The main objective of this paper is to interpret the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus from the African perspective which the author believes is very close to the first-century Palestinian world-view and to look at its sociological implications for the contemporary African believer and Church. In doing this, the paper briefly examines the interpretation given the parable by some Western scholars before analyzing the parable based on its context. The sociological implication is therefore that since the Rich Man was actually condemned for neglecting the poor Lazarus when he could have been of help, then the contemporary African Church should take care not to neglect the poor in her midst, but take its stand in the struggle against oppression and poverty. It also gives a veiled warning to the Western Church which appears complacent and unruffled about the plight of their covenant brethren in Africa.The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is undoubtedly one of the most popular parables of the Bible. It has often been dramatized and interpreted in various ways; however, many scholars have not been able to see the sociological dimensions to the meaning and application of this parable. This paper is therefore dedicated to an African reading of the parable with a view of bringing out the sociological implications of the messages of the parable. The Context of the Parable of the Rich Man and LazarusA careful examination of the Lukan structure of Luke chapter 16 reveals that the discourse of chapter 16 is actually a continuation of the parabolic discourse of chapter 15. This observation is the basis of S. I. Wright's assertion that:
The erosion of traditional work roles which had been male biased has led to the increase of women in the workplace. Although a welcomed development, it has an attendant problem – a vacuum in the homestead. Consequently, families are filling this vacuum by employing various hands (houseboys and girls, maids and nannies) to handle the house chores in the absence of parents. Being part of the society and mostly affected by female personnel (as Islamic conservativeness is reducing female personnel), many Christian parents are now faced with the issue of relating properly with their ‘servants’ and vice versa. In fact, there are many cases of maltreatment of these helps and pampering their own children while the helps are overstretched, on the one hand, and cases of outrageous and negative behaviours on the part of the ‘servants’. This article is aimed at giving a biblical guideline on domestic workers and masters relationship via a socio-rhetorical reading of Ephesians 6:5–9. It examines the Graeco-Roman household codes between servants and masters and provides a comparative analysis of these ethical codes with the Nigerian situation to emphasise the contemporary relevance of the passage.Contributions: The article holds that rather than being treated as domestic workers, these servants should be treated as part of the family. They should be sent to school, properly clothed, and fed and treated equally with the children of the home. They are human beings created and loved by God before whom we are all equals.
Poverty is a topical issue in Nigeria that has attracted the attention of both the people and the government of the country. It is on record that whilst government has implemented over 20 poverty alleviation programmes at various periods, poverty alleviation has remained a mirage (Oshewolo 2010). The failure of the government to tackle poverty has been attributed to its entrenchment in the society. On this, Adejuwon and Tijani (2012) found that despite several government efforts at reducing poverty, no appreciable impact has been achieved and that poverty thus still pervades the Nigerian population. It even appears as if 'poverty has risen in Nigeria with about 112 million Nigerians (about 67.1% of the country's total population of 167 million) living below poverty level' (Aidelunuoghene 2014:116). The issue of poverty is thus prevalent and has posed serious challenges to the Nigerian government over the years with the attendant effects of deprivation of the basic necessities of life (Kanayo 2014:116). It is also important to note that poverty in Nigeria defies longstanding theory that economic growth naturally results in poverty reduction because poverty is on the increase in Nigeria despite the growth in national growth domestic product (GDP) being recorded (Dauda 2017). Poverty in Nigeria has been described as a paradox poverty because Nigeria is endowed with human and natural resources with an increasing national income, but a large section of the population languishes in poverty because of uneven distribution and allocation of income and wealth (Danaan 2018:20). Although poverty and inequality are global phenomena, the rates in Nigeria are higher than most countries. For example (Akinkuotu 2019):The number of extremely poor Nigerians has risen to 91.6 million according to the World Poverty Clock. This implies that virtually half of Nigeria's population now lives in extreme poverty. (n.p)Juxtaposed against this glaring level of dehumanising poverty is the affluence in the church. The church in Nigeria is stupendously rich. With an annual income that comes close to the national budget, the question is, if the government has failed to lift these people out of poverty, should the church also remain unmoved about their predicament?Nigeria is an example of developing countries characterised by mass poverty in the midst of plenty. Coincidentally, the Nigerian church is stupendously rich. Pastor Emmanuel, a former National Coordinator of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Germany, notes that the annual revenue of the Nigeria church in 2014 is over ₦3 trillion while surprisingly, the national budget is ₦4.69tn for the year. Gigantic buildings, exotic cars and private jets are the hallmarks of the church's wealth. Some pastors acquire jets ranging from ₦2.3 to ₦6.4 billion with additional ₦8.4bn for maintenance and salaries annually. Surrounded by this 'affluence' are thousands of poor, unemployed and barely surviving church members. This calls for the need to examine what Lukan Jesus would have wanted the church t...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.