The Prodigal Son Detail You've Never Heard (Beautiful Meaning)

The story of the prodigal son may be some of the most well-known words of the Messiah. It tells the story of a young son who asks for his inheritance, leaves home, squanders the money, finds poverty and despair, before returning home to a father who, after all that, welcomes him back. That's lovely right? We can see how the father in the story represents God and the amazing, freeing, healing forgiveness he offers us...no matter what our choices have been before this.

You can read the full parable in Luke 15:11-32.

The basic understanding of the prodigal son is rich and meaningful, and so often the salve our hearts need. But if we stop here we will miss more of what Jesus intended to show us through this story.

There are many interesting extra details in this passage that you may have heard from Bible commentaries or sermons. The younger son demanding his share of the estate while his father was still alive wasn't just rude, it was akin to telling him that he wished he were dead. And the two sons symbolize the two houses of Israel. The job of feeding the pigs being an extremely low point since the word of God does not consider pigs to be food. There's a lot going on here! And yet, still, there is more.

I used to read this story and when I would get to the part of the father running to his son, I assumed it to be an emotional response. After all he had done...the demand, the abandoning, the squandering of the money...the father still was so happy to see him that he couldn't wait for him to make his own way to the house. I thought it was about an overwhelming feeling of love, that the father couldn't stay still. And that's not necessarily wrong. Heaven does rejoice when we repent. And no one has more joy than YHWH!

But if we knew the culture of the time and place when Jesus told this story, we would recognize something else. I had always assumed this to be a family matter, with what transpired between the younger son and his dad to be of no concern to anyone outside the family...like something similar would be if it happened today in our culture. But at the time, these actions were seen as a community issue.

The Talmud records that there was a customary response to the younger son's actions. The extended family, or sometimes larger community, would perform a 'cutting off' ceremony against someone who had violated community standards in some way. This was called kezazah in Hebrew, and it was a formal way of severing connections with someone who married unconventionally or who sold off part of their family estate, according to the Talmud. Relatives or members of the community would bring some sort of pot or container to break at the feet of whoever they wanted to cut off. So when the father took off running when he saw his returning son, it wasn't just because he was happy to see him. He ran to get to him before anyone tried to cut him off. He ran to save him!

Please note that the cutting off custom was a cultural tradition at the time, and not something the Bible ever calls for or suggests! But it was prevalent enough that both the community members and the Messiah's audience expected the father to cut off the son who had been disloyal to him. The elder brother in the story certainly seemed to expect that, and stated that he begrudged this welcoming back and receiving of his brother. 

But the father did the unexpected and not only accepted the son again, but ran (at the cost of his own personal comfort and perhaps his own dignity) to him to stop anyone who would try and keep his son away from his presence. When the father ran, he was running to the rescue of his beloved son.

I love how this insight into the culture of the time paints a richer picture of the unfathomable depths of God's love for each of us. He doesn't let our own traditions or expectations stand between us and him. When we turn ourselves around from our poor decisions, and walk back to YHWH (the picture of repentance, by the way), he runs to us. He runs because joy fills his heart, and he runs to rescue us. Praise God for the beautiful details inside Biblical truth.

Related posts:

The Parable of the House Upon the Rock (Understanding Matthew 7:24-27)
Biblical Law and the Woman Caught in Adultery
The Two Houses: Israel and Judah in Scripture

The Real Meaning of the Story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42)

I think the story of Mary and Martha, where Jesus is at their house and Martha is upset that Mary is not being more helpful, has probably caused more frustration than maybe any of the Messiah's words. His statement in Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha, you are upset and worried about many things - but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her," has been misunderstood as a criticism of Martha worrying about a meal. We've misunderstood some things in this story, and this post will shed light onto what was actually happening and what was meant in this part of Scripture.

Who were Mary and Martha? 

They were sisters who were both devoted followers of the Messiah during his ministry. The Bible speaks highly of the faith of each of them, and says that Jesus loved them both (John 11:5). They were from Bethany, and they hosted Jesus in their home. Their brother was Lazarus - who was raised from the dead by the Messiah. We see Mary and Martha in the Bible in Luke 10, John 11, and John 12.

The story of the confrontation between Martha and the Savior about Mary's lack of help is found in Luke 10:38-42.

We are told the story goes like this...

Mary and Martha were followers of the Messiah, and they were hosting him and many of his Disciples in their home. While Jesus was waiting on lunch to be served, he began teaching those who were there. Martha was hard at work in the kitchen, preparing an elaborate meal. But her sister Mary sat down to listen to the words the Messiah spoke instead of helping with the food or setting the table. Martha felt annoyed that she was stuck doing all the hospitality work for this large group of people and became upset...and then Jesus reprimands her. He tells her she's making too much food and losing sight of what's most important. He says that Mary made the wiser choice by not helping in the kitchen.

Over and over I have heard that story used to reprimand women for the work they do in providing nourishment to others. It's also used to shush women if they raise any qualms about needing help with making dinner or church kitchen responsibilities. Don't complain, you're the one choosing the less important thing.

Jesus told Martha that "only one thing is required." I've heard many times from the pulpit and Bible studies that this reprimand was because Martha was making too many separate dishes, when she should have just made one simple thing so that she would have had time to come listen herself while the soup simmered or whatever.

I actually remember being in the Christ for the Nations bookstore and seeing a cookbook called something like, "Only One Thing is Needed." It was inspired by the words of the Messiah and filled with recipes for casseroles, stews, and other one-dish meals.

I probably don't have to tell you how much frustration, shame, guilt, and annoyance this interpretation of the notorious Mary/Martha story has caused millions of women. Throughout history women have been given the workload of feeding, not just their families, but relatives, neighbors, coworkers, and church members. They are tasked with figuring out what picky eaters will eat and feeding them multiple times a day. They are called on to feed hundreds of people at funerals and other church functions. They are expected to take meals to new mothers, the elderly, the sick, and the bereaved. If there's an office party that food needs made for, who prepares it is mostly decided not by their position in the company, but by gender. Moms step up to feed the basketball team after games. Women around the world cook for dozens of people to make family reunions possible and make meals to celebrate birthdays and countless occasions. They do this work heroically, with limited budgets, accounting for dietary restrictions and preferences, limited ingredient availability, and often on short notice. This work typically goes unappreciated, their work not valued or noticed, and is almost always done without pay. It's rare for men to pitch in their share of cooking and clean up at events like this. While many women do this work joyfully, it is still work, and I don't know anyone who would prefer kitchen duty to listening to the Messiah speak.

No one wants to be Martha in this story, doing the work while missing out on what's better. Plenty of women wish they had more time for Bible study or hearing the words of Jesus...but who is going to feed everyone? The simple reality is that most people cannot afford take-out or convenience foods every night...to say nothing of the significant cost of professional catering for large events. Even if you are able to outsource this kind of work, it just puts someone else in the position of having to do the cooking when they could be doing something else. And now Martha is getting in trouble (from Jesus himself, no less) because she was taking too much time to cook for everyone?! How fair is that?

I've struggled for years to understand this story. Surely the point of this story is not to manage your time better or you'll get into trouble? The point can't be that making meals is a bad thing. The point can't be that if you say that you want help then you're doing something wrong. Surely Jesus, who so often saw and recognized the needs of women and always treated them with kindness, wasn't mad at a woman working hard to provide a meal for him and his followers?

In fact, this whole incident is quite brief and much of what we've talked about has been assumed, not actually taken from the word of God. Luke 10:38-42 is limited to these words:

Now it happened as they went that he entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached him and said, "Don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her."

Did you catch that there's no mention of cooking a meal here? Martha was busy serving. The Bible does not say that she was busy with serving food to the Messiah. It says she was busy serving. Big difference.

The word used for serving in Luke 10:40 when it says that Martha was busy serving is diakonia. This is usually translated to mean:

1. service, ministering, especially of those who execute the commands of others

2. of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men

3. the ministration of those who render to others the offices of Christian affection, especially those who help meet need by either collecting or distributing of charities

4. the office of deacon in the church

5. the service of those who prepare and present food

We can see from this definition, this word is rarely used to mean preparing food. Given the context of the definition, even if food is being talked about it's more likely to mean cooking for a huge crowd for charity reasons, and not so much for a dinner party in a home setting.

Just to demonstrate that diakonia is rarely used in the context of cooking and serving a meal at home, we see it translated otherwise in these places:

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. -Acts 6:4

His purpose was to equip God's people for the work of serving and building up the body of Messiah. -Ephesians 4:12

Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry. -Acts 12:25

God gave us the ministry of reconciliation. -2 Corinthians 5:18

I know your works, your charity, and service, and faith. -Revelation 2:19

Given verses like these, and that Paul frequently used this word to describe his ministry, it seems unreasonable to assume that the service Martha was doing was serving one meal at home. The way Martha describes Mary's actions further supports this understanding of the verse. When Martha says that Mary has left her she uses the word kataleipo, which means forsaken. If this passage was truly about Martha wanting help with dinner, I doubt she would have chosen such a strong term to describe Mary's slipping away for a few minutes to hear the Messiah speak.

It's most likely that what Martha was doing was running some sort of ministry. Maybe she was caring for orphaned children or lepers. Perhaps she had been assigned charity tasks by a religious leader in her community. She may have been doing deacon work (yes, the New Testament mentions several women as deacons). She could have been working on an outreach project to share good news within or outside of her community. Or she could have been working on collecting and distributing charity to the poor or unwell.

Many scholars believe that Mary and Martha (as well as their brother Lazarus) were part of the Essenes - a religious sect of their day. The Essenes were known for charity work and did much caring for the sick and providing for the poor. So that would certainly fit with the idea that Martha was doing ministry work instead of sitting at the Messiah's feet.

This is why Martha takes her complaint up with the Messiah, and not her sister. If this was about putting a meal on the table, she likely would have told Mary that she needed help. But instead Martha went to Jesus and asked, "Don't you care that my sister has forsaken me to do this work by myself?" I think that was her way of saying, "I am doing all this work for you, and if you cared then you would send someone to help me." She's not talking about setting the table or dishing up the food. She's not talking about needing a hand for a few minutes with clean up. She's talking about significant ministry projects.

And we should note that the Messiah is not upset with Martha! Most of grew up believing that his "Martha, Martha" statement was paired with an eyeroll or came out of frustration. We think of the famous, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia," line from The Brady Bunch and think of someone who has lost their patience with this person. But that's not the case here. Instead of belittling Martha for her choices (no matter if that's making a meal or running a ministry), Jesus speaks tenderly to her. His repetition of her name was said out of concern or empathy, which fits with what he says next, "You are anxious and worried." He's not making fun of her. He's not criticizing her. He's empathizing with how she feels. He's showing her that he does care.

And what Mary was doing was not shirking practical work so that she could do what she wanted - however spiritual that was. I used to picture Mary's actions as selfish. I would picture the busyness of my grandma's kitchen when she was making a meal for her large family - meat need to be sliced, gravy made, the potatoes mashed, vegetables chopped, water poured, the table set - and it would seem like rather than helping her God wanted me to go sit down and read my Bible? Wouldn't that be unkind of me to leave my grandma with all that work? Wasn't it unkind of Mary to expect Martha to serve her along with everyone else they had in their home?

But that is entirely the wrong picture to have about Mary and Martha!

We should also note the wording in Luke 10:39, that says Mary was sitting at the feet of the Messiah. This is not necessarily a reflection of her physical posture (though it could have been). Sitting at the feet was a phrase that was used to describe someone learning from a teacher and being their disciple. That's significant because many have taught and believed that women can't be disciples, in direct contrast to what Scripture teaches and demonstrates. This information also changes the narrative from a picture of Mary sitting and listening to Jesus for an hour or so while Martha cooked, to an ongoing habit in their lives. 

Luke 10:38 says that the sisters "opened their home" to the Messiah. It does not tell us if that was for one day or many. In the traditional rendering of the story, it's easy to assume that it was for one meal or one evening. But there's no reason to think it couldn't have been for a longer period of time. That would mean this wasn't about the logistics of one meal. Days or weeks could have passed where Mary was being discipled by Yahusha, while Martha was continuing on with the ministry by herself.

This gives us perspective on where Martha was coming from when she went to the Messiah. Don't you care that I'm stuck doing all this work for you by myself? This was not about the practical logistics of one meal, but likely an ongoing situation where Martha saw the needs in her community, and wasn't sure how they could be met without her. She was working to help people, and she wrongly believed that she couldn't stop to listen to the words of the Messiah or to grow in relationship with him. Like Peter when he walked on water, she wound up focusing on the storm around her and not listening to the Messiah's words. We see similar mindsets today when people believe that there is too much work to be done to pause and worship on the Sabbath day, or when our focus is on doing good deeds ahead of spending time with YHWH. 

Yes, good works are an important part of our faith. As James says, "Faith without works is dead." What we do is important. But the Bible also teaches that hearing Scripture is what equips us to do those good deeds. If we do not spend time on our relationship with the Messiah, we will not be equipped and our works will not have the same impact. And, like Martha, it will often leave us feeling anxious and perhaps not cared about by God.

The story of Mary and Martha is in no way a reprimand to the millions of women who spend more time in the kitchen than they would prefer. And it's certainly not a prohibition against serving side dishes. Jesus was not mad at Martha, but had compassion for the worry that she dealt with from not pausing to be with him. This story is a reminder that the weight of the world does not fall on our shoulders. It's a reminder that a lifestyle of time spent in Scripture, prayer, and worship is foundational to good works. It's a permission slip to prioritize your relationship with the Messiah above getting things done in his name.

Related posts on women in the Bible:
Overlooked Truths in Proverbs 31
The Significance of Sarah in Scripture
A Woman of Valor

The Parable of the House Upon the Rock (Understanding Matthew 7:24-27)

"The wise man built his house upon the rock...the rains came down and the floods came up..."

I still know the motions to this Sunday school song I learned as a child. It is inspired by the words of the Messiah found in Matthew 7:24-27. Jesus is giving an analogy about the wise man who builds his house on a firm foundation versus the foolish man who builds it on sand. When the rains and the floods happen the foolish man's house was destroyed, while the wise man's still stood.

This is practical, of course. Any home that is going to last needs a sturdy foundation. But this is also a parable. The house, the foundation, and the storm all stand in for other things. And the Messiah explains the meaning to us. The point he is really making is about following the word of YHWH.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."  -Matthew 7:24

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." -Matthew 7:26

This is not a vague spiritual principle. This is not generic advice. 

This is also not just about what the Bible says in the New Testament or limited to the words of the Messiah himself. Scripture identifies Jesus as "the Living Word" (John 1:1), and the Savior said that he only did what his father did, and that he and his father are one. Not to mention at the time he said this there was no 'New Testament.' With this in mind, we can see that the firm foundation he is talking about is all of Scripture.

For extra confirmation of this we can back up and look at the context of what was said leading up to the house upon the rock analogy. Not only is he talking about the whole of the Bible, but he specifically includes Biblical law and the commandments. 

"Many shall say to me in that day, 'Master, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many mighty works in your name?' And then I shall declare to them, 'I never knew you, depart from me, you without the law.'" -Matthew 7:23

Immediately after that he makes the statement, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

You can choose to build your life on whatever you like, but only a strong foundation will get you through the storms we all face. The Messiah said that that foundation is the word of God, and he expressly included the commandments and Biblical law in that statement.

Here is the Messiah telling us exactly how to build our lives. Upon the rock of what the Bible says and its commandments! You can choose to ignore Scripture's commandments...or you can choose to be like the wise man and have them be your foundation.

Now, it is important to correctly understand what Scripture's laws are. We need to make a distinction between the laws for how we live and the laws about animal sacrifice which are no longer in effect since the priesthood is now under Yahusha's Melchizedek order. We need to know that the law he is talking about is not manmade Jewish law, and it's also not just meant in a vague euphemistic sense or just Christian mantras or doctrines.

It's the Bible's instructions. That's what the Messiah said to build your life on.

These are the commandments that Scripture gives us for how we are to live. They consist of practical things like serving YHWH and not practicing idolatry. How to conduct your business and how to treat your neighbors and parents. What day is considered holy and what we should and shouldn't consume. Biblical law is not too hard for you to keep, according to the Bible. Jesus said that should be our foundation!

The rock that we should build our lives upon is Scripture's commandments.

Related posts:
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture
What the Messiah Said About Biblical Law
Basics of Biblical Law

15 Places We See Menorahs in Scripture (Lamp Stands in the Bible)

In this post we are going to take a look at the menorah in the Bible - the lamp stand that Scripture speaks of frequently. Did you know that when the Bible mentions lamp stands or even lights, it often alludes to the menorah that was built for the Tabernacle and was later used in the Temple of Solomon? The menorah has historical and spiritual significance that we will look at.

Menorah design in the Bible:

In Exodus 25:31-40, God gives specific instructions about how the menorah should be made. The Bible details how to make a seven-branch menorah, it essentially looked like a candelabra with three branches on either side of one central branch for seven lights in total. For the Tabernacle, it was made from one piece of pure gold that weighed about seventy five pounds! The cups where the oil burned were made to look like almond blossoms. It took true artisan craftsmanship to build, as the first time the Bible mentions someone being filled with the Holy Spirit was in Exodus 31:1-3, when God tells Moses that he has filled a man named Bezalel with the Spirit so that he had the skill and wisdom to work with gold, silver, and other materials for the Tabernacle.

It's important to note that the nine-branch menorah that is seen at Hanukkah is not the same as the one the Bible describes. 

Biblical menorah meaning:

What's significant about the menorah is that it was used in the Tabernacle to exemplify God's presence. Menorahs were the only source of light in the Tabernacle and Temple, so without them the Levitical priests would not have been able to see to do their duties. The spiritual meaning of the menorah is a reminder of God's presence and that he is light.

Jesus and the menorah:

Since most Bible believers don't see the menorah symbol in their homes or places of worship, it's easy to miss that this symbol would have been incredibly familiar to the Messiah. This was an unspoken cultural detail in the Old and New Testaments. The priests would have seen the menorah when they served in the Temple and the Messiah and the Disciples would have seen its light. It was often nearby when Jesus spoke. It was there when the cleansed the Temple. Many people would have heard his teachings while looking at the light of the menorah. When he told his followers that they were the light of the world, everyone would have pictured a menorah, and knew that he meant that he was saying they were called to represent God's presence. 

The menorah in the Bible:

The menorah is significant enough to YHWH that he had it put in the Tabernacle and weaved the significance of seven and light throughout his word. The Messiah spoke of it often as well. Let's see some of the Biblical references to the menorah.

15 Places we see Menorahs in Scripture:

1. Exodus 25 is where YHWH first orders a menorah to be made and described what it looked like. Can you imagine how beautiful that must have been? Made from one piece of gold with details of almond blossoms on it. This provided the light for the priests in the Holy Place.

2. The first sentence of Scripture goes like this in Hebrew, Beresheet bara Elohim et hashamayim va'et ha'aretz. The phrase is seven words and contains a beautiful picture. The first three words refer to YHWH (the one who was in the beginning, he created), and the last three refer to earth (the heavens and the earth). If you picture these words taking either side of the menorah, you are left with the word et in the middle as the main branch that brings them together. What is the word et? In Hebrew it is simply spelled aleph-tov, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Most of us are familiar with the Alpha and Omega translation of this word that is used as a title for the Messiah. When we pair each word of the first sentence of Scripture to the branches of the menorah we can see that Jesus is what connects us to YHWH.

3. Luke 4:16-21 - When Jesus read the prophecy of Isaiah 61 in the synagogue something very significant happened that modern readers don't see. The tradition of synagogues in that day was to have three elders on other side of the reader. So when the Messiah began to read, "The Spirit of YHWH is upon me," the picture in front of those in attendance was that of a human menorah, where once again the Messiah was in the center.

4. Revelation 1:4 - Did you know that there are seven spirits of God, not just one? This verse tells us that he has seven spirits standing before his throne. It's not a far leap to see the parallel of the seven spirits in Heaven where the seven lights of the menorah were in the Tabernacle.

5. John had a vision of seven menorahs in Revelation 1:12, and Jesus decoded this for us. The seven menorahs that you saw are the seven Israelite congregations. There's a heavy significance to the Savior using the symbol of the menorah to represent his people and that connects back to his words that we are called to be the light of the world.

6. Revelation 2:5 - I will remove the menorah from you unless you repent.

If we don't repent he takes the symbol from the faith from us. That is an alarming statement in a world that is sorely lacking in seven-branch menorahs.

7. Jesus said that he walks in the midst of menorahs in Revelation 2:1. We can see the allegorical sense of his presence with his congregations, but we shouldn't stop it there. Yahusha surrounded himself with menorahs the many times he visited the Temple and has menorahs before him in heaven.

8. The Seven Feasts of YHWH can also be seen as a menorah. If you take their chronological order, Shavuot falls in the center. Significant events that occurred at this feast are the giving of the Torah and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Another picture of Heaven connecting with earth like in Genesis 1:1.

9. He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold menorah with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it."

Zechariah 4:11 - God showed two menorahs to Zechariah in a vision to teach him the deeper truth of the two houses of Israel.

10. John 8:12 - Jesus said, "I am the light." There are two significant pieces here. Firstly, the root of the word Torah is or, meaning light in Hebrew. I can't help but think he made a little play announcing that he is the living Torah. And second, the Greek word that is used here is phos, which of course means light but also speaks of the lamp that is emitting said light. Now if he said that he was the lamp that emits the light, which lamp do you think he had in mind? There was and is no light of more significance than the menorah. Could he have been saying, "I am the menorah,"?

11. The Messiah did many things in sevens. The book of John contains seven instances where Jesus said, "I am." Scripture records him healing seven times on the Sabbath.

12. When Jerusalem is sieged by King Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonians carried off many temple items including the menorahs, in Jeremiah 52:19. Made of solid gold these were incredibly valuable (millions of dollars each in today's money), but the spiritual loss was more devastating for the people of Judah who had disobeyed YHWH. This happened again after the fall of Jerusalem around AD 71. On the Arc de Triomphe in Paris you can see a carved depiction of Babylonians carrying off the menorah from Herod's temple.

13. Revelation 11:4 - The two witnesses in the last days (houses of Judah and Ephraim) are likened to menorahs before the Creator.

14. Isaiah 11:2 - Attributes seven spirits to the Messiah. Of YHWH, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of YHWH.

15. Matthew 5:15 - A parable hidden in good advice. You wouldn't put a menorah under a basket. The Messiah using this terminology shows us that he expected his followers then and now to be familiar with what a menorah is.

There is a lot to be learned from each of these Scriptures but what really gets me is that last one. The Savior intentionally spoke in ways that could be understood by those in his day as well as for the next thousands of years. His agricultural allegories show us this. We can understand the Parable of the Sower because gardening and food production more or less still works in the same way. Him using the menorah in a parable shows us that he didn't want us to get rid of them. And he communicated to John in Revelation he sees his people as menorahs. This symbol comes up expressly over forty times in the Bible, and is alluded to many more. The menorah mattered to the Messiah.

Related posts:
The Seven Branch Menorah - What It Means and Why It Matters