Abraham’s Bosom? (Luke 16:22)
A saying often used in the Old Testament when someone died was that he was “gathered to his fathers” (Gen 15:15 is the first such reference). As Abraham was the ultimate father to Israel, then I infer that this saying had a similar meaning to the earliest readers of his gospel. Therefore, Abraham’s bosom refers to the comforting part of Sheol, where the trees of Eden lie in wait of the resurrection. In other words: they are planted in a garden (paradise), well-watered and ready to spring forth with new life.
Why did Luke call only part of Sheol ‘Hades’? (Luke 16:23)
In Greek mythology Hades was an immediate (and ultimate) destiny in the afterlife for bad people. There were variations on this concept among the Greek religions, but the typical scenario involved some kind of ‘test’ which the dead soul either passed or failed. Failing the test meant banishment to Hades. (One can still see these Greek influences in Christianity today: for example, the myth that one must stand before St Peter and pass a test to enter heaven or go to hell.)
Perhaps in Luke’s generation it was simply hopeless to assert that Hades should encompass both areas of Sheol. He went along with the Greek definition of the term as a compromise, and associated Hades with the hot and dry part of Sheol. Thus the term “Abraham’s bosom” was introduced as a companion to Hades, yet was still consistent with the Old Testament.
What is the ‘chasm’? (Luke 16:26)
Luke describes the place for the dead as having three areas: Abraham’s bosom, Hades, with a chasm between them. This is partially supported in Ezekiel 31, where the dead are described as going “down to the pit”. Luke tells us that Sheol has an area even deeper than the areas where the human souls lie in wait of resurrection. What is this area?
In short, the answer is that it is the “Abyss”, and it is also a holding place for those awaiting judgment. But this prison is not for human souls: it is for angelic and demonic spirits. (Luke 8:31, Rev 20:3).
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; (2Pe 2:4 NAU)
The word translated “hell” here is the Greek word “Tartarus”, which is another word borrowed from Greek mythology. Tartarus was the deepest part of mythological Hades. Peter is asserting that “Tartarus” is a holding cell for angels awaiting judgment.
Conclusion
Although I find Luke’s assertion that Jesus related a story about Lazarus and the rich man to be suspect, I do not find the story itself to be in error. It has scriptural support from both the Old and New Testaments.