Does Jesus parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) establish the fact that the wicked are even now suffering conscious torment?
The Rich Man and Lazarus is the stronghold of traditional thinking, but note the following:
1. This is clearly a parable not a report of actual events (c.f. 16:19 with 16:1, 15:11, 14:16);
2. The story is not original with Jesus, he is making ironic use of popular and Pharisaic lore in the tradition of the prophets (See their ironic use of Canaanite mythology);
3. The passage says nothing at all about souls and spirits, only of whole persons, and if taken literally would contradict all other Scriptures on this topic (c.f. 25 with Psa. 6:5 and all that is taught elsewhere on this web site).
4. Taking the parable literally involves us in a number of absurd contradictions. Can a drop of spit quench the torments of hell?
It would be worthwhile taking the time to study how the prophets take the Canaanite mythology of a Creation Monster and use that in an ironic way without in anyway intending to endorse the details or contradict other clear biblical teaching on the matter (Job 9:13, 26:12, Psa. 89:10, Isa. 51:9).
For more on this Scripture see:
The Rich Man and Lazarus (An excerpt from the book, Life Death and Destiny by Warren Prestidge).
Historical Antecedents to “the Rich Man and Lazarus” (Part One).
[...] Annihiliationism | The Rich Man and Lazurus Luke 16:19-31 Annihiliationism | The Rich Man and Lazurus Annihiliationism | The Rich Man and Lazurus-part-one Annihiliationism | The Rich Man and Lazurus: letter-to-a-pastor-who-insists-luke-1619-31-must-be-taken-literally-from-resurrection-volume-96-no-1-jan-–-jun-1993/ http://www.afterlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/eb-rml.pdf [...]