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

Luke 9-19 ~ The Context of the Prodigal Son

Picture
 The Parable of the Prodigal Son falls in the midst of a very significant section of the Gospel of Luke, Luke 9.51-19.28, often referred to as "The Travel Narrative."   A number of Jesus' most significant parables and deeds occur here.   A proper understanding of the parable of the prodigal son demands that we center it among the great themes that dominate this section.   They include:
                                      KINGDOM 
                                                   DISCIPLESHIP 
                                                                    OUTCASTS
          1) Take a look at the structural outline below,
          2) read the passages in the gospel of Luke, 
          3) and note the comments.   
          4) Then look at the lists of thematic elements below the outline.   
          5) Finally think carefully about how the parable of the prodigal son reflects these themes.


                 Luke 9.51-19.28 ~ The Context of the Parable of the Prodigal Son
                              (based on the structural outline of Kenneth Bailey, Jacob and the Prodigal, p. 47)


A. Journey to Jerusalem (9.51-56)      Set his face for JERUSALEM

                           Rejected by SAMARITANS/SAMARITANS rejected by DISCIPLES/Jesus rebukes DISCIPLES

     B. Following Jesus (9.57-10.24)    Welcoming 3 would-be DISCIPLES/rejected

                                                            Sending 70 DISCIPLES to GENTILES/EAT what is set before you
                                                                         The KINGDOM has come near!
                                                           Woe to Jewish towns (v. 15 exalted, brought low)
                                                           Better for GENTILE cities! // Pride, humility, hidden from wise/PRAYER

                    
          C. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? (10.25-41)
                                                                         Love God…love neighbor – Who is my Neighbor?
                                                                         Parable of Good SAMARITAN

                                                           Mary and Martha -- DISCIPLESHIP -- serving and learning

               D. Prayer (11.1-13)     Prayer for DISCIPLES -- Your kingdom come/Forgive us our sins/debtors
                                                    Parable of Importunate friend/A giving God

                    E. Signs of the coming kingdom (11.14-32)
                                                               Healing mute man/casting out demon/KINGDOM of God has come to you

                                                   DISCIPLESHIP -- Whoever is not with me is against me
                                                   DISCIPLESHIP -- Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it
                                                   Sign of Jonah -- God desires the repentance of GENTILES
                                                              Queen of the South -- GENTILE came to listen to God's wisdom 

                         F. Conflict with Pharisees/Money (11.33-12.34)
                                                                EATING with Pharisees – law, hypocrisy 

                                                                  11.52 -- You did not enter and you hindered those who were entering
                                                    DISCIPLESHIP -- acknowledge Christ/deny Christ
                                                                Parable of the rich farmer -- greed, money -- strive for the KINGDOM

                                    G. The Kingdom is not yet and now (12.35-59)
                                                               DISCIPLESHIP -- parable of slaves waiting for the coming of the master
                                                                          Parable of the 2 stewards – treating slaves acc or ag will of the master!!!!!!
                                                                DISCIPLESHIP -- Jesus demands decision, decision may lead to division

                                       H. The call of the Kingdom to Israel (13.1-9)
                                                               GALILEANS/GENTILES -- repent or perish -- Necessity of REPENTANCE 
                                                                DISCIPLESHIP -- Produce or perish -- Parable of unfruitful fig tree

                                      I. The nature of the Kingdom (13.10-21)
                                                               Love not law -- Healing crippled woman /OUTCAST (synagogue ruler complains!!!!!)
                                                              Humility -- The KINGDOM is like mustard seed, yeast

                                             J / A’. Journey to Jerusalem (13.22-35)
                                                                Who can be saved?   EAT in the KINGDOM of God/First shall be last, last first
                                                                Pharisees try to protect! Jesus – Lament over Jerusalem

                                     I’. The nature of the Kingdom (14.1-11)
                                                   Love not law -- Healing man with dropsy – EAT with a PHARISEE
                                                   DISCIPLESHIP -- humility -- Parable of seats at wedding BANQUET 

                               H’. The call of the Kingdom to outcasts/all (14.12-15.32)
                                                  Do not invite your friends to the BANQUET but the OUTCASTS
                                                  Parable of refusal of invitation to BANQUET and invitation to OUTCASTS
                                                  Cost of DISCIPLESHIP – carry cross, follow Jesus exclusively
                                                  Pharisees criticize Jesus for EATing with tax collectors and sinners
                                                  (Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Sons – CELEBRATE -- seek and to save the lost)

                        G’. The kingdom is now (16.1-8)
                                                  Parable of unjust steward (squandering property – forgives debt/forgiven)

                   F’. Conflict with Pharisees/Money (16.9-31)
                                                You cannot serve God and money // PHARISEES ridiculed him
                                                 Parable of Rich man and Lazarus – longed to satisfy hunger // dogs//REPENTANCE

               E’.  Signs and coming kingdom (17.1-37)
                                              On way to JERUSALEM, between SAMARIA and Galilee -- 10 lepers (OUTCASTS)
                                              One praises God and thanks Jesus -- SAMARITAN/OUTCAST
                                              KINGDOM of God is among you – prediction of persecution/eating/drinking


           D’. Prayer (18.1-17)

                                              Parable of Importunate widow -- Will he find faith on earth?
                                              Parable of the PHARISEE and the TAX collector -- pride/humility – SINNER 
                                              Exalted/humbled -- KINGDOM belongs to children/receive KINGDOM like a child


       C’. What shall I do to inherit eternal life? (18.18-30)

                                             DISCIPLESHIP -- Ruler – obedience, keeps the law -- give to the poor and follow me
                                             Hard for rich to enter the KINGDOM – Who then can be saved?

     B’. Follow me (18.31-19.10)
                                                       DISCIPLESHIP -- going up to JERUSALEM – death and resurrection
                                            Healing of blind beggar/Jericho – followed, praised God -- OUTCAST
                                            Zacchaeus/Jericho – TAX COLLECTOR and SINNER -- OUTCAST
                                            Salvation has come to THIS house – seek and to save the LOST

A’ /A’’. Journey to Jerusalem (19.11-28)
                                           Parable of 10 minas – using the AUTHORITY wisely that the master has given the slaves
                                           Arrival to outskirts of JERUSALEM



          KINGDOM ~ "The Kingdom has come near" -- in the person of Jesus
                                "Your Kingdom come" -- the prayer of Jesus
                                "The Kingdom has come to you" -- in the powerful deeds of Jesus
                                 We must "enter the Kingdom" and not hinder others -- determined by our acceptance of Jesus
                                 We must "strive for the Kingdom" -- 
                                "The Kingdom is like a mustard seed, leaven" -- according to the teachings of Jesus
                                 We must "eat in the Kingdom" -- according to the metaphor of Jesus
                                "The Kingdom of God is among/within you" -- in the person of Jesus
                                "The Kingdom belongs to children/must be received as a child" -- according to Jesus
                                "It is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom" -- apart from faith in Jesus

          DISCIPLESHIP ~ Discipleship demands accepting those whom Jesus accepts (Samaritans)                                                  

                                       Discipleship demands following Jesus now no matter what the circumstances
                                       Discipleship demands being sent for on mission when Jesus sends
                                       Discipleship demands serving and learning (Mary and Martha)
                                       Demands of Discipleship ~ Whoever is not with me is against me
                                                                                   Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it
                                                                                   Unlike Jonah, long for the repentance of Gentiles
                                       Discipleship demands acknowledging Christ not denying him
                                       Discipleship demands waiting faithfully, actively for the master
                                       Discipleship demands decision, decision sometimes leads to division
                                       Discipleship demands bearing fruit
                                       Discipleship demands humility
                                       Discipleship demands carrying a cross, exclusive loyalty to Jesus
                                       Discipleship demands serving God not material possessions
                                       Discipleship demands forgiveness, repentance, thanksgiving, persistence 
                                       Discipleship demands receiving the kingdom like a child
                                       Discipleship demands giving to the poor and following Jesus, all the way to the cross

          OUTCASTS ~ Jesus does not reject Samaritans even when they reject him.

                                  Jesus rebukes his disciples for wanting to punish the Samaritans.
                                  Jesus sends his disciples to Gentiles with the good news of the kingdom.
                                  Jesus insists Gentile towns will be better off in the judgment than Jewish towns that reject him.
                                  Jesus illustrates true neighborliness by means of a Samaritan traveler.
                                  Jesus illustrates true discipleship by means of a woman (Mary).
                                  Jesus teaches that God welcomes the repentance of Gentiles (Jonah).
                                  Jesus teaches that Gentiles may be the ones who seek true wisdom (Queen of the South).
                                  Jesus heals a crippled woman and a man with dropsy.
                                  Jesus teaches his disciples to invite "sinners" to their banquets.
                                  Jesus eats with "sinners ands tax collectors."
                                  Jesus illustrates salvation with a poor beggar named Lazarus.
                                  Jesus heals lepers and remarks on the gratitude of the one Samaritan leper.
                                  God hears the prayers of the tax collector, a humble sinner, rather than the Pharisee.
                                  Jesus calls and eats with a sinful tax collector, Zacchaeus.
                                  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.