Luke 15:11 — And he said, A certain man had two sons:

Every so often I am reminded of the depth, the riches, of Jesus’s parables. I go back, and revisit, and marvel. The parable of the Prodigal Son might be the best example.

On Sunday we were blessed to watch a DVD on which Ray Vandelaan (see more about him at https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com) taught through the parable, adding a perspective on how the village community would have reacted to the events the parable relates. It made me go back to the parable and search out something I had missed.

Whoever first called the parable “The Prodigal Son” did Bible students no favors. It has led generations of preachers, teachers and eager learners to miss three key points about the parable.

First, “The Prodigal Son” focuses on the wrong person. The behavior of the younger son is shocking — but not all that surprising. Young men sin, and go off the rails. History is littered with stories of squandered inheritances. No, what is surprising — startling — is the behavior of the father. It is had to think that many Western father’s would kill the fatted calf for a young wastrel who had spent all the money he had so prematurely grasped. It is unthinkable that an Eastern father, so scorned, could set honor aside and fly in the face of community opinion.

Second, “The Prodigal Son” suggests much too narrow focus. I had started to work this one out previously. All of the people in the parable are interesting. We talked about the father and the younger son. But there’s the older son, too. He has been obedient — but there is little sign of love in him. Mr. Vanderlaan pointed out the role of the local community who would have been outraged at the younger sons behavior and willing to formally ostracize him on his return. And what is the role of the citizens in the far country, or the servants in the father’s household — there’s a lot go see in the parable.

Finally, “The Prodigal Son” suggests that the parable stands on its own … and it really doesn’t. It’s one of a set of three. They might be called “The lost sheep, the lost coin and … the lost son”. The three stories have a common theme, something which is lost, and then recovered. They are the redemption parables. I’ll do a piece on another day that looks at the similarities and differences — they are not the point of today’s piece. 

If your eyes have a tendency to slide over the Parables, stop and dig a little deeper. There is always much to see. I’m looking again, deeper.