Luke 15: 11-24. A familiar story. Some unfamiliar truths I learned at church this Sunday.
11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate."
So he divided his property between them: During this time, no son would have ever asked this question. He basically was saying to his father that He wanted him dead. And no father during this time would have responded the way the father did in the parable. It would have been more common for the father and the community as a whole to beat the son, shun him, and drive him out of town. The son was bringing the ultimate shame not only on himself, but on his family (and their reputation) by asking for his money. The father was bringing shame to his family name (one that generations after generations had labored to create) on himself by responding the way he did.
PIGS: It was unclean for a jewish person to touch a pig, so the son was doing the most unclean job in the eyes of the culture. He was also starving to death. Suffering was his greatest teacher.
RAN: It was a shame for a man to run in Israel doing this time. The father running to reach His son was bringing more shame on Himself.
Sandals: only an honored son wore scandals. The rest of the people (including the hired hands) in the house would have been barefoot.
