Luke 16 27

Luke 16:27

ESV: And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house ?

KJV: Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

NIV: "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,

NKJV: "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,

NLT: "Then the rich man said, 'Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father's home.

Meaning

Luke 16:27 portrays the rich man in Hades, enduring torment, pleading with Abraham to send Lazarus, the poor man who formerly lay at his gate, to his five brothers who are still alive. This plea is rooted in his recognition of the finality of his own judgment and a desperate desire for his family to avoid his fate, believing a messenger from the dead would cause them to repent. The verse initiates a pivotal part of the parable, where the sufficiency of God's Word for salvation and warning is affirmed over supernatural signs.

Cross References

Context

Luke 16:27 is part of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31). This parable immediately follows Jesus' teaching on the Law, divorce, and a strong statement about serving God and money (Lk 16:13-18). It is primarily directed towards the Pharisees who "were lovers of money" (Lk 16:14). The parable contrasts a rich man who lived in luxury, ignoring a desperately poor man at his gate, with the poor man's eventual reward in the afterlife. The first part of the parable describes their fates: Lazarus taken to "Abraham's bosom" (a Jewish idiom for paradise), and the rich man in "Hades" suffering torment.

Verse 27 marks a shift, moving from the initial description of their posthumous states to a dialogue between the rich man and Abraham. The rich man's initial request for personal relief was denied, establishing the unbridgeable gulf. His second request, in verse 27, is altruistic in appearance – concern for his living brothers. This reflects a key aspect of Jewish belief regarding familial ties, but in the context of the parable, it sets up Abraham's crucial response about the sufficiency of God's revealed Word.

Word analysis

• Then he said: Eipen de (Greek). This signals a continuation of the rich man's pleading from the realm of the dead, emphasizing his desperate and continuous state of suffering.
• I beg you: Erōtaō (Greek). While erōtaō can mean "ask," in this context, especially following a prior denial and given the rich man's position of torment, it strongly conveys "beg" or "implore." It highlights his urgent and desperate plea, born out of deep regret and fear for his family.
• therefore: Oun (Greek). This transitional particle suggests a consequence or a continuation of the rich man's reasoning. Having been denied a personal reprieve, his request now turns to his living family.
• father: Pater (Greek). The rich man continues to address Abraham with familial respect and deference, acknowledging Abraham's authority and place as the patriarch of Israel. This underlines the rich man's Jewish identity and assumed spiritual heritage.
• that you would send him: Hina pempsē autēn (Greek). "Send him" is the core of the request. The rich man specifically requests that Lazarus be sent. The rich man likely still perceives Lazarus as a servant, though he is now elevated to Abraham's side. This implies a lack of true humility or change in his core understanding of status, despite his suffering.
• to my father's house: Eis ton oikon tou patros mou (Greek). This refers to his family home, where his five brothers live. This shows that despite his spiritual blindness, he retains concern for his immediate earthly family, wanting them to avoid his grim fate.

Commentary

Luke 16:27 pivots the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus towards its crucial spiritual lesson. The rich man, enduring eternal torment, grasps the grim finality of his own condition. His appeal to Abraham is not for himself, but for his five living brothers. He imagines that if someone were to return from the dead, especially Lazarus, who was known to their family (being a daily sight at the rich man's gate), this supernatural appearance would undeniably lead them to repentance and avoid their brother's fate in Hades. This reveals a common human tendency to believe that extraordinary signs are more persuasive than the established revelation of God's Word. However, the very nature of his plea, to send Lazarus as if he were still an errand boy, subtly reveals a lack of true humility, despite his suffering. His underlying perception of Lazarus's status appears unchanged. This sets the stage for Abraham's powerful refutation in verses 29 and 31, asserting the supreme sufficiency of "Moses and the Prophets" (God's revealed Word) as the sole, necessary, and effective means of guidance towards repentance and faith. No sign, not even a resurrection from the dead, would be more compelling for hearts that refuse to hear and obey God's pre-existing truth.

Bonus section

The number "five brothers" is specific but not given a direct symbolic interpretation within the parable. It serves to establish that the rich man has other family members who are in a similar spiritual state as he was before his death. Some commentators link "five" to the five books of Moses (the Pentateuch) as a subtle reinforcing point for Abraham's reference to "Moses and the Prophets" later, though this is speculative. The request for Lazarus to warn his brothers from the dead echoes a desire for posthumous influence or a last-minute reversal, which the parable vehemently denies. This request highlights the rich man's continued ignorance of the absolute chasm between the living and the dead, and the self-sufficient nature of divine revelation. The parable asserts that earthly life is the sole period for repentance; after death, the final judgment is set.

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