Cultural Insights ~ Luke 15.25-32 ~ Answers
Gleaned from Kenneth Bailey by Lee Magness
Cultural Insights into Luke 15.25-32
1) What would the elder son have been doing out in the field?
Insight ~ In this wealthy family, the elder son would not have been out working in the field; he would have been
supervising the work of slaves, servants, and hired workers. In a sense the estate is already his.
2) What would the elder son have been expected to do when the father arranged a feast?
Insight ~ In Middle Eastern society, the older brother would have served as the overseer of any banquet thrown
by his father, greeting all the guests, making sure all the guests were served.
3) Who explains the "music and dancing" to the elder son?
Insight ~ The Greek word is ambiguous. It could refer to a servant who worked for the family in the house or to
a young boy, a child of the town who had been observing the developments.
4) What is the cultural significance of mentioning the younger son's "good health"?
Insight ~ "Good health" also carried the metaphorical meaning of shalom, spiritual wholeness.
5) How does the father open himself to public shame in his interaction with the elder son?
Insight ~ When the older son refuses to accept his father’s acceptance of the younger son and refuses to play
his proper role as greeter at the banquet, the father must once again humiliate himself by going out to the
son and tenderly appealing to him.
6) In what ways does the reaction of the elder son shame his father?
Insight ~ The elder brother shames his father by
a) refusing to participate in the reconciliation with his brother.
b) rebelling against his father’s wishes for his brother.
c) breaking his relationship with his father.
d) accusing his father of favoritism.
e) alienating himself from family by refusing to go to feast.
f) refusing partnership with his father ("I want mine!").
g) showing hatred and contempt toward his brother instead of forgiveness and grace.
h) denying the younger son’s right but demanding his own right to dispose of his possessions as he sees fit.
i) thinking of himself as a servant not a son ("all these years I have served you").
j) making the banquet about the honor of the brother not the joy of the father.
k) being consumed with envy, bitterness, etc.
7) How do the father's actions defy cultural expectations?
Insight ~ As with his response to the return of the younger son, the father does not punish the disrespectful
words and behavior of the elder son.
1) What would the elder son have been doing out in the field?
Insight ~ In this wealthy family, the elder son would not have been out working in the field; he would have been
supervising the work of slaves, servants, and hired workers. In a sense the estate is already his.
2) What would the elder son have been expected to do when the father arranged a feast?
Insight ~ In Middle Eastern society, the older brother would have served as the overseer of any banquet thrown
by his father, greeting all the guests, making sure all the guests were served.
3) Who explains the "music and dancing" to the elder son?
Insight ~ The Greek word is ambiguous. It could refer to a servant who worked for the family in the house or to
a young boy, a child of the town who had been observing the developments.
4) What is the cultural significance of mentioning the younger son's "good health"?
Insight ~ "Good health" also carried the metaphorical meaning of shalom, spiritual wholeness.
5) How does the father open himself to public shame in his interaction with the elder son?
Insight ~ When the older son refuses to accept his father’s acceptance of the younger son and refuses to play
his proper role as greeter at the banquet, the father must once again humiliate himself by going out to the
son and tenderly appealing to him.
6) In what ways does the reaction of the elder son shame his father?
Insight ~ The elder brother shames his father by
a) refusing to participate in the reconciliation with his brother.
b) rebelling against his father’s wishes for his brother.
c) breaking his relationship with his father.
d) accusing his father of favoritism.
e) alienating himself from family by refusing to go to feast.
f) refusing partnership with his father ("I want mine!").
g) showing hatred and contempt toward his brother instead of forgiveness and grace.
h) denying the younger son’s right but demanding his own right to dispose of his possessions as he sees fit.
i) thinking of himself as a servant not a son ("all these years I have served you").
j) making the banquet about the honor of the brother not the joy of the father.
k) being consumed with envy, bitterness, etc.
7) How do the father's actions defy cultural expectations?
Insight ~ As with his response to the return of the younger son, the father does not punish the disrespectful
words and behavior of the elder son.
