__ATG Lesson 8
Doing things our own way takes us away from God.
Understanding the Bible
The Jews of Jesus day did not associate with sinners
or Gentiles, mostly because they believed that as children of God they were
much superior and did not want to be stained by associating with them. The
Jews_ most constant criticism of Jesus was that he associated with these
people, but in chapter 15 of Luke, Jesus explains that God is interested in
sinners and the outcasts of society. In the chapter Jesus gives three parables
that show how repentant sinners will be in the Kingdom of Heaven, while
self-righteous religious people will not. The first two parables, the lost coin
in verses 5-7, and the lost sheep in verses 8-10, teach that sinners are
important to God, and that there is rejoicing in heaven when one finds
repentance. The third parable, verses 11-32, has the dual teaching that
children of God who wander can be restored, and to the Jews he was teaching
that Gentiles were also to be included in the Kingdom of God. God is interested
in our repentance, whether we are in blatant sin, or sin by having a self
righteous attitude like the Jews had.
Bible Commentary
Who likes tax collectors?
Tax collectors were the target of hate for the Jews.
They worked for the Roman government and collected the taxes for Rome on a
contract basis. Often local people served as sub-contractors, collecting taxes
from individuals. This was a constant reminder to the Jews that they were under
foreign domination. Tax collectors had to collect a certain amount of money for
Rome, and whatever else they collected was their salary. This led to a lot of
abuse and corruption as the tax collectors usually collected much more than
they were supposed to so they could keep a lot of the money. Tax collectors
were relegated to the same state as sinners to the Jews, and a Jew who was a
tax collector was treated as though he was a Gentile.
Keeping bad company
The Jews often criticized Jesus for not only
associating with sinners, but also with eating with them. One reason was that
if you ate, or fellowship with someone, that was in essence giving your
approval to their lifestyle. They
carried the tradition to the point that they believed that if you ate with such
a person, his uncleanness would rub off on you. Another reason the Jews
objected to Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners was that they were
considered unclean, and may have used unclean utensils in food preparation. The
Jews taught that if anything unclean touched a clean person he became defiled.
To eat with someone implies that you may have used some of the same utensils
that were used to prepare the meal, and it was considered inclean. In the
Jewish mind, a person who associated with sinners became guilty of the same
sins just by association. Much of Jesus_ teaching was spent combating this
idea.
1. Why did the Jews consider tax collectors to be
equal to sinners.
Tax collectors tended to abuse their position and take
advantage of people. The Jews resented this and over time they tended to lump
them together with sinners. It is also true that the tax collectors were
sinning when they abused the system to get rich.
2. Why did the Jews object to Jesus eating with tax
collectors and sinners.
The Jews saw eating or fellowshipping with someone as
giving approval to that person_s lifestyle. They also saw anyone who was not a
Jew as unclean, and believed that one could become unclean by eating with or
associating with them.
Bible commentary
Clean and unclean
Pigs were considered unclean, along with several other
animals. Pigs were one of the animals that God said were unclean (Leviticus
11:7.) In the Mosaic Law uncleanness referred more to ceremonial defilement,
and not moral defilement. When one was unclean because of contact with
something unclean, there were certain regulations he had to follow before he
could worship or serve in the temple. This did not necessarily have an impact
on the person_s morality. In the years after the exile, before Christ, the
Pharisees artificially expanded the distinction between clean and unclean. They created an elaborate system and over
the years that system came to be regarded as equal to scripture. Much of the
Pharisee tradition dealt with being clean or unclean. They felt they were fine
with God as long as they were ceremonially clean, regardless of the condition
of their heart. In his teachings, Jesus emphasized moral rather than ceremonial
purity. One of his strongest statements about elevating ritual over moral and
ethical issues is found in Mark 7:9 which says
"You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order
to keep your tradition."
Early inheritance
In this parable, the younger son makes a very unusual
request in asking his father to divide the estate. Usually the eldest son
inherited the estate, and usually that did not happen until the father either
died or was too old to manage the property. It may also seem unusual that the
father would grant such a request, but Jesus told the story in this way to get
his hearer_s attention. The point, in comparing the father in the story to God,
is that God is gracious towards all of us, even to the point to allow us to
rebel if we choose to do so.
3. Who did the younger son represent in this parable?
He represents Gentiles, or those who were not part of
the family of Israel. The point of the parable is the contrast between the
attitude of the son. Though the younger son had rebelled, he saw his terrible
condition and was repentant. The elder son did not recognize his sinful
attitude and therefore was not repentant.
4. What is the significance of the younger son_s
attitude after he comes to his senses?
He realized that he had sinned and saw his need for
God. The Jews were so self righteous that they could not see their need for
repentance and forgiveness. The younger son though, had no room for self
righteousness, because he realized that his predicament was his own fault. He
also made no excuses and made no assumptions on the father when he repented.
Bible Commentary
True repentance.
In this parable we see a picture of true repentance.
The younger son, in the story, had squandered his wealth and was in deep
trouble. He realized he had given up his right to be called a son because he
had abandoned his father and family. He realized that even his father_s servants were living better
than he was living, so he went back to his father and offered to be treated as
a servant and not a son. True repentance is seen here in that the son admitted
his failure, making no excuses and not assuming he had any rights. In New
Testament usage, repentance means a change of mind and purpose. The implication
is that when we repent, we change from thinking our way and start thinking
God_s way. True repentance makes no excuses and throws itself totally on the
mercy of God.
Making the wicked Godly
When the young man returned to his father_s house he
was hoping he could be a servant, having given up his rights as a son. The
father_s reaction was not what he expected or perhaps deserved. The father
called for the best robe, a ring and shoes for his feet, as well as calling for
a celebration. The father restored the repentant son by clothing him and feeding
him, not just meeting his barest necessities, but ravishingly restoring the son
to his position. Though Jesus never used the word "grace" in the
gospel accounts, parables such as these show the meaning of grace as it is
taught in the New Testament. Grace means God giving us what we don_t deserve.
This is perhaps the opposite of worldly thinking, but by grace, God justifies
the wicked (Romans 4:5).
5. What is the father_s attitude toward the son when
he sees him returning?
The father was moved by compassion the moment he saw
his son returning. He did not even listen to the repentance speech, but began
the celebration immediately. This show_s God_s attitude towards repentance, and
how he welcomes those who return to him with a repentant heart.
6. What attitudes can we see in the son who repented?
First the son recognized his sinful condition. He
realized that his life was much worse without his father than it was with his
father. He did not try to blame others or excuse his behavior in any way,
instead he freely admitted his guilt and threw himself on the mercy of his
father. He did not assume that his father owed him anything, or even that his
father would forgive him.
__Lesson 8 CBS
Doing things our own way takes us away from God.
Luke 15:1-2 (KJV)
1. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and
sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This
man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Luke 15:1-2 (NIV)
1 Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were
all gathering around to hear him. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the
law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
The Pharisees, who were the leaders of Judaism in
Jesus_ day, were constantly looking for reasons to discredit Jesus. They knew
he claimed to be the Messiah, but since they did not believe in him, they felt
compelled to find fault in him. One of their most common criticisms involved
his association with sinners and Gentiles. To the Jewish mindset, anyone who
was not a Jew was not only a Gentile, but a sinner by birth. The Jews were not
interested in welcoming these people into the Kingdom. The Pharisees, though
having the appearance of goodness, paid little attention to internal and
spiritual matters. It was the sinners of Jesus day who saw their need, and it
was they who sought him and believed. The situation of the self-righteous not
seeing their need, and sinners seeing their need of salvation, led Jesus to
teach three parables that showed how God is interested in repentant sinners and
even seeks them out.
1. Why did the Jews consider tax collectors to be
equal to sinners.
2. Why did the Jews object to Jesus eating with tax
collectors and sinners.
Luke 15:11-19 (KJV)
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the
younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods
that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And
not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey
into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And
when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to
be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and
he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his
belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And
when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father_s have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of
thy hired servants.
Luke 15:11-19 (NIV)
11 Jesus
continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one
said to his father, _Father, give me my share of the estate._ So he divided his
property between them. 13
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for
a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he
had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he
began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that
country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his
stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him
anything. 17 "When he came to his
senses, he said, _How many of my father_s hired men have food to spare, and
here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say
to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer
worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men._
In this parable, the younger son asks a very unusual
thing. Normally estates were divided at the death of the father, or when the
father could no longer run the estate himself, but in this case the father
gives in to the younger son_s wishes.
The Jews would have understood that Jesus was teaching
about rebellion. The younger son represents Gentiles who wandered away from
God, and the older son represents the Jews who had stayed with their father.
The hearers would have picked up on the analogy. Jesus
had been criticized for associating with sinners who were wasting their lives
with riotious living, which correlates to the younger son in the story, while
the older son stayed with the father and was not rebellious.
The younger son sinks to the depths. The Jews would
have thought it would first be a terrible thing to be tending pigs, and perhaps
even worse to be so hungry that one desired to eat vegetation that pigs ate.
Jesus was getting his point across, that sinners who
are repentant, have no presumption of their value to the father, and repentant
sinners who come to God have a humble attitude.
4. Who did the younger son represent in this parable?
5. What is the significance of the younger son_s
attitude after he comes to his senses?
Luke 15:20-24 (KJV)
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he
was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy
son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put
it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be
merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to
be merry.
Luke 15:20-24 (NIV)
20 So he got
up and went to his father. "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.
21 "The son said to him, _Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son._
22 "But the father said to his servants, _Quick!
Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on
his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let_s have a feast and
celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and
is found._ So they began to celebrate.
When the son returns the father is filled with
compassion, and does not even listen to the son_s rehearsed repentance speech.
Instead he welcomes his son back into the family and has a celebration.
It is interesting to not that in the parable, the son
is given a position that he did not have before, when he returns to his father.
It is the same today, when we repent and are saved, we are given a position as
a member of the family of God, which is something we did not have before we
were saved. Jesus was teaching that the sinners would get into heaven before
the Pharisees, because sinners repented and came to God.
When we do things our own way, it takes us away from
fellowship with God. In the parable, the younger son was in open rebellion and
that led him to a lot of suffering, just as that would do on the spiritual
level. But we also see in the parable, that the elder son, who did not openly
rebel, had his own attitude problems that caused its own separation from God.
The Jews wanted to be righteous on their own terms, and as a result they saw no
need for repentance in their own lives as they judged the sinners. The sinners
Jesus approved of were those who, though they had wandered from God, saw their
need and repented.
5. What is the father_s attitude toward the son when
he sees him returning?
6. What attitudes can we see in the son who repented?