Trinity Cathedral
3/10/13
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
“The Sinners Heard Him Gladly”
On this fourth Sunday in Lent we take a look at the
well-known parable of the prodigal son, which is probably better referred to as
the parable of the two sons.
The lesson begins by showing us who this parable is
directed towards. The text says that the
tax collectors and sinners were coming to Jesus. The Pharisees and scribes see this and
complain about Jesus. How could a true
righteous and holy man welcome and eat with sinners? In those days to eat with someone was a sign
of acceptance, something the Pharisees would never do with prostitutes and tax
collectors, murderers and thieves.
So we have two groups at hand for Jesus’ parable—the
sinners and the “righteous.”
With both groups gathered, Jesus tells the parable of
the two sons.
He starts with the younger, more well-known son. From the start the son says to the Father, “Give
me the share of the property that will belong to me.” Now this may not sound like a deeply
irreverent and disrespectful request to us, but in the ancient world asking for
your inheritance before your father died was anathema. It was tantamount to wishing your father
dead. This request would have been
scandalous to Jesus’ listeners. The
younger son was essentially saying, “Father I want your things, I don’t want
you” (Tim Keller “Gospel in Life”).
Now the listeners, both sinners and Pharisees would
probably have expected the Father to discipline the son severely, if not disown
him. But this does not happen. So it came as a surprise, in Jesus’ parable, when
the Father not only doesn't discipline the son, but he grants him his request.
