HERMENEUTICAL APPRAISAL OF LUKE 16-19-31 IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RICH-POOR DICHOTOMY IN IGBOLAND -NIGERIA
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- NGN 3000
Background to the Study
The text of Luke 16:19-31, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Λάδαρος ) is one of Jesus‘ most intriguing parables. The parable is also called the Dives and Lazarus. The traditional name, Dives, is not actually a name, but instead a word for "rich man‖ in the text of the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. This celebrated pericope is exclusive or unique to Luke; it is found only in the Gospel of Luke. This text is never recorded or found in the other synoptic gospels. The story is unique among Jesus‘ parables as it is the only one that depicts a scene in the afterlife. It is the parable of contrasts: poverty and riches, Heaven and Hades, compassion and indifference, and abrupt reversal of fortune. The parable is found or located within the Travel Narrative of Luke (within the centre of the Gospel of Luke, lies a section of Scripture known as ―The Travel Narrative‖ or ―The Journey to Jerusalem‖). This section of the gospel begins at chapter 9.51-18:14). This parable sits in the context of Jesus criticizing the Pharisees, whom Luke accuses of being "lovers of money" θηιάξγπξνη (16:14). But the parable speaks not only about them; it extends also to Luke's readers, warning them about the blinding, destructive, and dangerous capacities of wealth. The rich man and Lazarus lead two totally opposite forms of existence. One is covered with opulent purple and fine linen; the other is covered in sores. One feasts sumptuously daily; the other desired to eat crumps from the table to 2 quench or curb his hunger. One receives the dignity of a burial according to custom; the other is carried off to be with Abraham. After death, their conditions are totally reversed, though the text recounts no action of either character. A great chasm now exists between the two, which cannot be crossed. While Lazarus was taken to the bosom of Abraham, a place of comfort, the Rich man went to hell, a place of torment. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 depicts the extremes of wealth and poverty and examines the problem of the rich-poor dichotomy. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus highlights the dichotomy or the wide gap that exists between the rich and the poor; a chasm created by man‘s greed, injustice, insensitivity and insatiability. Certainly, wealth and poverty are quality of life issues. Wealth obviously improves it, but poverty undermines the quality of life for everyone in the society, not just only the poor. Poverty generates crime, broken families, drug addiction, illness, illiteracy, poor health, and more poverty. In Igboland, one easily observes the gap between the rich and the poor. Those who are rich live in affluence, while the poor wallow in abject poverty. The socioeconomic gap or situation of these two classes widens everyday. Obviously, while the rich remain in their comfort zone with a disposition of insensitivity and indifference to the poor, the poor, on the other hand, resort to all kinds of crimes or nefarious activities in order to meet up with life‘s demands and challenges. This shows clearly that poverty is a problem. According to Kelly (2000), Block and Heineke (1975) and Becker (1968), there is a direct correlation between poverty and criminality. All over the world, disparities 3 between the rich and poor, even in the wealthiest of nations is rising sharply. Fewer people are becoming increasingly successful and wealthy while a disproportionately larger population is also becoming even poorer. Poverty is the primary cause of malnutrition which is a major health problem especially in developing countries, killing thousands of people all over the world on daily basis. The number of people dying for lacking food has been increased rapidly. According to the United Nations (2008), about 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes. This research, therefore, is a hermeneutical appraisal of Luke 16:19-31 in the context of the luxury of the rich and the plight of the poor, with an application to the contemporary Igbo society
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