THE INNER TEXTURE OF THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS (LUKE 16:19-31): A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
PUBLISHED IN AD SAPIENTIAM VOLUME VIII 2013, COPYRIGHT: ISSN 2012-290X
LAZARO N. ERVITE, OSA, MA
ABSTRACT
Delving into the “world within the text” or the inner texture of Lk 16:19-31, this study aims to identify the main themes and teachings of the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The analysis of six kinds of inner textures (repetitive; progressive; narrational; opening-middle-closing; argumentative; and sensory-aesthetic), and then, the synthesis of the findings show that Lk 16:19-31 emphasizes listening to Moses and the prophets (vv 29, 31). This exhortation entails doing the word of God found in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Parable, failure of the rich man to listen to Moses and the prophets leads to perpetual reversal of roles, in which he is punished and the poor man rewarded.