5/31/2023 0 Comments Focus bible studies![]() Whatever he had been attempting to do had failed. Whatever happened, the money was soon gone and the younger brother experienced not repentance, or a turning away, but conversion, a turning towards. Photo by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayfordīob Bowman addresses the NOAC audience on the topic of the Prodigal Son parable The original Greek text states that the Prodigal lost the money in “self-destructive living.”īowman asked his listeners to imagine that the Prodigal was part of the Diaspora of God’s people, the scattering of the Jews throughout the Persian and Roman Empires–he might have sought his destiny in the wider world with his father’s blessing. “Maybe the women are part of the older brother’s imagination,” he said. He surprised more than a few listeners when he pointed out that it is the Older Brother, not the parable itself, that suggests the Prodigal younger misspent his share of the inheritance on wine, women, and song. He had given that title to the NOAC planning team six months previously, but had found in the time since that it didn’t work! No one seemed to mind as Bob mined Luke 15:11-32 for more gold. He also had disappointing news for everyone who had come out to hear him speak on the topic “A Certain Woman Had Two Daughters,” which had been announced as the topic for the day’s study. Today’s parable, he said, is not yesterday’s parable because today we are not the same people we were yesterday. In Bowman’s Bible study, Part II, he began by noting that Jesus’ parables hold more than one meaning, but the interpretation must fit the text. “Because that’s what we ‘older brothers’ do.” Thus the story is open ended, Bowman said, and Jesus allowed his hearers to decide the ending for themselves.īowman pondered aloud how he would end the story, as an older brother himself: after hearing that his younger Prodigal brother had returned and was welcomed back by his father with open arms, and getting angry about it, perhaps the Older Brother would say he just needed a few minutes to get used to the new situation, and would soon be able to join the party. The Older Brother’s ultimate response to the return of his Prodigal and profligate younger brother is left open by Jesus. He characterized this basic plot line as a story based on “empire” as opposed to the reign of God or the Kingdom of God, in which “there’s room enough for everyone to win without someone having to lose.” “Younger brothers successfully pull the rug out from under the feet of older brothers,” Bowman said. For example, Isaac is picked over Ishmael David is anointed to be king in place of his older brothers Joseph is triumphant despite his older brothers’ plans to eliminate him. “It ends fine without (the Older Brother),” so his inclusion must be crucial said Bowman.īowman, an older brother himself, characterized the NOAC congregation as “older brothers” too–in terms of their role in the church and in society, taking responsibility, keeping things going, doing the hard work required to support a family, providing stability.īut in many folk tales and in other Bible stories, particularly the Old Testament, the younger brother usurps the older brother. If the Prodigal younger brother wasted all the money, repented, and was forgiven, without the response of the Older Brother, the parable would still end in joy. One reason Bowman said the Older Brother is crucial to discovering the meaning of the parable is, perhaps counter intuitively, the Older Brother is not really necessary to the basic plot of the story. ![]() He suggested that “words in a parable are pared down to their essentials,” and that Jesus may have used parables in a number of different ways, as “a subtle criticism of his own culture,” or to “drive home an important point,” or to relate a verbal problem almost like a Zen koan for his disciples to meditate on and lead them to new insights or an aha moment. In presentations that were part stand-up, part biblical scholarship, and all relevant to life today, Bowman focused each day in turn on one of the three main characters in the parable: the Older Brother, the Prodigal younger brother, and the Father. ![]() “You’ve probably taught this parable yourself…but its my turn this time,” said Bob Bowman, introducing the first of his three daily Bible studies at NOAC, focused on Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15. Brethren Historical Library and Archives.Strategic Plan – Plan Estratégico – Plan Estratejik. ![]()
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