How Could the Rich Man Lift Up His Eyes in the Realm of the Dead?

The rich man also died and he was buried. And when, in the realm of the dead, he lifted up his eyes amid the torments, he saw Abraham from afar and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:23 NBG51

If we were required to take this passage literally, then it would be in direct conflict with, for example, Ecclesiastes 9:10, where it expressly states that there is no work or deliberation or knowledge in the realm of the dead (Hebrew ‘Sheol’: the unseen). Here, after all, someone lifts up his eyes in the realm of the dead and conducts quite extensive deliberation.

If we take this passage literally, many more pressing questions confront us:

• do people in the realm of the dead (therefore before the resurrection!) already have a body? (After all, we read of pain, eyes, tongue, finger, etc.);
• if so, what purpose does the resurrection still serve?;
• are there literal flames in the realm of the dead;
• is communication made from the realm of the dead with those who are on the good side?
• do the righteous in consolation (!?) have a view of the torments in the realm of the dead?

All these questions vanish like snow before the sun when we see that a parable is being told here (as already three times earlier in chapters 15 and 16 — see 15:1). A parable is a story in which truths are hidden (Matthew 13:13).

See in detail: the rich man and Lazarus

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