He did not say to the rich man: you inhuman and cruel one, are you not ashamed? Now you have remembered philanthropy. But how? "Child"! Behold the compassionate and holy soul. A certain wise man says: do not disturb a humbled soul. Therefore Abraham also says "child," making known to him through this that to call him so mercifully is still within his power even now, but that is all, and that beyond this he has no power to do anything more for him. What I can, I will give you, that is, a voice of compassion. But to cross from here to there is not within our will, for everything is sealed.
Lk. 16:25. Remember that you received your good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are suffering.
Why did Abraham not say to the rich man: you received, but "received back"? We usually use the word "receive back" of those who receive what was owed to them. What then do we learn? That although some have defiled themselves with evil deeds, although they have reached the utmost degree of wickedness, at some point they did one or two good deeds. Therefore the rich man also had some good deeds, and since he received his recompense in the prosperity of this life, it is said that he "received his good things." "And Lazarus likewise evil things." Perhaps he too committed one or two evil deeds and in the affliction which he endured here received his due recompense for them. Therefore he is comforted, and you are in anguish.
Lk. 16:26. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who wish to cross from here to you cannot, nor do they cross from there to us.
"The abyss" signifies the distance and difference between the righteous and sinners. For just as their intentions were different, so too their dwelling places have a great disparity, since each receives recompense according to their intention and life. Note here also an objection against the Origenists. They say that a time will come when torments will end and sinners will be united with the righteous and with God, and thus God will be all in all. But behold, we hear Abraham say that "those wishing to cross from here to you... or from there to us... cannot" do so. Therefore, just as it is impossible for anyone to pass from the portion of the righteous to the place of sinners, so too it is impossible, Abraham teaches us, to pass from the place of torment to the place of the righteous. And Abraham is undoubtedly more worthy of belief than Origen.
What is "Hades"? Some say that Hades is a dark subterranean place, while others called Hades the passage of the soul from a visible to an invisible and formless state. For as long as the soul is in the body, it is manifested by its own actions, but upon separation from the body it becomes invisible. This is what they called Hades.
"The Bosom of Abraham" refers to the totality of those blessings that await the righteous upon their entrance from the storm into the heavenly harbors; since in the sea as well, we customarily call bays (bosoms) those places suitable for harboring and rest.
Take note also that on that day the wrongdoer will see in what glory the one he wronged will be, and the latter in turn will see in what condemnation the wrongdoer will be, just as here the rich man saw Lazarus, and the latter in turn saw the rich man.
Lk. 16:27. Then he said: so I ask you, father, send him to my father's house,
Lk. 16:28. For I have five brothers; let him testify to them, so that they also may not come to this place of torment.
The wretched rich man, having received no relief from his lot, adds a request concerning others. See how through punishment he came to sympathy for others, and whereas before he despised Lazarus lying at his feet, now he cares for others who are not near him, and begs that Lazarus be sent from the dead to his father's house — not simply anyone from the dead, but Lazarus, so that those who had previously seen him sick and dishonored might now see him crowned with glory and in health, and those who had been witnesses of his poverty might themselves become beholders of his glory. For obviously, he would have had to appear to them in glory if he were to be a preacher worthy of belief. What then did Abraham say?
Lk. 16:29. Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.
You, he says, do not care for the brethren as much as God, their Creator. He appointed for them countless teachers.
Lk. 16:30. But he said: No, Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead comes to them, they will repent.
But the rich man says: "No, father!" For just as he himself, hearing the Scriptures, did not believe and considered their words to be fables, so he supposed the same about his brothers, and judging by himself, says that they will not listen to the Scriptures, just as he himself did not, but if someone rises from the dead, they will believe.
Lk. 16:31. Then Abraham said to him: if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, then even if someone were to rise from the dead, they will not believe.
There are even now such people who say: who has seen what happens in hell? Who has come from there and told us? Let them listen to Abraham, who says that if we do not listen to the Scriptures, we will not believe even those who would come to us from hell. This is evident from the example of the Jews. Since they did not listen to the Scriptures, they did not believe even when they saw the dead raised, and even plotted to kill Lazarus (John 12:10). Likewise, after many of the departed were raised at the Crucifixion of the Lord (Matt. 27:52), the Jews breathed even greater murderous intent against the apostles. Moreover, if this raising of the dead were beneficial for our faith, the Lord would have performed it often. But now nothing is so beneficial as a careful study of the Scriptures (John 5:39). The devil would contrive to raise the dead, even if only in appearance, and thereby would lead the foolish into error, sowing among them a teaching about hell worthy of his own malice. But when we soundly study the Scriptures, the devil can devise nothing of the sort. For they (the Scriptures) are a lamp and a light (2 Pet. 1:19), at whose shining the thief is detected and exposed. Therefore, one must believe the Scriptures and not demand the raising of the dead.
One can understand this parable in a figurative sense as well, for example, that the person of the rich man signifies the Jewish people. They were formerly truly rich, enriched with all manner of knowledge and wisdom, and with the oracles of God, which are more precious than gold and costly stones (Prov. 3:14–15). He was clothed in purple and fine linen, having kingship and priesthood and himself being a royal priesthood to God (Exod. 19:6). The purple alludes to kingship, and the fine linen to priesthood. For the Levites used vestments of fine linen in their sacred rites. He also feasted sumptuously every day, for every day, morning and evening, he offered sacrifices, which also bore the name of perpetuity, that is, of continuity.
Lazarus represented the Gentiles, a people poor in Divine gifts and wisdom, and lying at the gate. For the Gentiles were not permitted to enter the house of God; their entrance there was considered a defilement, as is evident from the book of Acts. The Asian Jews cried out indignantly against Paul, that he had brought Gentiles into the temple and defiled that holy place (Acts 21:27–28). The Gentiles were covered with foul-smelling sins and with their wounds fed the shameless dogs, that is, the demons; for our wounds (spiritual ones) are a delight to them. The Gentiles desired to feed on the crumbs falling from the rich man's table; for they had no share in the bread that strengthens the heart (Ps. 103:15), and they were in need of the most refined, scant, and rational nourishment, just as the Canaanite woman, being a Gentile, desired to be fed with crumbs (Matt. 15:22, 26–27). What then follows? The Jewish people died to God, and their bones became deadened, since they made no movement toward good. And Lazarus, that is, the Gentile people, died to sin. The Jews, having died in their sins, are burned by the flame of envy, being jealous, as the Apostle says, that the Gentiles were received into the faith (Rom. 11:11). But the Gentiles, formerly a poor and inglorious people, justly dwell in the bosom of Abraham, the father of the Gentiles. Abraham, having been a Gentile, believed in God and passed from the service of idols to the knowledge of God. Therefore those who became partakers in his conversion and faith justly rest in his bosom, having inherited the same lot as he, the same dwellings, and the same reception of blessings. The Jewish people desire at least one drop from the former legal sprinklings and purifications, so that their tongue might be cooled and could boldly say something against us in favor of the power of the Law, but they do not receive it. For the Law was only until John (Matt. 11:13). "Sacrifices and offerings You did not desire," and so forth (Ps. 39:7). And Daniel foretold: "The vision and the prophet were sealed, and the Holy of Holies was anointed" (Dan. 9:24), that is, they were brought to an end and concluded.
You can also understand this parable in a moral sense. Namely: being rich in evil, do not leave your mind to suffer hunger and, when it was created for striving toward heaven, do not cast it down to the ground and do not make it lie at the gates, but bring it inside, and do not stand outside, do not wander, do not lie down, but act. This will serve as the beginning for you of rational activity, and not merely fleshly enjoyment. And the remaining parts of the parable can easily be understood for the benefit of morality.