Here is Hardiman's view....

~S~

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Hi everyone,

What a great thread: any of the suggested pronounciations of "Dives" is OK, but I've usually heard "Die-vees."

However you pronounce it, the name is not a proper name found in the Bible. It comes from the Latin, meaning riches---preachers have used "Dives" 'cause it is easier than saying "the rich bastard." :-)

The name Dives has been traditionally used to refer to two presumably distinct individuals from the Bible:
1) the rich man in Luke 16:19 and
2) the young man in Luke 18:18.

Now, Lazarus-- the poor man named Lazarus in Luke 16 is not the same as the Lazarus of John's Gospel. The Lazarus of John 11 was the brother of Mary and Martha, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Lazarus was apparently a common name!

No Dives, two Lazaruses, and here's a mind bender: the name of the penitent thief, crucified with Jesus: also not named in the Bible, but traditionally called St. Dismas. (Just in case you are passing a Saint Dismas hospital somewhere.)

cheers,

Hardiman the Fiddler