16:19 “There was a rich man who dressed in purple 1 and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously 2 every day. 16:20 But at his gate lay 3 a poor man named Lazarus 4 whose body was covered with sores, 5 16:21 who longed to eat 6 what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs 7 came and licked 8 his sores.
1 sn Purple describes a fine, expensive dye used on luxurious clothing, and by metonymy, refers to clothing colored with that dye. It pictures someone of great wealth.
2 tn Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.
3 tn The passive verb ἐβέβλητο (ebeblhto) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).
4 sn This is the one time in all the gospels that a figure in a parable is mentioned by name. It will become important later in the account.
5 tn Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).
6 tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.
7 tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).
8 sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.