Luke 16:30,31 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

And he said, Nay, father Abraham, &c. He answered, that the writings of Moses and the prophets had proved ineffectual to himself, and he feared would be so to his brethren; but that they would certainly change their sentiments, and reform their lives, if one actually appeared to them from the dead. “It is uncertain,” says Dr. Macknight, “whether the rich man, by one from the dead, meant an apparition, or a resurrection. His words are capable of either sense: yet the quality of the persons to whom this messenger was to be sent, makes it more probable that he meant an apparition. For, without doubt, the character Josephus gives us of the Jews in high life, namely, that they were generally Sadducees, was applicable to those brethren; so that, disbelieving the existence of souls in a separate state, nothing more was necessary, in the opinion of their brother, to convince them, than that they should see a real apparition,” or spirit from the invisible world. And he said, If they hear not Moses, &c. Abraham tells the rich man, that if they did not hearken to Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded to a thorough repentance and reformation, though a person should come back from the dead to visit them: for though such an event might indeed alarm them for a time, the same prejudices and lusts, which had led them to despise or disregard those methods of instruction which God had afforded them, would also lead them, ere long, to slight and neglect such an awful appearance as he desired they might see. If it be objected here, that Moses nowhere expressly asserts a future state of rewards and punishments, it may be replied, that the facts recorded by him strongly enforce the natural arguments in proof of it; and the prophets speak plainly of it in many places. Bishops Atterbury and Sherlock have shown clearly and fully the justness of Abraham's assertion here, in their excellent discourses on this text, which well deserve the attentive perusal of every professor of Christianity.” The impenitence of many who saw another Lazarus raised from the dead, (John 11:46,) and the wickedness of the soldiers who were eye-witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, and yet, that very day, suffered themselves to be hired to bear a false testimony against it, (Matthew 28:4; Matthew 28:15,) are most affecting and astonishing illustrations of this truth; for each of these miracles was far more convincing than such an appearance as is here referred to would have been.” Doddridge. Certainly, if men be so immersed in vice and wickedness as to be inattentive to the evidences of a future state, which God has already afforded them by the inspired writings; or, if they be careless about such a state, they would, for the same reasons, reject all other means whatsoever, which God might make use of for their conviction and reformation. Reader, put thy own heart to the trial: dost thou really believe the awful representation of future things given in this parable by him who is ordained judge of the living and dead? Dost thou really believe that a life of sin and voluptuousness; of worldly-mindedness, love of pleasure, honour, or profit, will assuredly bring thy soul to the place of torment, where a drop of water is not to be had? If thou dost believe this, what madness is it to continue one moment in such a state, and to have less regard for thy own most precious soul, than a damned spirit had for the souls of his relations! But if thou believe not, what thinkest thou would persuade thee of the truth? Would it convince thee, were the request of the rich man on behalf of his brethren granted thee, and one came from the dead to testify to thee these dreadful truths? Do not mistake the matter: if thou dost not believe upon the abundant evidence already given, sufficient to convince any reasonable thinking man, whose eyes are not entirely blinded by worldly lusts and pleasures, neither wouldest thou be persuaded though a spirit came back from the dead to warn thee. Abraham assures the rich man, that if the writings of Moses and the prophets, though far less clear and explicit on the subject of a future state than the Scriptures of the New Testament, did not convince his brethren of the reality of it, they world not be persuaded though one rose from the dead; how much more, then, may we assert, that a person's coming from the dead would not persuade those who resist the much greater evidence with which we are favoured since life and immortality have been brought to light by the gospel. If men regard not the public revelation, which has been confirmed by miracles, and the evident accomplishment of a variety of prophecies, neither would they be influenced by a private testimony given to themselves: for, 1st, A messenger from the dead could say no more than what is said in the Scriptures, nor say it with more authority. 2d, There would be much more reason to suspect an event of that kind to be a delusion than to suspect the Scriptures to be so; and those that are infidels in the one case would certainly be so in the other. 3d, The same strength of depravity that resists the convictions of the written word, would certainly triumph over those produced by a witness from the dead. 4th, The Scripture is now God's ordinary way of making known his mind to us, and a way perfectly sufficient; and it would be presumption for us to prescribe any other; nor have we any ground to expect or pray for the grace of God to accompany or bless any other way, when that is rejected and set aside. Let us, then, not desire or look for any other, but be wise, and pay a greater deference than we have done to the exceeding goodness of our God, for having given us so clear a revelation of his will in the blessed Scriptures, and so plainly marked out before us the way to future felicity and glory! Let us well consider the foundation on which those Scriptures stand, and take them for our guide, assured that their authority is divine, and their instructions all- sufficient. From them let us, as reasonable men, as men peculiarly favoured with so inestimable a treasure from the great King of heaven; from them let us weigh in the balance of true reason the gains of time and eternity: let us put into one scale the enjoyment of all our hearts could wish upon earth, and in the other the suffering of unutterable and everlasting misery: and how light will the scale of earthly happiness be to that of endless torment! Let us put into one scale the denial of all our evil affections, nay, and a life of poverty and suffering; and in the other the gain of everlasting felicity; and how light, how very light, will all the sufferings of time be to the exquisite joys and glories of eternity. See Dodd's Discourses on the Miracles and Parables.