_In this New testament Bible study we will go through the three processes of Understanding, Application and Communication.
_A. The Process of Understanding
We use the acronym "START" to determine how the original receivers of Luke understood the message.
1. Situation
Verses 1-2 of Luke 15 provide the setting of the parable of the Prodical Son. 1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that
he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
This
setting is followed by the parables of the Lost Sheep (15:3-7) and the
Lost Coin (15:8-10). It sets the table for the grand third parable
concerning things lost, the parable of the Lost Son.
Click here
for more information on the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
2. Type of Literature
Luke 15: 11-32 is in Prose form. The form of Prose is Narrative and the genre (type) is Story.
3. Analyze the passage
We have seen that the plot structure is the main thing to determine. The plot structure of Luke 15: 11-32 is Problem – Resolution.
This parable can be divided in four episodes. Each episode has its own plot structure.
The plot structure of Episode 1 is:
Tension - Problem (verses 12): Tension between father and son
Relief of tension - Resolution (verse 13): Looking for ‘greener’ pastures.
Self-discovery
(younger son) and moral conformity (older son) can never save you. It
doesn’t go deep enough to take you to the father’s heart. HOW CAN WE BE
SAVED?
1. We need the initiating love of the Father (Luke 15: 20, 28) 2. We need to repent of our sins as well as the wrong reasons why we do good. 3. We need to be melted and moved at what it costs the Father to bringus back home.
4. Relate the message to the rest of the Bible
In this step we determine whether the findings of the previous steps relate to the rest of the Bible.
The
message of the parable of the Prodigal Son relates to the rest of the
Bible (Romans 1: 16; Acts 15: 9, 11; Ephesians 2: 8-9; 1 John 5: 10-13).
It is very clear that this message is an essential and therefor
applicable to us. There are no references to the triple C's (Ceremonial -
and Civil law as well as Cultural practices).
5. Test your findings
In this step you test your own findings (Biblical interpretation) against those of others.(e.g. commentaries and study Bibles)
The commentaries and study Bibles confirm that the message to the original receivers is. The New Testament echoes this message.
The message to the original receiver is:
Self-discovery
(younger son) and moral conformity (older son) can never save you. It
doesn’t go deep enough to take you to the father’s heart. HOW CAN WE BE
SAVED? 1. We need the initiating love of the Father (Luke 15: 20, 28) 2. We need to repent of our sins as well as the wrong reasons why we do good. 3. We need to be melted and moved at what it costs the Father to bringus back home.
B. The Process of Application
In
this process we determine whether the message to the original receiver
is applicable (essential) or not (incidental) to our situation.
It is very clear that this message is an essential. There are no references to the triple C's (Ceremonial - and Civil law as well as Cultural practices).
C. The Process of Communication
In this process we communicate the message to a specific target group.
Please read Days 253-256 of “The Bible as Your GPS” or Pages 143-145 of Hearing God’s Tweet and answer the following questions.
1. What do you think was the young son’s problem and how does that relate to what parents experience today? (Day 253 of the Bible as Your GPS: or Days 143 and 145 of “Hearing God’s Tweet.”)
2. The young son lost everything, except one thing. What was that, and what can we learn from that? (Day 254 of “The Bible as Your GPS”)
3. “The parable should never have been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, for the son is not the hero. It should be called the Parable of the Loving Father,” (William Barclay in his commentary on Luke, p 213). How do you feel about this comment? (Day 255 “The Bible as Your GPS”)
4. What was the older son’s problem? (Page 145 of “Hearing God’s Tweet).
