Many people wonder: how many Lazaruses are mentioned in the Bible? Are there two distinct individuals, or are they the same person? A common question is: Are Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, and Lazarus, the beggar, the same person?
The answer is straightforward: they are not the same person. The Bible clearly presents two distinct Lazaruses—Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, and Lazarus, the beggar—each with their own story, context, and purpose.
Who Was Lazarus, the Beggar?
The parable in Luke 16:19-31 describes Lazarus, the beggar, and a rich man, highlighting their lives and fates after death.
Now there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then 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 flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ (Luke 16:19-31)
The rich man lived a selfish life, indifferent to Lazarus’s needs, while Lazarus, despite his poverty and suffering, had a heart that was right with God. After death, Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort, while the rich man went to Hades, where he suffered eternal torment.
Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us. (Luke 16:25-26)
The Bible teaches that the destinies of the rich man and Lazarus were irreversible. After death, there was no possibility of changing their places. The parable also challenges us to look with compassion on those around us, fulfilling Jesus’ commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39)
For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. (Matthew 25:35-36)
The rich man, with his abundant life, let selfishness rule his heart, distancing himself from God. Lazarus, though poor, maintained his faith, and God rewarded him with eternal glory.
Who Was Lazarus, the Friend of Jesus?
Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary, is introduced as a close friend of Jesus, in a story that reveals God’s power over death.
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (John 11:1-11)
Lazarus, Martha, and Mary were a family deeply devoted to Christ, living in close communion with Him. The Bible emphasizes Jesus’ love for them.
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)
Martha was preoccupied with household tasks, while Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teachings. Jesus declared that Mary had chosen the better part, which would not be taken from her. Lazarus, meanwhile, faced illness and death, but this process had a purpose: to glorify God.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:26)
Lazarus’s resurrection shows that, for those who believe in Jesus, death is not the end. His story reflects that Christians may face afflictions, illnesses, and even death, but those who trust in Christ have the promise of eternal life.
Differences Between the Two Lazaruses
Lazarus, the beggar, and Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, are distinct characters with different purposes and contexts:
- Lazarus, the Beggar: Living in poverty with a righteous heart, he was taken to Abraham’s bosom after death, an eternal and irreversible destiny, as described in the parable of Luke 16.
- Lazarus, the Friend of Jesus: The brother of Martha and Mary, his death and resurrection in John 11 were meant to glorify God. His experience was temporary and reversible, as Jesus raised him back to life.
The irreversibility of Lazarus the beggar’s fate contrasts with the resurrection of Lazarus, the friend of Jesus. If they were the same person, there would be a contradiction in the biblical teaching, as the parable emphasizes the impossibility of changing one’s destiny after death.
Lessons for Today
The stories of the two Lazaruses teach us valuable lessons:
- We must love and help our neighbors, rejecting selfishness, as the parable of the beggar teaches.
- Even in the midst of afflictions, like Lazarus of Bethany, God has a purpose to glorify His name.
- Jesus shares in our sorrows, as He showed by weeping over Lazarus’s death, offering comfort to those who suffer.
Jesus’ delay in going to Lazarus of Bethany did not indicate a lack of love but was part of a plan to strengthen the faith of the family and the disciples, revealing God’s power.
Conclusion: Two Lazaruses, Two Stories
The Bible presents two Lazaruses: the beggar, who found eternal comfort despite poverty, and the friend of Jesus, whose resurrection glorified God. Though distinct, their stories point to the importance of faith, compassion, and trust in God’s purposes.
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