LECTION 47 - The Spirit & Rich man & Lazarus
The Spirit Giveth Life.
1. AND when they were come down from the Mount one of his disciples asked him,
Master, if a man keep not all these commandments shall he enter into Life?
And he said,
the Law is good in the letter without the spirit is dead, but the spirit maketh the letter alive.
2. Take ye heed that ye obey from the heart, and in the spirit of love, all the Commandments which I have given unto you.
3. It hath been written, Thou shalt not kill, but I say unto you, if any hate and desire to slay, they are guilty of the law, yea, if they cause hurt or torture to any Innocent Creature they are guilty, But if they kill to put an end to suffering which cannot be healed, they are not guilty, if they do it quickly and in love.
4. It hath been said, Thou shalt not steal, but I say unto you, if any, not content with that which they have, desire and seek after that which is another’s or if they withhold that which is just from the worker, they have stolen in their heart already, and their guilt is greater than that of one who stealeth a loaf in necessity, to satisfy his hunger.
5. Again ye have been told, Thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you, if man or woman join together in marriage (with unhealthy bodies and beget unhealthy offspring) they are guilty, even though they have not taken their neighbour’s spouse: and if any have not taken a woman who belongeth to another, but desire in their heart and seek after her, they have committed adultery already in spirit.
6. And again I say unto you, if any desire and seek to possess the body (of any creature) for food, or for pleasure, or for profit, they defile themselves thereby.
7. Yea, and if a man telleth the truth to his neighbour in such wise as to lead him into evil (even thought it be true in the letter) he is guilty.
8. Walk ye in the spirit, and thus shall ye fulfill the law and be meet for the Kingdom. Let the Law be within your own hearts rather than on tables of memorial; which things nevertheless ye ought to do and not to leave the other undone for the Law which I have given unto you is holy, just and good, and blessed are all they who obey and walk therein.
9. God is Spirit, and they who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth, at all times, and in all places.
The Rich Man and the Beggar.
10. AND he spake this parable unto them who were rich, saying,
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple, and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.
11. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus (which was laid at his gate) full of sores. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
12. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried with great pomp. And in Hades he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
13. And 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 place.
14. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And thus are the changes of life for the perfecting of souls. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence, till their time be accomplished.
15. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my Father’s house; for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also came into this place of torment.
16. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will change.
17. And Abraham said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
LECTION 47. 2-7. -There is hardly a law that has been given by man or by God, but has been abused and turned into an instrument of oppression by the perversity of man, evading the spirit and insisting on the letter alone.
vv. 10-16. -This parable of Dives and Lazarus is pregnant with deepest teaching, utterly setting aside the narrow dogmas of the sects which have been founded on the traditional interpretation of it in the A. V.