Luke 15
1. First Impressions
What are your first impressions of this text? * Forgiveness, repentance, and diligence * In the Prodigal of the Lost Son the farmer celebrates the return of his son from a life of sin. Son’s sins are not what is celebrated rather his acknowledgement of his own sins and his repentance to his father. His father (the farmer) with a celebration forgives the son. * Both the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin reflect repentance, diligence and a form of forgiveness. In the Lost Sheep the man loses one sheep out of ninety-nine and searches for the one until it is found and rejoices in it. In the Lost Coin a women loses 1 coin out of 10 in her home. She cleans and sweeps until she finds the one coin and rejoices.
What sounds interesting or strange to you? What do you think a 21st human being might hear in all this? * In this day and age the majority of people would search and work for the ninety-nine sheep and not the lost one, not for the one coin but for the nine others, and would reward the hardworking son over the lost son. Faith is usually not in God/Bible/Jesus but in making a profit of some sorts.
Can you immediately think of a situation for which this story or these words might be helpful? * I read these words and I think of myself, my relationship with my family. The hard working, reliable daughter, who is reliable to a fault is finally able to do something with her life, received very little support. Compared to what they have done for my siblings with addiction issues. It makes me question my faith.
Are there any important textual footnotes that apply to this text? * The footnotes name the parables and where each one is started and ended.
2. Translation Study
Which of the three translations did you find the most readable to you? * Printed out the New International Version, the English Standard Version, and the American Standard