PRODIGALS ALL
  • Begin the Encounter
    • Meaning and Application >
      • Encountering the Text >
        • Text of Luke 15.1-3
        • Text of Luke 15.11-12
        • Text of Luke 15.13-19
        • Text of Luke 15.20-24
        • Text of Luke 15.25-32
      • Encountering the Literary Context >
        • New Testament Context >
          • Luke 9-19
          • Luke 15
          • The Gospels >
            • Matthew 21.28-32
            • John 7.53-8.11
            • Luke 19.1-10
          • Epistles >
            • Romans
            • Philemon
        • Old Testament Context >
          • Jacob
          • Psalm 23
          • Jonah
      • Encountering the Cultural Context >
        • Cultural Questions Luke 15.1-3 >
          • Cultural Answers Luke 15.1-3
        • Cultural Questions Luke 15.11-12 >
          • Cultural Answers Luke 15.11-12
        • Cultural Questions Luke 15.13-19 >
          • Cultural Answers Luke 15.13-19
        • Cultural Questions Luke 15.20-24 >
          • Cultural Answers Luke 15.20-24
        • Cultural Questions Luke 15.25-32 >
          • Cultural Answers Luke 15.25-32
      • Encountering the Theological Meaning >
        • Keller Prodigal God
        • Nouwen Return
        • Theological Meaning >
          • God
          • Christ
        • Early Interpretations >
          • Clement of Alexandria
          • Tertullian
          • Ambrose
          • John Chrysostom
          • Cyril of Alexandria
        • Modern Interpretations >
          • Charles Spurgeon
          • Martin Luther King, Jr.
          • Jerry Falwell
          • Barbara Brown Taylor
        • Buddhist Prodigal
    • Artistic Impact >
      • The Prodigal Son in Painting >
        • Art, Exegesis, and Interpretation
        • Palma 1595
        • Rembrandt 1668
        • Tissot 1880
        • Slevogt 1899
        • Quist 1975
        • He Qi 1996
        • Riojas 2000s >
          • Riojas interpretation
        • Janknegt 2002 >
          • Janknegt interpretation
        • Rabodzeenko 2006
      • The Prodigal Son in Poetry >
        • Christina Rossetti >
          • Rossetti poems
          • Rossetti interpretations
        • Rainer Maria Rilke >
          • Rilke poem
          • Rilke interpretation
        • Kilian McDonnell >
          • McDonnell Poems
          • McDonnell interpretations
        • Leah Goldberg
        • James Weldon Johnson
        • John Newton
        • Edith Nesbit
      • The Prodigal Son in Fiction >
        • Marilynne Robinson
        • Alexander Pushkin >
          • The Stationmaster
        • Rainer Maria Rilke
      • The Prodigal Son in Music >
        • Britten (1968) >
          • Britten Libretto
        • Popular music >
          • Robert Wilkins
          • Rory Block
          • Rolling Stones
          • Josh White
          • Keith Green
      • The Prodigal Son in Film/Drama
      • The Prodigal Son in Dance >
        • Balanchine
  • Meet your Trail Guide
  • A Suggested Path

Cultural Insights ~ Luke 15.20-24 ~ Answers
Gleaned from Kenneth Bailey by Lee Magness

Cultural Insights into Luke 15.20-24
     1) How would a Palestinian father have been expected to respond to this son's return?          
          Insight ~ The father would have remained in the house, isolated from this son who had shamed him.   He would    
               have let the kezazah take effect and force his son to wait outside at the gate for days.   Eventually he might 
               cooly receive the son and entertain his pleas for forgiveness.

     2) What is the significance of the Greek word translated "compassion" and its Arabic counterpart? 

          Insight ~ The Greek word refers to a deep emotional feeling in one's intestines; the common Arabic expression 
               for "you're breaking my heart" literally means "you're cutting up my intestines." 
  
     3) What is unusual about the father "running" to greet his son?

          Insight ~ In Palestinian society adult males (over 25) never run; to do so would be shameful behavior.

     4) What was the cultural significance of...
        a) ...the robe?

          Insight ~ The best robe would have been the father's own finest garment, signifying his relationship with the  
               father.
        b) ...the ring?

          Insight ~ The ring would have been the family signet ring, signifying his restoration to his role in the family.
        c) ...the sandals?

          Insight ~ Since slaves went barefoot, the sandals signified his restoration to his status in the community.
        d) ...the fattened calf?  

          Insight ~ A grain-fed calf would have been kept for the occasion of the visit of an honored guest.
  
     5) What were slaves doing at the reunion?   How public an event would this have been? 

          Insight ~ Even landowners had their houses in the town.   Household servant, in fact many townspeople, would 
               have witnessed this whole amazing scene.         

     6) Who is the "they" that were expected to "celebrate"?

          Insight ~ All the townspeople were expected to join in the celebration, treating the son as they would treat the 
               father, and in effect forego the kezazah.

   
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.