Sometimes lifelong Christian believers feel they understand the basics of the Christian faith- but we fail to grasp the unique, radical nature of the Gospel.
I have recently been intrigued by the book 'The Prodigal God' by Timothy Keller. Firstly, the title of the book captured my attention. During my theological studies in a seminary, a professor of mine referred to this book while she was teaching. She spoke a little about this book and the true meaning of the parable of "the prodigal son" and I remember being tearful at the insight that this book provided. I decided then that I would soon be reading this book. I have been blessed enough to find this book in my college library. The process of reading this book is still ongoing but I'll be posting what I read in parts on this blog page so that people who do not have direct access to the book can read important points from the book right here!
Parable of Prodigal Son - Luke 15: 11-32
This passage is for both whom Jesus calls "younger brother" and "elder brother". Before we begin, I would like to summarize the parable in a few words. (In case a fellow friend has never heard about the prodigal son parable)
Parable Summary
The parable of Lost son is about a father who had two sons. The elder son stayed home and worked hard for his father, while the younger one took part of his inheritance from his father's wealth and squandered it on lavish living. Due to famine in the land and with all his wealth gone, he had to live with the pigs and tend them. Sometimes he had to starve or live on the food that was given to the pigs. During this time, he remembered his father's house where even the slaves were well-fed and clothed. He decides to go back to his father and beg him to let him stay as one of his slaves. While he was still far, the father sees him and welcomes him home by throwing him a grand party. When the elder brother returns, he is enraged at the father's behavior that he had accepted the son that had squandered all the wealth and that he was never appreciated for his hard work.
Discovery of the secret heart of Christianity?
This parable if understood correctly can save your faith, your marraige and sometimes, literally your life!
Firstly, we will unlock the 'basic meaning' of this parable, then how this story helps to understand Bible as a whole and lastly, how its teaching works itself out in the way we live in this world.
For starters, the story is so much of the elder brother as also with the younger brother. Even Jesus starts this story as ' a man who had two sons' and not the prodigal son.
If we realize the story is more about the elder brother. The title of the story should have been 'two lost sons'.
The word "prodigal" does not mean 'wayward', but 'recklessly spendthrift' (according to Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary) . In simple words, to spend until you have nohing left. This term best describes the father in the story as his younger son because he refused to demand anything against his son. This behaviour of father towards the younger son offends the elder brother and likely the local community because it was reckless.
The story represents the heavenly Father Jesus according to 2 Cor 5:19 (NIV)
"God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation"
Key Takeaways
1. Jesus is showing us the God of Great Expenditure, who is nothing if not prodigal towards us, his children.
2. God's grace is our greatest hope and a life-changing experience.
In Part 2, we will read the parable in much further details extracting the essence of the passage to its core.
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