The Lost Sons
The prodigal son tells of a father who lost two sons
His younger son wished his father was dead
The older agreed with the younger brother's sentiment
In first century Palestinian peasant culture the younger son's request was unheard of. Kenneth E Bailey, in the book "Poet and Peasant" writes about the significance of a son asking for his inheritance while the father is still alive. "For over 15 years I have been asking people from all walks of life from Morocco to India and from Turkey to the Sudan about the implications of a son's request for his inheritance while the father is sill living. The answer has almost always been emphatically the same. The conversation runs as follows.
Has anyone ever made such a request in your village?
Never
Could anyone ever make such a request?
Impossible
If anyone ever did, what would happen?
The father would beat him, of course!
Why?
The request means – he wants his father to die."
By his actions the younger son cuts his ties with
His father by wishing him dead
His brother by refusing to farm with him after their father's death
` His village by shaming his family and violating customs
What does it mean to be lost?
Like the sheep separated from the shepherd's protection
Like the coin unavailable for use in the kingdom
Like the prodigal lost contact with the father
Like the older son self righteous and unable to rejoice in the
Repentance of one loved by God
What does the prodigal think he did wrong?
He lost the money his father had a legal right to expect his son to
Use to care for him in his old age.
He plans to become a hired servant in his father's employ
Face the village and their hatred of him
Pay back what he lost and provide for his father
Give up any chance of restored relationship with his brother
What is the father's idea of his son's return?
He restores him to full stature as a son
He provides at his own expense everything necessary to restore
His son to right relationship with everyone involved
What does it mean to repent?
Not trying to earn your way back into good favor
Not merely recognizing what you have done wrong
"Repentance turns out to be the capacity to forgo pride and
accept graciousness." DO Via
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