IV. Christ’s Great Parable of the Lost Opportunity

The story of Dives and Lazarus was the last in a series of moving stories, addressed primarily to the Pharisees, as recorded by Luke. The fact that Jesus talked with outcasts and sinners drew sharp censure from the Pharisees, who murmured, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2). These narratives were the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son, then of the unjust steward, and finally that of the lost opportunity.CFF1 245.1

1. REJOICING IN HEAVEN; RESENTMENT BY PHARISEES

The same underlying lesson runs through them all—“more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, R.S.V.). There is obvious satire in Christ’s reference to the “righteous” persons. As with the lost coin and the lost son, there is heavenly rejoicing over the recovery of the lost—but resentment by the Pharisees. More than a hundred times the expression “kingdom of God,” or “kingdom of heaven,” appears in the Gospels, often stressing joy and rejoicing over the reclaiming of the sinner. But the Pharisees, with their stultifying rules and repressive regulations and traditions and smug racial arrogance, found no place for rejoicing over the recovery of the lost.CFF1 245.2

In the parable of the unjust steward Christ emphasized the necessity of building friendships for the future, drawing a lesson even from this man’s questionable shrewdness concerning his earthly future. How much more important to prepare for the life to come. But these important lessons were all spurned by the Pharisees, and they “derided” Christ (Luke 16:14). Their perverse attitude and actions drew a stern rebuke. They were seeking to “justify” themselves before men, but their attitudes were an “abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).CFF1 246.1

Thus it was that “the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it” (Luke 16:16). Outcasts, without a knowledge of the law and the prophets, were pressing into the kingdom of God, while those who exulted in having the Sacred Oracles committed into their hands concealed cancerous sin in their hearts. Meticulous over professed piety, they were exceedingly lax as to morals, such as with divorce (Luke 16:17, 18).CFF1 246.2

2. LOGICAL CLIMAX OF “LOST OPPORTUNITY” PARABLE

The timing of these parables is also significant. They were spoken near the close of Christ’s public ministry. He was making His last appeals, based on the shepherd’s love, the woman’s diligent search, the wonderful love of the father over his wayward son, then preparation for the life to come. And now the Master brings forward His last parable in the series—the necessity of being ready for the day of death and the futility of counting on a second probation. Its burden was the tragedy of the lost opportunity and the eternal fixity of man’s destiny when life ends.CFF1 246.3

It was likewise to show that riches, instead of assuredly leading into the “everlasting habitations” of the saved (Luke 16:9), might prove a fatal barrier against salvation. So the story of the rich man and Lazarus logically belongs where it is—at the end of this series.CFF1 246.4