Rich man and Lazarus Rich man and Lazarus The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (also called the Dives and Lazarus or Lazarus and Dives) is a well-known parable of Jesus appearing in the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of Luke () tells of the relationship, during life and after death, between an unnamed rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The traditional name "Dives" is not actually a name, but instead a word for "rich man", "dives", in the text of the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. The rich man was also given the names "Neuēs" (i.e. Nineveh) and "Fineas" (i.e. Phineas)
Parables of Jesus the Old Testament. The use of parables by Jesus was hence a natural teaching method that fit into the tradition of his time. The parables of Jesus have been quoted, taught, and discussed since the very beginnings of Christianity. Parables are one of the many literary forms in the Bible, but are especially seen in the gospels of the New Testament. Parables are generally considered to be short stories such as the Good Samaritan, and which are differentiated from metaphorical statements such as, "You are the salt of the earth." A true parable may be regarded as an extended simile