Day 28 of 49
We often look at parables through 21st century eyes. And while we do get some understanding while doing it that way, there is a lot we miss when we take out the first century perspective.
A good book to read is “Jesus, The Middle Eastern Storyteller” by Gary M. Burge.
Before this parable in Luke, the Pharisees and scribes grumbled about how Jesus hung around with sinners. Jesus then tells the story of the one sheep that was lost and the shepherd left the 99 to look for it, followed by the story of the lost coin of a set of ten, the woman cleaned until she found it. And then, this parable.
And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.
12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.
13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’
20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’
28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’
31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
Luke 15:11–32
The younger son asks for his share of the inheritance. The older son received a double portion when the father died, because he would be responsible to keep the land in the family and take care of all who were there.
We see the sons request as rude and entitled. However, in the first century, only a degenerate son would ask. it was a way of saying, “I wish you were dead”. It brought great shame on the father.
The father took the shame, and gave the son his portion which he promptly went off and squandered. He ended up very far from his roots, not only in physical distance, but in attitude. When things got very bad, he hired himself out and took care of pigs, an unclean animal in the Jewish dietary laws.
And it says that when he came to himself, he decided to return home, not as a son, but as a servant. He knew the kind of man his father was, and that he would do that much for him, he could not expect more.
In the first century, this son would have been one of the worst offenders of the Law. His work with the pigs would make him totally unclean, practically unredeemable in the eyes of the Pharisees.
He headed home, and while he was still coming, his father ran to him. We say today, how much the father loved the son, he saw him afar off and ran to him.
It goes deeper than that. When the father headed for the son, he brought shame on himself. Honor demanded that he wait for the son to come all the way to him. Also, he ran to the son, a man with honor always walked. Once again, the father took the shame on himself.
The father restored this son to a son’s status. He had no more inheritance, but was restored to being a son. Like the story of the sheep and the coin, we see God’s heart to restore those who are lost in sin to fellowship within his family.
But Jesus did not end there, he told of the older son.
The older son did not look for his brother to return, so he did not see him when he came. When he found out about the party for the younger son, he refused to enter. He brought disgrace on his father by the refusal.
Again, not waiting for the older son to come to him, he went out to his son, he took the shame upon himself.
The son complained about the father’s disservice to him…faithful service and no party with his friends.
The Pharisees knew he was talking to them. For the Pharisee, it was difficult enough to keep the actual Law, let alone all the oral traditions that had been added to it.
Once at a relative’s bar mitzvah, one of the aunt’s said that when she came back in another life, she wanted to follow a different religion because the Jews had too many laws.
The father assured him of his position as his son and recipient of the inheritance.
And then a challenge to the son, your brother was dead, and has returned. Come and rejoice with me.
We don’t know whether the older brother entered the party or not.
Like the younger son, the older son shamed his father. The father came out to both of them, bringing shame upon himself. The Pharisees needed forgiveness just as much as the sinners in the land.
This story is about the lengths the father would go for his sons. He did not shy away from walking in shame in order to restore his sons to a good relationship with him.
Jesus took on our shame at the cross. By doing so, he opened the door for us to have relationship with God. And he rejoices at our salvation.
Lord, thank you for reaching out to me when I was lost in sin, unaware that I even needed you. Thank you for taking on my shame, help me to honor you in my words and actions.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1–2
TRICIA LATHROP 