How does Christ picture his wretchedness?
He was laid at Dives’ portal, apparently cast aside by his bearers and left to die if the rich man did not take pity on him. While Dives was fasting, Lazarus would gladly have grasped at the … Luke 16:21 … “crumbs” from his loaded table, but no one gave to him. Every whim and fancied want of Dives received prompt and obsequious attention, and the only care Lazarus got was Luke 16:21 … “the dogs (who) licked his sores.” The only dogs in the East are the wild and neglected Pariah dogs, which run about masterless and are the common scavengers. “That man is far from friendless who has a good dog to stand by him. Dogs are seldom as mean as their masters” (Talmage). What was the sin of Dives? Selfishness. There was nothing sinful in his being rich — Abraham himself had been a wealthy man. It is not hinted that the rich man had made his money in unlawful ways. His crime was the unrelieved beggar at his gate. And he could not plead that he was ignorant of Lazarus, for he recognized him
