- Vs 1-2…The Crowd was Diversified
Who was in the crowd:
Tax collectors…the most hated group in Jewish culture, they were cheaters they collected more taxes then required to pocket the money, they were not allowed in the synagogue, Jewish families would have a funeral for them and declared them dead, they were not allowed to testify in court because their word was worthless.
Sinners…They were anyone who didn’t follow the law or regulations, they were considered unclean and contaminated by the Pharisees.
Pharisees…Religious leaders in Jerusalem that considered themselves righteous and in order to remain righteous they needed to be separated from unclean Gentiles, unclean sinners and tax collectors. They were close enough to hear Jesus and be critical of him, but far enough away so they would not touch anyone that was unclean.
Eating with someone meant that you were saying they were like family. They were valuable to you, you would be endorsing them, you considered them to be your friend and approved them.
Why did Jesus use Parables to teach rather than Theological arguments?
Parables or Stories would bypass intellectual responses.
Stories would get past their offenses
Stories made them listen to things that arguments would have never done
- Vs. 4-7…The Importance of the 1 Sheep
“No creature strays more easily than a sheep, none is so incapable of finding its way back to the flock, when once gone astray: it will bleat for the flock, and still run on in an opposite direction to the place where the flock is. “ Clark
Vs 4…”Goes after the one which is lost until he finds it” The lost sheep could never save himself, or even find the shepherd himself. If the Shepherd did not take action, the sheep was doomed.
Vs 6-7 It’s Party Time! The Story inside the Story… it’s not just that the Shepherd left the 99 to find the 1, but that there was rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner that repents. Sheep don’t repent; Jesus was saying to the Pharisees who were complaining about Jesus receiving Sinners and Tax Collectors, every time a Sinner repents, we throw a party in Heaven.
Vs. 8-10 The Lost Coin
“The piece of silver was lost but still claimed. Observe that the woman called the money, my lost coin, when she lost her possession, she did not lose her right to it, it did not become somebody else’s when it slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor.” Spurgeon
Isaiah 62:5 “ As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”
Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
- Vs 11-16 The Son breaks all cultural norms
- Vs 17-19 The Son Comes to his senses.
“I will arise and go to my Father” Vs 18 Jesus didn’t say that the man thought of his village or his home, but of his father. When the son returned to the father, he also came back to the village and to the house, but his focus was on the return to his father.
“I have sinned against heaven and before you” This was a complete change over, no excuses just deep repentance “Make me like your hired servant,” Look at the change of the two requests, Give Me, then Father Make me. He left as a Son but he was going to come back as a Servant.
- Vs 20-24…The restoration of the son
The Father breaks all norms and runs to his son and covers him with kisses. He gives him 4 things
- The Best Robe…probably his own robe
- A Ring… that signifies authority the family name, fully restored to all family privileges
- Sandals…Servants went bare foot, no sandals, Sons wore sandals
- Fatted Calf…kept only for significant celebrations, fattened up to be eaten, only celebrations.
There were no illusions, no misunderstandings, the father wanted everyone to know and understand, “My Son was dead and is now alive, he was lost and is found”
- Vs 25-32 The Elder brother reacts
He was in the Fathers House but without the Fathers Heart.
He was physically present but relationally absent
“The truth here taught is just this: that mercy stretches forth her hand to misery, that grace receives men as sinners, that it deals with unworthiness and worthlessness; that those who think themselves righteous are not objects of divine compassion, but the unrighteous, the guilty, and the undeserving, are the proper subjects for the infinite mercy of God; in a word, that salvation is not of merit but of grace.” Spurgeon
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