he were less than human.  Yet Lazarus’ presence in Abraham’s bosom proves that he was, in God’s eyes, a true son of Abraham—a genuine man of faith.

 

Eternal Security: In Scripture, being held in someone’s bosom signifies perfect protection from every danger and suffering.  Lazarus is now guaranteed an eternal security in which he will never again be hungry, sick, or lonely.

 

Conclusion:

The combination of these two expressions—"ἀπενεχθῆναι” (“being carried away completely by the angels”) and “τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ” (“being embraced in Abraham’s bosom”)—forms one of the most beautiful scenes in Scripture.  Together they dramatically portray how a soul that had been abandoned and miserable on earth was, through God’s sovereign grace, elevated to the most honorable, secure, and comforting place in the universe.

 

·         Finally, when I think about the eternal life of “beggar Lazarus” in the world after death, I became interested in Abraham’s statement to “the rich man”: “But now he is comforted here…” (v. 25).  In Greek, this sentence is: “νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται” (nyn de hōde parakaleitai).  This short sentence is one of the most powerful declarations of the reality of the eternal rest that Lazarus is enjoying in the afterlife (Internet):

 

1.       “νῦν” (nyn): “But now” (A Great Reversal of Time)

 

Meaning: A temporal adverb meaning “now” or “at present.”

 

Deeper Significance: This word declares that Lazarus’ life has been completely divided into two parts: His past life on earth, and His present life in the afterlife.  While he lived in this world, his days were marked by endless hunger, the pain of his sores, and continual neglect—a time of darkness.  However, from the moment he passed through the gate of death, “now” (νῦν) signifies that all the suffering of his former life has been completely severed, and an entirely new era of eternity has begun.

 

2.       “ὧδε” (hōde): “Here” (A Great Reversal of Place)

 

Meaning: A locational adverb meaning “here” or “in this place.”

 

Deeper Significance: The “here” refers to the previously mentioned “Abraham’s bosom” (Paradise).

 

The miserable place where Lazarus had lain every day in order to survive was the rich man’s gate.  There, dogs licked his wounds, and he waited for crumbs to fall from the rich man’s table. It was a place of humiliation.  But now the location has changed to “here” (ὧδε).  His final dwelling has become the safest and most honorable place in the universe—a place filled with the presence of God, where the patriarch of faith warmly embraces him.

 

[Additional Explanation: Why “Abraham’s Bosom” Is Called “Paradise”

 

a.       The Biblical Definition of Paradise

 

In Scripture, Paradise (Greek: παράδεισος, paradeisos) refers to the glorious dwelling place where the souls of the redeemed righteous enter immediately after death—the heavenly realm where God’s presence is found.

 

It is the very place Jesus referred to when He said to the repentant thief on the cross: “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43).

Likewise, the “third heaven” to which the Apostle Paul was caught up is also described as Paradise (2 Cor. 12:4).

 

b.       Why Did “Abraham’s Bosom” Come to Mean Paradise?

 

①      Abraham Was Viewed as the Representative of Heaven

 

To the Jews, Abraham was not merely a historical figure.  He was the father of faith, the man with whom God established His covenant, and the spiritual father of the redeemed.  In Jewish thought, to “enter heaven” or “enter Paradise” was essentially synonymous with “going to where Abraham is.”  Therefore, the place where Abraham dwells naturally came to symbolize Paradise itself.

 

3.       “παρακαλεῖται” (parakaleitai): “He Is Being Comforted” (A Great Reversal of Condition)

 

Etymology: This verb is composed of: παρά (para) — “beside,” “alongside” +    καλέω (kaleō) — “to call”.  Thus, it carries the vivid picture of: “calling someone close to oneself, embracing them, and comforting them.”

 

Grammatical Secret (Present Tense): In Greek, the present tense often emphasizes continuity and ongoing action.  The comfort Lazarus receives is not a one-time event.  Rather, his life in the afterlife is described grammatically as a state in which comfort continually flows without interruption—now and forever.

 

Grammatical Secret (Passive Voice): Lazarus is not generating comfort for himself.  Instead, he is being comforted by God and by Abraham.  The passive voice indicates that comfort is being bestowed upon him in an overwhelming and one-sided manner.  The soul that spent an entire lifetime being rejected by the world has now been completely accepted and healed by the Sovereign of Heaven.

 

Conclusion:

This sentence declares: “The miserable life that existed back then, in that place on earth, has come to a complete end.  Now, here in Paradise, Lazarus is embraced in God’s bosom and enjoys healing and peace that will never cease throughout eternity.”  It is a powerful affirmation of Lazarus’ eternal destiny.

 

(b)    The Eternal Life of “A Certain Rich Man” in the World After Death

 

(i)      This is what today’s passage says concerning the rich man’s eternal life after death: “…The rich man also died and was buried.  And in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame’” (Lk. 16:22–24).  As I read this passage in the Greek New Testament, two particular words or expressions drew my attention.

 

·         First: The Greek Word “ᾅδῃ” (Hadēs) — “Hades” (v. 23).  I asked an AI what this word means and how it contrasts with the “bosom of Abraham” (Paradise), into which Lazarus was carried by angels.  It answered as follows (Internet):

 

1.       The Etymology and Specific Meaning of “ᾅδῃ” (Hadēs)

 

Basic Form: The nominative form of the word is ᾅδης (Hadēs).  In verse 23 it appears as ᾅδῃ because it is used with the preposition ἐν (en, “in”), taking the dative case.

 

Etymological Origin: In ancient Greek, the word originally referred to “the unseen” or “the invisible realm.”  When the Hebrew word Sheol was translated into Greek in the Old Testament, this term was commonly used.

 

Meaning in This Passage: In Scripture, Hades is not merely a grave where a body is buried.  Rather, it refers to the realm of the dead, where departed souls exist after death.  Particularly in the Gospels and the Book of Revelation, Hades is portrayed as an intermediate realm in which the souls of those who rebelled against God are confined and experience punishment and suffering prior to the final judgment before the Great White Throne.  The statement that the rich man “lifted up his eyes, being in torment” supports this understanding.

 

The “intermediate abode (temporary prison)” referred to here is by no means Purgatory.

 

a.       Why Purgatory and the Hades of This Passage Are Completely Different

 

In Roman Catholic theology, Purgatory is a place where souls still bearing the effects of sin are purified before entering heaven, and where the prayers and merits of the living may assist them.  In other words, it is viewed as a place where one’s condition can change.

 

However, the Hades described in Luke 16 is the exact opposite.

 

No Change of Status Possible: As verse 26 declares: “A great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross from there to us.”

 

Judgment Already Determined: The rich man has no opportunity to be purified or saved.  His destiny has already been fixed, and he is experiencing the certainty of judgment.

 

b.       The True Meaning of the Theological Term “Intermediate State”

 

Traditional Protestant commentators use the expression “intermediate state” because of the distinction between the present condition of souls and the future resurrection and final judgment.  According to Scripture, at the end of history, when Christ returns, all people will be bodily resurrected and stand before God’s final judgment.

 

Present Hades / Paradise (Intermediate State): At present, when a person dies: The body is buried in the earth.  The soul immediately enters either Paradise (heaven) or Hades.  The rich man is already experiencing the full reality of the suffering associated with hell.

 

The Future Eternal Hell (Final State): At the end of the world, the souls in Hades will be reunited with resurrected bodies and will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment.  Afterward, they will be cast into the final Lake of Fire (Gehenna) forever.  Revelation 20:14 says: “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

Thus, the rich man’s Hades differs from the final Lake of Fire not in the nature or intensity of suffering, but only in its place within the timeline of redemptive history.  His destiny is already irrevocably fixed; he can no longer enter Paradise (Internet).

 

2.       Four Dramatic Contrasts Between “Abraham’s Bosom” and “Hades”

 

These two places stand in complete opposition to one another spatially, spiritually, and experientially.

 

①      Human Burial (Outward Splendor) vs. Spiritual Isolation (Misery)

 

The Rich Man: The rich man died and was ceremonially buried according to the customs of the world.  His body rested in a respectable grave.  Yet when his soul opened its eyes, it found itself in the dark and separated realm of Hades.

 

Contrast with Lazarus: Lazarus may not even have received a proper burial on earth.  Yet his soul was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom.  This contrast demonstrates that a magnificent funeral cannot guarantee the safety of one’s soul.

 

②      Complete Isolation vs. Intimate Fellowship

 

Hades: The rich man suffers alone.  There are no companions, no comforters, and no community.  He can only gaze at Abraham from a distance.

 

Abraham’s Bosom: This is a banquet setting of intimacy where one reclines close to the father of faith.  Lazarus is no longer lonely but welcomed into the fellowship of God’s spiritual family.

 

③      Burning Torment and Deprivation vs. Endless Comfort and Satisfaction

 

Hades: The rich man cries: “I am tormented in this flame.”  He experiences such unbearable thirst and deprivation that he begs for a single drop of water from the tip of a finger.  The one who feasted luxuriously every day on earth has become the most desperate of beggars.

 

Abraham’s Bosom: Lazarus experiences neither hunger nor thirst.  Instead, he is eternally “being comforted” (parakaleitai) in the presence of God.  Every wound and every lack has been completely satisfied.

 

④      The Contrast of Being Brought Low and Being Exalted

 

Hades: The rich man must “lift up his eyes” and look far into the distance.  This suggests that Hades is a place of spiritual darkness and humiliation.

 

Abraham’s Bosom: The place where Lazarus resides is portrayed as a glorious and exalted spiritual dwelling—Paradise itself—so elevated that the rich man can only look upward toward it.

 

Conclusion:

Ultimately, ᾅδῃ (Hades) is a place where God’s presence is absent and where human wealth and earthly honor possess no power whatsoever.  It is a place of spiritual bankruptcy and judgment.  The rich man, who throughout his life made himself his own god and ignored his neighbor, finds himself after death confined to a condition of absolute deprivation and loneliness as the consequence of that life (Internet).

 

·         Second, the Greek phrase that drew my attention was “ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις” (hyparchōn en basanois, “being in torment”) in verse 23, along with the Greek word “ὀδυνῶμαι” (odynomai, “I am in agony”) in verse 24.

 

1.       “ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις” (hyparchōn en basanois): “Being in torment”

 

This phrase describes the rich man's objective condition after entering Hades and beginning to experience suffering.

 

“ὑπάρχων” (hyparchōn): This is the present participle of the verb ὑπάρχω (hyparchō), meaning: “to exist,” “to be,” or “to remain in a certain condition.”

 

              Specific meaning: This does not describe a temporary feeling.  Rather, it indicates that the rich man's very existence is completely immersed in and continually surrounded by an environment of torment.  His life foundation has been permanently transformed—from the “luxury” he enjoyed on earth to the “torment” of Hades.

 

“ἐν βασάνοις” (en basanois)

 

“ἐν” (en) is a spatial preposition meaning: “in,” “within,” or “inside.”

 

“βασάνοις (basanois) is the plural dative form of βάσανος (basanos).  Originally, this word referred to a touchstone, a stone used to test the purity of gold.  From that idea it came to mean: “torture,” “severe punishment,” or “extreme suffering” used to bring hidden truth to light.

Specific meaning: The place where the rich man finds himself is not merely a realm of mental regret.  Rather, it is vividly portrayed as a place where severe punishment and torment are inflicted upon both body and soul—a kind of prison-like place of confinement.  The plural form (“torments”) suggests suffering coming from many directions, indicating a complex and multifaceted experience of anguish.

 

2.       “ὀδυνῶμαι” (odynomai): “I am in agony”

 

This is the verb the rich man himself uses when crying out to Abraham in verse 24 (In verse 25, Abraham uses the related second-person form ὀδυνᾶσαι, “you are in anguish”).

 

Root meaning: It comes from ὀδυνάω (odynaō), and is a present middle/passive first-person singular form meaning: “to suffer intense physical or emotional pain,” “to be deeply distressed,” “to be tormented.”

 

Specific meaning: This word expresses far more than ordinary pain.  It conveys a combination of: unbearable inner anguish, profound despair, emotional torment, and the burning physical agony of intense thirst.  When the rich man says, “I am in agony in this flame,” the word captures both the external torment caused by the flames and the internal devastation of realizing that all opportunities have passed forever.  Both dimensions of suffering are concentrated into this single expression.

 

Significance of the present tense: The verb is also in the present tense.  This indicates that the rich man's suffering is not momentary or temporary.  His crying out and his agony are continuous and ongoing realities.

 

3.       A comparison between Lazarus' comfort (παρακαλεῖται) and the rich man's agony (ὀδυνᾶσαι)

 

a.    Contrast of relationship: “In God's embrace” vs. “Alone on the rack of torment”

 

Lazarus' comfort: The verb παρακαλεῖται (parakaleitai) depicts God drawing someone near to Himself, embracing them, protecting them, and personally comforting them.

 

The rich man's agony: By contrast, the rich man's condition in βασάνοις (basanois) resembles being isolated on an instrument of torture where punishment is inflicted in complete loneliness.

 

b.    Contrast of environment: “Perfect fulfillment” vs. “Burning deprivation”

 

Lazarus' comfort: This describes a state in which all the hunger, wounds, sorrow, and rejection he experienced on earth have been completely healed and satisfied by the gracious blessings of Paradise.

 

The rich man's agony: His odynomai is a state of unbearable thirst and judgment, where not even a single drop of water is granted.  His soul and being are consumed from within and without by burning deprivation.

 

c.    Shared tense, contrasting destinies: “Eternal peace” vs. “Eternal punishment”

 

Lazarus' comfort: The present tense declares that God's comfort continues without interruption forever.

 

The rich man's agony: Likewise, the rich man's suffering is also expressed in the present tense.  His punishment and despair do not cease, diminish, or pause.  They continue perpetually.

 

Conclusion:

The contrast between these two conditions vividly testifies to a solemn reality of the world beyond death:  For those who trusted in God and endured suffering on earth, there awaits an endless eternity of comfort.  For those who rejected God and ignored their neighbors, there awaits an irreversible eternity of judgment.  Every phrase in the passage bears witness to this profound contrast (Internet).

 

(ii)        The conversation between Abraham and the rich man in the eternal world after death.  This is the dialogue recorded in today's passage: “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’  Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead’” (Lk. 16:27–31).

 

·         This conversation between the rich man and Abraham forms the climactic conclusion of the parable and proclaims the central question of the Christian faith: “How can a person escape eternal judgment and obtain salvation?”  An artificial intelligence summarized the passage into three key points as follows (Internet):

 

1.       The horror of the afterlife and a plea that comes too late

 

The rich man desperately begs Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth so that his five brothers will not come to the place of torment (basanos) where he now suffers.

 

Central meaning: Ironically, this plea itself becomes testimony from the rich man's own mouth concerning how dreadful and real the suffering of the afterlife is.  It also demonstrates that after death, no matter how sincere or desperate one's regret may be, the opportunity to change one's destiny—or the destiny of others—has been completely lost.

 

2.       The absolute standard for salvation: “Moses and the Prophets” (the written Word of God)

Abraham rejects the rich man's request and responds that his brothers already have: “Moses and the Prophets.”  They must listen to them.

 

Central meaning: “Moses and the Prophets” was a Jewish expression referring to the Old Testament Scriptures—the written Word of God.  Abraham's response declares the sufficiency of Scripture: Everything necessary for repentance and salvation has already been provided through God's revealed Word.  No additional supernatural manifestation is required.

 

3.       The limitation of miracles and the hardness of the human heart

 

The rich man insists: “If someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.”  But Abraham answers that if people refuse to listen to Scripture, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.

 

Central meaning: Repentance and faith are not produced merely by witnessing miracles or supernatural experiences.  A heart that rejects God's Word cannot be transformed simply through extraordinary signs.  Indeed, later in history, when Jesus raised another man named Lazarus from the dead, many of the Jewish religious leaders did not repent.  Instead, they sought to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.

 

Final Summary:

The final conclusion of this conversation is: Salvation is possible only while a person is alive, by hearing God's written Word and responding with repentance.  Jesus teaches that it is not a faith that constantly seeks miracles that determines one's eternal destiny.  Rather, the one sure and sufficient path is to humbly hear, believe, and obey the Word of God that is given to us day by day.  Through this dialogue, Jesus delivers a solemn warning that our response to God's Word in this life has eternal consequences in the life to come (Internet).