Things: The “Lost” Parables
Then Jesus told them this parable:... (Luke 15:3)
The Heart of the Father
When you mention the parables of Jesus, the Prodigal Son will likely be one of the first ones that will be brought up in this conversation. In fact, this parable is arguably one of the most familiar and beloved of Jesus’ parables. Depending on the interpretation, this parable has a few different names, including "The Parable of the Older Brother”, “The Parable of the Loving Father", or “The Parable of the Lost Son”. This parable shares Luke 15 with two other notable parables: The Parable of the Lost Sheep and The Parable of the Lost Coin. The trio forming the “lost” parables.
Outside of the obvious theme that these parables share of something being lost (a sheep from the flock, a silver coin, a beloved child), there is more that can be elucidated in these often revisited stories. Just by mentioning the various titles, the Parable of the Lost Son has already pointed us to the many lenses these parables can offer us as modern-day students of the words of Jesus. Bringing them all together into a sort of compendium on the topic of loss opens up more room for us to sit down and digest the nuggets that this chapter of Luke offers us with these three Luke-exclusive parables.
To set the groundwork here, let’s consider what we could say is the skeleton or the signposts for these parables. In all three, we see three of four different movements happen. A loss of something deeply important, some sort of searching, the recovery arc that then culminates in joy. Someone just reading the titles of these parables can conclude that these stories will teach us about the grace we find in Christ coming after us, even when we are lost. (We can queue the worship team to play "Reckless Love" here. Sorry if this triggers you, as it did me. My old worship team and I ran this song into the ground.)
Since we have now brought these three parables together, I welcome you to view the other things taking place in these parables, within them and outside of them. All of them center around the subtle things Jesus says and does during his interactions with the people around him, listening to his words.
As we already know, the folks that Jesus is directing these words to are the Pharisees and Scribes, the people who at that time had the most influence culturally, politically, psychologically, whatever “-ally” you can think of, these people had the clout over it, and people listened to them. But those who came around Jesus, who “drew near unto him” to hear him, did so not out of obligation or fear but because of who Jesus was and the character he demonstrated.
These leaders were coming at Jesus for being around sinners. He wasn’t around the people they thought he should be hanging around with. I think of the many movies where the main character is confronted by the popular group, and the leader warns them to watch who they hang out with, because it will dictate the rest of their lives. Of course, we know that Jesus was unbothered by this and took it a step further by continually and blatantly going against the status quo.
What we need to take notice of is that being a sinner back then had deeper implications than it would in our modern day. Back in Jesus’ day, anyone who was deemed unclean was a sinner. But this didn’t just mean morally. People who held specific professions that were important (looking at you, tanners of leather), people who were sick or had physical disfigurements (often times out of their control), were also considered sinners.
Where today we can trace a sickness of physical difference back to its source thanks to science, back in the time of Jesus, these things were said to be caused by an individual’s actions or lack of commitment to following the laws laid out. Today, I think this sort of reasoning would cause outrage. Back then, this was normal. Jesus intentionally went to meet with these people and share meals with them, which is a sacred act of fellowship.
Jesus takes this opportunity a step further by telling these three parables with shepherds and women as the main protagonists. These people would have been looked down upon by society at the time. They were mistrusted and considered less than, especially when put side by side with the Pharisees and Scholars. I feel confident that these subtle acts were intentional.
To add to the actions of resistance and subversion that Jesus empowers us with in these parables, we can notice some of the ways he doesn’t give the typical resolutions to stories. One of the most poignant examples is the father in The Parable of the Lost Son. The father gives in to the son’s requests, knowing that this would bring dishonor to himself. Brushing off the implication that the son cares more about riches than the life of the father, who worked to set them aside for him.
““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.”
Going further, the father disregards the norms of how a dignified man should act and doesn’t walk, but runs to the son. The last thing on his mind was how he would be perceived; instead, he was led by the joy swelling in his heart at knowing that his son had returned.
I am sure there are people there who would side with the older brother in feeling that some consequences are warranted for the disrespect the younger son showed to the father and his estate. In fact, I would say that a typical person hearing the parable would also say that the son should not have been accepted so easily by the father. In the parable, we see the father not even letting the son finish his speech. He is immediately forgiven and welcomed back.
At the heart of these parables, we absolutely taste and see the goodness of Jesus’ example and the gift that we received in atonement and the grace God freely and abundantly gives. But with this, I would also say that Jesus offers us an example of a loving Father in how he framed and carried out the parables he shared with all who drew near to hear. He actively disregarded the established standards and institutions to dismantle a way of life that was not inclusive and harmful.
The example of a loving father who runs, not walks, to embrace a son who chooses themselves over what is better for them. The example of a father who places those he loves over the loudest voices in the room. The father who sees the person, not the sickness, or disfigurement, or dirt. Examples that are poignantly relevant to us today, in a state where the loudest voices among us unfortunately push us to be more like a Pharisee instead of a loving, embracing father or a devoted and fearless shepherd.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jean Carlo Martinez is a poet from Queens, New York, the son of Guatemalan immigrants. Formed by Theopoetics, he writes into the space where migration and the sacred touch—where city streets remember and belonging is never settled. His work is shaped by his time with undocumented immigrant youth, where every story carries both rupture and hope. Read More of this writer’s work on Substack,here.