Art Reading Scripture

Lazarus and the Rich Man 1667 Jan Steen Minneapolis Institute of Art

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously everyday. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. Luke 16:19-21

The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man highlights the utterly gross disparity between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have nots. In some ways it is a matter of perspective. Compared to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and their ilk, none of us is rich. Compared to Guatemalan peasants, or the people of Gaza, we are ones "dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously everyday." At the gates of our world "lay the poor ... who long to satisfy" their hunger from the full tables of our world. Food shelves and World Hunger appeals address some needs, but governments with the vast resources of richer nations are essential to meeting the global need. Meanwhile the causes of famine and hunger, including wars, climate change, corruption, and poverty are unending. Jesus said, "You will always have the poor with you," but that is absolutely not an excuse or an out from awareness and attendance to these issues, either personally or as a society.

The painting by Jan Steen is busy. There is a lot going on. It does not exhibit the parable literally. It does draw the offense more starkly by placing Lazarus in close proximity to the rich man and the banquet. Lazarus sits directly below the rich man, rather than out of sight at the gate. Lazarus appeals to the serving woman shaking out the table cloth dropping some of the crumbs from the table to the dogs. "Drop some close to me." She and a dog licking a sore on his leg are the only ones in the painting who notice him. Everyone else is caught up in the revelry of the party. Around Lazarus an old woman speaks to a man while his son pisses on the floor. A young girl feeds a scrap to a dog while her father looks on. Maids bring food and pour drinks. A man on the left appears to be slapping some poor soul tied to a pole. Abuse of criminals or other despised characters is not unknown, even perversely becoming a kind of entertainment. Meanwhile the excess of rich man is accentuated by his girth and two buxom maids at his side. He gazes on the full plate before him and holds out a large goblet to be filled with wine. Granted the man wears no purple clothing. Still, everything else in the painting lifts up wealth and extravagance in contrast to Lazarus who suffers and is for the most part ignored.

Jesus told the parable 2100 years ago. Jan Steen painted the scene 450 years. The story come up every three years for congregations to hear and pastors to preach. Indeed, "You will always have the poor with you." In the parable Lazarus ends up in the bosom of Abraham. In reality he never leaves the place at the gates of the world waiting for crumbs to fall from the master's table. I do not read all this as a warning that we who have means will end up in Hades because of our failings. I do read this as a reminder that too many in our world already suffer a hellish existence whose immensity dismays all efforts while the distractions of the world shield the wealthy, us, in ignorance. The parable concludes with a call to repentance from this evil we endure in fine linens while other endure these evils in rags.

Luke had a particular concern for the poor and hungry. "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." Luke paired these beatitudes with accompanying woes upon the rich, the full and the well off. It is hard for us who are neither poor, nor hungry nor suffering to grasp these sayings in terms of blessing. I do not know how those who suffer these things listen to them. I hope it is not in anticipation of our condemnation, but in hope of our repentance so that we might become the blessing they so desperately need.

Keep the faith. Say your prayers. Love like Jesus.

Pastor Tim Bauer