The Return of the Prodigal Son

Return of the Prodigal Son, Guercino, 1619

The Prodigal Son is my favorite parable in the Bible. It's interesting to read it from the perspective of the father, son, brother, and servant. I love this story and it's picture of God's overwhelming forgiveness and love for the lost!

"And He said, 'A man had two sons. 

The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. 

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."'

So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put in on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.

And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; but when this son of your came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.'

And he said to him, 'Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.'"

Trinity

After a great couple of weeks off for Christmas break we didn’t waste any time at the Institute getting back into class mode as we studied one of the greatest mysteries of Christianity: the Trinity! For three days Glenn Kreider discussed Trinitarianism and while I learned so much of what has been revealed about the Trinity I am now even more in awe of the mystery of the Trinity!

There are so many analogies that Christians use to try describing the Trinity but in reality there is nothing like the Trinity. There is one God. The Father is God. The Son is God. The Spirit is God. The three are united and equal but each has some functions or roles that are unique. God is eternally triune but is progressively revealing Himself to us throughout time. God has chosen to reveal himself to us in history through scripture, the world, and the incarnation of Christ.

In the Bible God makes Himself known through the Spirit, through actual texts of scripture, through prophets and the Son. Hebrews 1:1,2 says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” Psalm 19:1 speaks of how God is revealing Himself through the world: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” And up until Christ came to earth the scriptures of the Old Testament hinted at the plurality of God but only became clear when Jesus became human and lived among humanity. Philippians 2:6-8 says, “although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be asserted, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

While on earth Jesus spent time performing miracles and proclaiming Himself to be Lord both fully human and divine. Christ reveals to man the truth of who God is in what was and still is often thought to be a contradiction because He taught both monotheism and plurality. Jesus taught that there is only one God. John 5:44 “’How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?’” But while still holding onto that truth He also distinguished Himself from the Father and Spirit. John 10:17,18 describes the Father and Son as different: “’For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.’” Jesus also speaks of the Spirit not being the Father or the Son when He says in John 15:26, “’When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me.’”

God is the triune Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We only know who God is as revealed to us up to this point in time. The trinity is hard to grasp but I’m ok with that. He’s all knowing and I am not. He has all understanding and I do not. That’s what makes me human and Him God. The Trinity is a mystery to me. By reason of evidence I accept what God has chosen to reveal to humanity about Himself, and I accept what God hasn’t chosen to reveal yet about Himself by faith.