Prodigal Son Distorted by FB Pastor

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Read through this thread. Enjoyed it.

Social, I think this summarizes your view on the Prodigal Son:

http://jollyblogger.typepad.com/joll...odigal_so.html




This was a profound comment:

Definitely similar views on the passage. But I think this post went beyond that, and into the idea that some believe the parable supports interpreting the passage in the context of rules --- which I think gets at, ironically, was the issue with the elder brother, and revealing to us a different type of lostness.

Thanks for posting the excerpts. I'll check out this blog.

On another topic, the "Departed Cons" thread is one of the highest viewed threads today -- even over this one which has been around a little longer.

[Socialite]

Just felt like BUMPING some prior threads

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Definitely similar views on the passage. But I think this post went beyond that, and into the idea that some believe the parable supports interpreting the passage in the context of rules --- which I think gets at, ironically, was the issue with the elder brother, and revealing to us a different type of lostness.

Thanks for posting the excerpts. I'll check out this blog.

On another topic, the "Departed Cons" thread is one of the highest viewed threads today -- even over this one which has been around a little longer.

So the elder brother was lost?

Wow.

Luk 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

He had an attitude problem working, but he wasn't anything resembling "lost."

Beating up on the elder brother is one of the favorite pastimes of the Pharisee hunters, but the facts are plain in the Scripture--everything the Father had was his. He was "ever" with the Father.

He needed a lesson in compassion for sure, but he was far from lost.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

So the elder brother was lost?

Wow.

Luk 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

He had an attitude problem working, but he wasn't anything resembling "lost."

Beating up on the elder brother is one of the favorite pastimes of the Pharisee hunters, but the facts are plain in the Scripture--everything the Father had was his. He was "ever" with the Father.

He needed a lesson in compassion for sure, but he was far from lost.

Coonskinner, the reality for the elder brother was, it is true, he has had full access to the Father's House (the Jews), but now at the moment of Grace, he is taking his ball and going home, so to speak.

Early in the story, when the younger son causes strife with his request, the older son—as was the Middle Eastern custom—would mediate between the father and the younger son. Unexpectedly, the older son remains quiet. Yet anger lurks which doesn't become apparent until later in the story.

Now the fatted calf has been killed and it's time for the banquet. Customarily, it's the responsibility of the older son to serve the guests. The guests are made to feel special by the father’s oldest son who serves them. Unexpectedly the older son, not only does not accept this responsibility but he doesn't fulfill the minimal requirement of greeting the guests. He remains in the courtyard.

Earlier in the day, the father demonstrated costly, unexpected love by running to and embracing the younger son. Now the father shows costly love once again by leaving the banquet—a humiliating act in the Middle East—to entreat his older son.

Now the older son points out how he has served the father as a slave never disobeying his commandments. Yet even in this moment, the older son is refusing his responsibility at the celebration as he earlier refused to mediate when the younger son was leaving for the far country...Anger blinds him.

The theme of these parables is lostness. The audience is Pharisees and sinners. The character of the elder brother must be intentional -- and the status of the elder brother is left wide open. There is no response by the older son—the end of the story is missing. This parable, like many of Jesus’ parables, uses inverted step parallelism but, in this case, the last section is missing on purpose. The last missing section is to be written by the Pharisees. How would the Pharisees complete this story? The father wishes that the two brothers would embrace and enter into the celebration with joy.

If the elder brother was not lost, then the verdict was certainly out. The elder brother tried to earn his way in the Father's house by pointing to his record of keeping all his commandments. This self-righteousness is in direct contrast to the Grace the younger brother receives -- and stands as contrast throughout the NT's depiction of Grace.

[Socialite]

I have to say my perspectives on this parable are greatly influenced by Tim Keller's The Prodigal God.

Here's more insight from Dr. Chris Gnanakan:

Jesus’ response to the Pharisee’s criticism of him fraternizing with outcasts and unclean tax-collectors and sinners is in not one, but three parables. Its trajectory is deliberate to radically redefine what it means to be ‘lost’ and to reveal God’s heart for the lost. The prodigal asks for his portion of the inheritance prematurely, goes to a far away country and squanders it. Then he is destitute, in desperate need and no one helps him. He ends up feeding pigs where he comes to his sense, repents and returns to Father’s house.

The reaction of the elder brother is detailed for us. Notice his stubborn withdrawal and anger, not managed (v.28). He flaunts his self-righteous, good works through which his selfish motive for service is exposed (v.29). He nurtures an unforgiving, judgmental spirit toward his brother and is full of self-pity believing he deserved more (v.30). His holier-than-thou attitude reveals he was jealous of goodness shown to ‘this son of yours’ and envious of “worldly” experiences his brother has had with pigs and prostitutes? What unfolds is his true relationship with his father is: he is bound to publicly shame him, in thought, word and deed [Hey you, listen] and has served him with a “slave” mentality trying to gain acceptance through accomplishment.

I have some old notes from one of my Life & Times of Jesus classes that I will soon share as well. It's really important that we understand the shamefulness the Father endured throughout this story -- both by the elder and younger brother. Some very important cultural information.

[Coonskinner]

The words of the Father in the parable have to trump all of the extraneous philosophizing that is done.

"Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."

The implications of those words are impossible to construe otherwise.

[Coonskinner]

My views of the Prodigal Son parable have been developed by reading the parable itself without first donning the lense of religious philosophers who have an agenda to support.

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

The words of the Father in the parable have to trump all of the extraneous philosophizing that is done.

"Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."

The implications of those words are impossible to construe otherwise.

Take it out of KJV a moment:

“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

The Father is entreating the elder brother with as much grace as he did the younger brother.

Instead of reading and considering other perspectives you just call it "philosophizing?"

[Socialite]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

My views of the Prodigal Son parable have been developed by reading the parable itself without first donning the lense of religious philosophers who have an agenda to support.

This sort of arrogance is what gets me about Pentecostal Cons. As if they ideas that inform them about a parable are purely objective, and the light of Glory descended into their reading to reveal to them the meaning of the parable. They are above exegesis. Above the nuances of cultural ramifications in the story. Above identifying the audience and overall trajectory of the stories. Above attempting to gain authorial understanding of what Luke is conveying through the words of Jesus.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Socialite

Take it out of KJV a moment:


The Father is entreating the elder brother with as much grace as he did the younger brother.

Instead of reading and considering other perspectives you just call it "philosophizing?"

Trying to paint the elder brother as lost requires that we add to the Scripture.

He needed some compassion, for sure.

But the inheritance was his. He was a true, fully vested son. Nothing lost about him.