Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Luke 16:25

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Behold the kindness of the Patriarch; he calls him son, (which may express his tenderness,) yet gives no aid to him who had deprived himself of cure. Therefore he says, Remember, that is, consider the past, forget not that thou delightedst in thy riches, and thou receivedst good things in thy life, that is, such as thou thoughtest to be good. Thou couldest not both have triumphed on earth, and triumph here. Riches can not be true both on earth and below. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Gregory of Nyssa

What then, I asked, are the fire and the gulf and the other features in the picture? Are they not that which they are said to be? I think, she replied, that the Gospel signifies by means of each of them certain doctrines with regard to our question of the soul. …

On The Soul And The Resurrection ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

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. …

Commentary on Luke ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

"Remember, son, that you received good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise bad things." He assigns pain in return for riches, refreshment in return for poverty, flames in return for purple and joy in return for nakedness. The equal balance of the scales will be maintained. The standard of measurement will not be proved false that says, "The measure you give will be the measure you get." The reason he refuses to show mercy to the rich man in his pain is that while he lived the rich man neglected to show mercy. …

Sermon 367.2 ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

Whatsoever then ye have well in this world, when ye recollect to have done any thing good, be very fearful about it, lest the prosperity granted you be your recompense for the same good. And when ye behold poor men doing any thing blameably, fear not, seeing that perhaps those whom the remains of the slightest iniquity defiles, the fire of honesty cleanses. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗

Bede

And Abraham said to him, "Son, remember that you received good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are tormented." Behold, when it is said, "You received good things in your lifetime," it is indicated that this rich man had some kind of good from which he received good things in this life. Again, when it is said about Lazarus that he received bad things, it clearly shows that Lazarus had some kind of evil that needed purification. …

On the Gospel of Luke ↗