The parable of Lazarus and the rich man anchors a series of parables — the lost coin (15:8-10), the prodigal son (15:11-32), and the dishonest manager (16:1-13) — each of which deals with money, with wealth, with the economy of right-relationship with God and one’s fellow human beings.
Even in the interlude of 16:14-18, in which Jesus challenges the Pharisees, pointing them to the law, the prophets, and the proclamation of the good news of God’s kingdom, Jesus makes an issue of wealth, calling the Pharisees “lovers of money.”
The danger, here, is not in wealth; rather, the danger is that we become complacent, self-righteous, or uncaring in our wealth. The gifts that we are blessed with, from God, can become a snare for us if we are not mindful that these blessings do come from God, and that they are meant not only to bless us, but the world around us, through us. In this we are called, like Abraham, and like our Savior, to make of our blessings a blessing for others; as Paul puts it, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
