“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 

‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'” Luke 15:25-32 NIV


The Father in the parable of the Prodigal son allowed himself to be shamed and humiliated to demonstrate lavish love, compassion and grace to both of his sons. As the younger son returned home, “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.” (Luke 15:20 NIV). Such an expression would have been shocking to Jesus’ listeners. First, a grown Hebrew man never runs, it would have humiliated him to pick up his long tunic, show his legs and run for any reason. Second, the younger son’s previous actions — asking for his inheritance (as though he wanted his father dead), could have resulted in members of his community performing Kezazah* if anyone saw him approach. This was “a practice of breaking a pot in front of someone who had acted shamefully, and it resulted in a permanent rejection of that person from their community” — akin to shaming in an Amish community. The fact that the father in this parable runs to his son, taking shame upon himself — to prevent any shame being brought onto his son — this was an extraordinary act on the part of the father.

* KEẒAẒAH (Heb. קְצָצָה; “a severing of connections,” lit. “cutting-off “), a technical term used in the Talmud for a ceremony, whereby a family severs its connection with one of its members who marries a person beneath his social rank…, or when one sells part of his estate

The older son shames his father by not speaking to him directly at first — forcing the father to come out from the celebration to talk with the older son on the fringes. The older son questioned the father’s decision to celebrate with the younger son; this showed a shameful attitude toward his father. Lastly, he identifies himself as his father’s “slave” and won’t acknowledge the younger son as being his brother. But, once again, the father came to the older son (who had just humiliated him in multiple ways), to explain his actions and extend the invitation to the older son to come and participate in the celebration.

The Apostle Paul tells us how Jesus came to the earth, took our shame upon himself, so that we can know that Jesus is Lord:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 NIV

Did you see how the father in this parable does not hesitate to take on shame so that he can extend grace to both of his sons? Take a moment to consider how Jesus did the same thing —  taking on our sin and shame when he died on the cross for your sins and mine.

So, the question becomes, what do we do with this? Let’s look at the beginning of Philippians 2 for an answer.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

This deep dive into the Prodigal Son story that we have done over the past few weeks, has shown me the person in this parable we are to emulate is the father. He is the one who demonstrates compassion, love, mercy, grace and forgiveness.  Listen to this song, about the “Goodness of God” (https://youtu.be/ZEBrMOyNpaQ?si=pipAFJ6yEBby5EW) and think about how you can do the same this week with someone. 

by Grace Hunter

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