Church Fathers Commentary Luke 16:19-21

"Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the [crumbs] that fell from the rich man`s table; yea, even the dogs come and licked his sores." — Luke 16:19-21 (ASV)

The Venerable Bede: Our Lord had just advised making friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, which the Pharisees derided. He then confirmed by example what He had set before them, saying, There was a certain rich man... etc.

St. John Chrysostom: There was, not is, because he had passed away like a fleeting shadow.

St. Ambrose of Milan: But not all poverty is holy, nor are all riches criminal; for as luxury disgraces riches, so holiness commends poverty.

It follows: And he was clothed in purple and fine linen.

The Venerable Bede: Purple, the color of a royal robe, is obtained from sea shells, which are scraped with a knife. Byssus is a kind of white and very fine linen.

St. Gregory the Great: Now, if wearing fine and precious robes were not a fault, the word of God would never have expressed this so carefully. For no one seeks costly garments except for vainglory, so that he may seem more honorable than others. Indeed, no one wishes to be clothed in such garments where he cannot be seen by others.

St. John Chrysostom: He covered ashes, dust, and earth with purple and silk; or rather, ashes, dust, and earth bore purple and silk upon them. As his garments were, so was his food. Therefore, for us also, let our clothing be as our food is. Hence it follows: And he fared sumptuously every day.

St. Gregory the Great: And here we must watch ourselves closely, since banquets can scarcely be celebrated blamelessly. For luxury almost always accompanies feasting, and when the body is absorbed in the delight of refreshing itself, the heart relaxes into empty joys.

It follows: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus.

St. Ambrose of Milan: This seems to be a narrative rather than a parable, since the name is also expressed.

St. John Chrysostom: A parable is a story in which an example is given while the names are omitted. Lazarus is interpreted as "one who was assisted," for he was poor, and the Lord helped him.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: Alternatively, this discourse concerning the rich man and Lazarus was written in the manner of a parabolic comparison to declare that those who abound in earthly riches, unless they relieve the necessities of the poor, will meet with a heavy condemnation.

But the tradition of the Jews relates that there was at that time in Jerusalem a certain Lazarus who was afflicted with extreme poverty and sickness. Our Lord, remembering him, introduces him into the example for the sake of adding greater emphasis to His words.

St. Gregory the Great: We must also observe that, among pagans, the names of the poor are more likely to be known than those of the rich. Now, our Lord mentions the name of the poor man, but not the name of the rich man, because God knows and approves the humble, but not the proud.

So that the poor man might be more approved, poverty and sickness were consuming him at the same time, as it follows: who was laid at his gate, full of sores.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: He lay at the rich man's gate for this reason: so that the rich man could not say, "I never saw him; no one told me," for he saw him both going out and returning. The poor man is full of sores, so that in his own body he might display the cruelty of the rich man.

You see one of your own kind at the point of death lying before the gate, and you do not pity him. If you do not regard the commands of God, at least have compassion on your own human condition, and fear lest you also become like him.

Sickness has some comfort if it receives help. How great, then, was the punishment in that body, where with such wounds he did not remember the pain of his sores, but only his hunger! For it follows, desiring to be fed with the crumbs... etc. It is as if he said, "What you throw away from your table, give as alms; make your losses into gain."

St. Ambrose of Milan: The insolence and pride of the wealthy are manifested afterward by the clearest signs, for it follows: and no one gave to him.

For they are so unmindful of the human condition that, as if placed above nature, they derive an incitement to their own pleasure from the wretchedness of the poor. They laugh at the destitute, they mock the needy, and they rob those whom they ought to pity.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For the covetousness of the rich is insatiable: it neither fears God nor regards man, does not spare a father, does not keep faith with a friend, oppresses the widow, and attacks the property of a ward.

St. Gregory the Great: Moreover, the poor man saw the rich man go forth surrounded by flatterers, while he himself lay in sickness and want, visited by no one.

The dogs, who fearlessly licked his sores, witness that no one came to visit him, for it follows: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: The beasts tenderly licked those sores which no man deigned to wash and dress.

St. Gregory the Great: In one situation, Almighty God displayed two judgments. He permitted Lazarus to lie before the rich man’s gate for two reasons: so that the wicked rich man might increase the vengeance of his condemnation, and so that the poor man, by his trials, might enhance his reward.

The one daily saw the person to whom he should show mercy; the other daily saw the trial by which he might be approved.