Money and Eternity
‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’ Luke 16:30 · Berean Standard Bible
The rich man pushes back: 'No! If someone goes to them from the dead, they'll repent!' He thinks a dramatic sign would do what Scripture hasn't.
We often think the same way: 'If I just had more proof, I'd believe.' But Jesus is about to show that proof isn't the real problem.
The rich man argues with Abraham, certain that a miracle would succeed where the Bible has failed.
He's sure a dead man showing up would change everything. But the problem was never a lack of evidence — it was a lack of willingness.
The rich man objects, insisting that a messenger from the dead would be more effective: 'they will repent' (metanoēsousin). He assumes extraordinary signs produce faith where Scripture has failed.
This objection reflects a common human assumption that spectacular evidence compels belief — an assumption Jesus consistently challenges throughout the Gospels.
The rich man pushes back against Abraham, revealing the false belief that miracles are more convincing than Scripture.
The rich man argues: 'No, Abraham — if someone comes back from the dead, they'll repent!' He's convinced a miracle would change what Scripture couldn't.
28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’
29But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’
30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Read all of Luke 16 — A shrewd manager, a rich man in torment, and Lazarus at his gate. Jesus draws a straight line between how you handle money and where you end up.
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