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THREAD: Some very brief thoughts on Luke 15.
Luke 15 contains three parables, all of which are pretty well known:
the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.
The chapter begins with a description of two groups: the common folk and the Pharisees (15.1-2).
Luke 15 contains three parables, all of which are pretty well known:
the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.
The chapter begins with a description of two groups: the common folk and the Pharisees (15.1-2).
The Pharisees complain about the way Jesus welcomes the common folk.
Like many religious types, they want religion to be for the few rather than the many;
that is to say, like the older son in Jesus’ main parable, they don’t want to share what they have with others (15.29-31).
Like many religious types, they want religion to be for the few rather than the many;
that is to say, like the older son in Jesus’ main parable, they don’t want to share what they have with others (15.29-31).
As such, the text of 15.1-2 sets us up for what’s to come.
...as does 15.3-10.
Jesus tells two distinct parables in 15.3-10. Why?
Why not just move on to the main event after the first one? (Everyone loves a story about a lost and found animal, right?)
...as does 15.3-10.
Jesus tells two distinct parables in 15.3-10. Why?
Why not just move on to the main event after the first one? (Everyone loves a story about a lost and found animal, right?)
Because Jesus’ main parable involves not one but *two* lost sons.
Despite the superficial differences between them, the two sons in Jesus’ parable are remarkably alike.
What both sons really want is to have a feast in the absence of their father.
Despite the superficial differences between them, the two sons in Jesus’ parable are remarkably alike.
What both sons really want is to have a feast in the absence of their father.
The younger son goes to a foreign land to achieve his end, while the older son merely fantasises about it, but his ultimate desire is no different (15.29).
In addition, both sons have an unhealthy love of money. (Is there such a thing as a ‘healthy’ love of money?)
In addition, both sons have an unhealthy love of money. (Is there such a thing as a ‘healthy’ love of money?)
The younger son loves money more than his father, which is why he claims his inheritance and leaves home; and the older son is no different:
rather than share his father’s joy when the younger son returns, he stews over the reduction in his own inheritance (15.30-31).
rather than share his father’s joy when the younger son returns, he stews over the reduction in his own inheritance (15.30-31).
As such, 15.3-10’s pair of parables prepare us for the pair of lost sons in Jesus’ main parable.
But they also have more to tell us.
There’s more than one way to be lost.
But they also have more to tell us.
There’s more than one way to be lost.
The sheep is lost ‘in the open country’ and knows it’s lost,
while the coin is lost ‘at home’ and doesn’t know it’s lost.
The two sons in Jesus’ main parable are lost in precisely the same two ways.
while the coin is lost ‘at home’ and doesn’t know it’s lost.
The two sons in Jesus’ main parable are lost in precisely the same two ways.
The younger son is lost (i.e., estranged from his father) in a far-off country and realises it,
while the older son is lost at home and *doesn’t* realise it.
As such, Jesus’ parable presents his hearers with a binary choice.
while the older son is lost at home and *doesn’t* realise it.
As such, Jesus’ parable presents his hearers with a binary choice.
But the choice *isn’t* (as some of his hearers might have hoped) to identify as either dutiful or undutiful sons; it’s to identify as either repentant or unrepentant sinners.
P.S. @DrPJWilliams has a far better and more detailed thread on this and more here:
