Just a thought on that (the "proper name" issue with Luke 16) - Knox Chamblin at RTS brought out the idea that perhaps, repeat: perhaps - the name given (Lazarus) is actually [i]part of [i]the parable.

The rich man lived in luxury, while the poor man lived in misery, longing to eat the scraps from the rich man's table. The rich man goes into torment because he could have helped the poor man, and did not. The poor man is finally comforted in the afterlife, and is appropriately named "God has helped", or Lazarus. Maybe the man is named Lazarus in order to provide a sense of irony here. Just a thought.

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Jacob Mearse
Reformation Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Olympia, WA
Student, Reformed Theological Seminary (Virtual)
Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
Husband to April; Daddy to Wesley, Cyrus, and FaithMarie.