The Lost Prodigal. Luke 15:11-24 - through the eyes of the patriarchs

Introduction

Observe Jewish History:

"Younger brothers are 'traditionally rebels'. The older is worldly - niggardly - orthodox - hypocritical. All the patriarchs - after Abraham - were younger brothers:

Abel - Jacob - Joseph - Gideon - David - Judas Maccabeans. What happens here is in line with Jewish Tradition.

A parable is not an allegory. The father is not God incognito; but an earthly father(v. 18) Yet he is a symbol of God.  Jesus was too great an artist - and too good a psychologist to put all truth about God in one story. And this story is but the 3rd of a group of 3 stories; they're trying to project God.

This prodigal's request for his share of property - in the way he wants it ... was something unheard of.  

Since ancient times in the Middle East a request for property rights - whilst the father was still alive was something unheard.  Was this story then - a true actual case.. but an isolated one that actually happened?  He requested for his 1/3 share of the inheritance. It was granted. Under the Misnah... that only gives him ownership but with no right of disposal.  He then pressured his father for the right to dispose.

Surprisingly, the father signed off that right of disposal as well - and to both sons. Luke did not give any hint .... but we can impute that objecting would come to naught. Relationships in that family were far from warm.

The Land in Early Jewish History 

Abraham and family lived a partially nomadic and settled life.   They moved about with their flocks; but also did some cultivation.  In Mesopotamia, where Abraham came from, the allocation of land was the feudal system.  The king provided gifts of land ("fiefs:) - in return for the promise of personal service. This land would be passed on from father to son.  When the Israelites entered Canaan.. God became the owner of the land.  Each family received their land by lot(Joshua 15)...Each family's plot of land was/is revered as the gift of God:

".......His Hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.."(Isaiah 34:17)

Picture of the Land of the Israelites - and of Galilee

Normally.... heirs receive their share of the property ... at the death of the father(Hebrew 9:16-17) Hence, the prodigal's request can be interpreted as a profound break in relations between father and son.

That boy was indeed - already lost.  Properties often passed to the oldest son - to carry on the family name and to perpetuate the property...

 

Picture of the Dry Hills and Fertile Valleys of Lake Galile and the Fertile Basin Lands around Galilee

1st century Palestinian Ceremony: the "Qesasah" = "Cutting Off"

If a man sold his field to a Gentile;  his relatives would bring barrels of parched corn and nuts - and break them open in the presence of the children.  They would all proclaim, "So-and-so" is cut off

from his inheritance."  This custom was in force at the time of Jesus...  This prodigal took his property ... and wasted it in a foreign country - not at the time of his departure.  Hence both Luke and Matthew mention no details.  This "Qesasah" Culture ....is extremely significant - as it sought the Preservation of the Solidarity of Life both in the Family and the Community.

The prodigal had wronged not only his father - but also the community, his extended family.  And this explains why the father ran ... when he saw him at the edge of the village.  

 

The father had to get to this returning son first - before he fell into their hands. An old man ... never runs.  More so - a rich old farm owner.  He has to make public - his acceptance of the prodigal.

What the father did was - unusual ..... in similar ways to what he did earlier on. He granted the prodigal(s) both possession and disposition - jeopardizing his own position in old age. What the shepherd and woman did in the previous 2 stories of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin was not anything out of the ordinary. But what the father did here - was Unusual - and Unique. This has never been done by any father in the past.
 

 

In the Far Country...".... he joined himself to a citizen of that country"(Luke 15:15)

"..... there arose a mighty famine .. he began to be in want(Luke 15:14)  There was a series of ten famines.... in and around Jerusalem from 169 B.C. to A.D. 70 - excluding those resulting from wars.

Luke's Gospel was written in the early 60's - just before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. When he first arrived - either in Egypt or Antioch or Rome - as was common amongst wealthy young men of Jesus' time on earth - he was known to have plenty of money to throw around ... and is expected to have some respect left.  

So the polite way a Middle Eastener wants to get rid of such 'hangers on' was to give them a job he knew this upstart would refuse.  To his shock the prodigal accepted the job of a pig herder.  The pride of this youngster has not yet been completely broken.  No Jew would ever go near pigs.

The wild carob berries, fed to the pigs - but edible to humans .. could not sustain him. It lacks nourishment.  So he tried begging. The text portrays him ".... and no one gave him anything." His

subsistence dole from herding the pigs could not keep him alive. ".... I perish here with hunger'' He was starving.  Hunger .. significantly pushed him to Sensible Thinking.  He came up with a Face-Saving Plan.

He schemed to be a "hired servant'. Hired servants were 'outsiders' - a casual worker to be employed as and when required.  He was a freeman - unlike the bondsmen and slaves; the latter two were considered as part of the family.  His social status would be lower than the bondsman and the slaves; but it would give him independence from his father - and he will not be eating his brother's bread.  

The Mishna enlightens: "Whatever is not consumed... is added to the capital which the elder brother will inherit ... hence the elder brother will resent the prodigal's presence." The prodigal wants to be free from both the father and his elder brother.

Conclusion

The prodigal began in self-will. He was not wicked at first. He only chose to live his own life - his own way. The father could have tried persuading him to stay back; but could not have obliged him to be filial.

There was already one prodigal at home.  Be aware that the boy who came back was thinking more for/of himself than about his father or/and his elder brother.  Know that this story cannot be a Full Theology; it only seeks One Central Truth.  God welcomes the Outcasts. 

Jesus stressed this ... because the Publicans and Sinners did not - could not believe it and because the Pharisees and Scribes did not wish to believe it.  The story ended - with the prodigal inside the house; the elder brother stayed outside! How tragic!

Jesus is walking away from His Church....this scene comes to me very frequently and constantly - in my dreams.!! We shut Him out... Is God proud of what we are doing.....Aren't we ashamed?

- Pastor Edwin Khoo