For the next 17 Mondays or so, we will be looking in depth at the parable of the Prodigal Son. No passage of Scripture has gripped my heart more than the picture of the running father to meet his rebellious son. I am going to be writing on the Prodigal Son in its historical context. Some of the cultural details bring the parable to life and will allow us to read the story afresh.
“There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.'”
– Jesus, “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11-12)
Jesus’ table fellowship with well-known “sinners” stirred up controversy among the Jewish religious leaders. Facing their criticism head on, Jesus told a parable about a loving father who had two rebellious sons.
The sons knew that upon their father’s death, they would gain a sizeable inheritance, comprising the family’s assets and property. But the younger son demanded his portion early. In Middle Eastern culture, such a request would be unspeakable and scandalous. Today’s equivalent would be a teenager spitting in his dad’s face and screaming, “I WANT YOU DEAD!” Asking for the inheritance early insinuated that the son couldn’t wait for his father to die. He wanted what his father could give him now, at the expense of their relationship.
Through the younger son’s example, Jesus is retelling the story of Israel. The Jews had often rebelled against God, craving His blessings while casting off the covenant relationship for which they had been chosen. The younger son’s request also epitomizes the enormity and consequence of all human sin. “God, we want what You can give us, but we don’t want You!”
Consider God’s gifts: His beautiful creation, the social order He has established, the institutions of family and government. But just as the younger son wanted to profit from his dad without continuing a relationship, we often exploit these blessings without submitting to God’s laws. We savor the creation and snub the Creator.
How often have our actions whispered to our God what the younger son shouted to his father? How do we profit from God’s blessings without thought of the responsibilities that accompany them? Human nature makes us thirst for the blessings that we believe will bring us happiness and freedom. But apart from our Father, we change those blessings into curses that bring misery and enslavement.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog
