The Prodigal Son Detail You've Never Heard (Parable of the Running Father)

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

Did Jesus Break the Sabbath? The Meaning of John 5:18

Did Jesus break the Sabbath? Did he do things that went against the commandments of the Bible when it came to the set apart day of the week? Lots of people believe that the Messiah broke the Sabbath day when he walked on earth. In the Gospels he frequently had run-ins with the Pharisees and religious leaders of his day about what was appropriate behavior that would keep the Sabbath day holy. There seem to be verses and statements in the New Testament saying that he violated the Sabbath day in some way. Here we are going to examine if Jesus broke the Sabbath. 

What does the Bible tell us about the Jesus and the Sabbath?

"For this reason they tried all the more to kill him not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." -John 5:18

There it says Jesus was breaking the Sabbath. That seems rather clear, doesn't it? If we flipped our Bible open to this verse and read without context it would be hard to take this verse to mean anything other than: Jesus broke the Sabbath. Heaven knows plenty of pastors, teachers, and Bible commentators have done this.

But this view leaves out the context of what was happening and overlooks how the story is being told. If we pull a verse like this out of context we will inevitably misunderstand the true meaning of this Biblical passage and description of the Savior.

We can see throughout the Gospels that the religious leaders disagreed with the Messiah about how the Sabbath day should be kept. They considered healing on the Sabbath to be a major offense. This comes up in Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 6, and John 9. This was such an issue at the time that each Gospel writer included this in their writing. 

"They questioned Jesus, asking, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?'" -Matthew 12:10

"The scribes and Pharisees were watching him closely to see if he healed on the Sabbath." -Luke 6:7

Before studying and reading the entire Old Testament, I assumed that the Pharisees were upset because God had a law against healing on the Sabbath. I knew there were rules about the Sabbath, and these guys were the religious experts, so they would know...right? The Old Testament is huge, there must be a command prohibiting Sabbath healings somewhere in there.

But then I read the Old Testament, and I read for myself that there is no such Biblical commandment that says that healing is prohibited on the Sabbath. This means that this is not an instruction of YHWH. And if it's not a commandment, then breaking it doesn't violate the Sabbath. This means that Jesus didn't break the Sabbath!

But what about John 5:18 and similar verses like John 9:16? They literally say that the Messiah did break the Sabbath.

If we look at them in context, these verses like these say that the religious leaders thought he was breaking the Sabbath. They also thought he wasn't from God, so if we accept that their opinion was correct and he was breaking the Sabbath, that would mean he wasn't sent from God.

"Some of the Pharisees said, 'This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.'" -John 9:16

Someone's opinion, no matter how popular that person is, or what their credentials are, is not always correct. While these statements are included in the New Testament, that is to tell us what was happening - the religious leaders said it was wrong to heal on the Sabbath, but Jesus did so anyway - and this is not the same as Biblical truth. Yes, it's true that they said and believed that the Messiah was breaking the law, but that doesn't mean it's true that he was.

By healing on the Sabbath, the Messiah not only demonstrated his compassion for people and his desire for our physical wellness. He also showed us through this how seriously he took the word of God. He wasn't going to stand for substitutions of religion. He wasn't okay with saying a human belief or law was the same as commandments from his Father. He refused to perpetuate the belief that what religious leaders said was the same as Biblical law. He wasn't interested in the appearance of looking spiritual; he wanted to love his neighbors while still showing love to God by keeping his commandments.

The activities that Scripture records the Messiah doing on the Sabbath are all things that fit within the Biblical instructions of what to do on that day. He healed, taught, went for walks, and dined in the homes of friends on the Sabbath. In every single story that we have of his life, not once does the Bible record him doing anything that breaks a Biblical law about the Sabbath.

The Bible's commands for the Sabbath mostly consist of things like we should rest on it, work is prohibited, and it's a day for worshipping YHWH instead of pursuing our own interests. In every story we have of his life, we see that the Messiah kept the Biblical instructions about the Sabbath day. Since healing on the Sabbath is not prohibited by Scripture, he was free to do so without violating or breaking the set apart day in any way. 

The Messiah didn't mind breaking man's commandments about the Sabbath. But he never violated what his Father commanded.

Related posts:
Did Jesus Break the Law?
Traditions and Commandments in the New Testament
The Three Types of Laws in Scripture

Fun Ideas for Celebrating Passover and Unleavened Bread

Looking for some ideas for fun ways to celebrate the Bible holidays of Passover and Unleavened Bread? While these times both have great spiritual significance and we would certainly do well to spend time in prayer, worship, and Bible study, as well as perform other acts of service as a way to honor the Creator, I think it's also good to remind ourselves that it's also okay to do things just for fun. These are times of joy after all! Here are some ways to spark joy this Biblical holiday season.

Red Sea Crossing Smoothie Bowls

Why not make something delicious that also reminds you of one of the greatest miracles ever?

Lamb shaped things.

Use a lamb cookie cutter on everything from cheese to apple slices. I made cutout cookies in the shape of lambs to go with my blood on the doorpost Passover dessert.

Blood on the Doorpost Decoration from Torah Sisters

Use red cloth over your doorpost to remind your family and visitors of the Exodus story. A red cloth on the mantle can also be a reminder.

Matzah Toffee from Smitten Kitchen

Try your hand at making this traditional Passover snack! It's easier than you think.

DIY Flair Omer Counter

First Fruits begins the count of the omer, where we are fifty days from celebrating Shavuot. Making your own counter like this one can be a fun way to keep this command. Or try the Scratch Off Omer Counter.

Have a taco night!

Did you know that most tortillas are unleavened? That means having a taco night can be part of your Unleavened Bread celebrations! 

Passover Bucket List

Print this one off or make your own list of things you want to do during this feast celebration!

Unleavened Bread Pinata

Make this any size you want! If you have a square shaped box, all you need is crepe paper and candy or prizes to fill it with!

Ten Commandment Gummies

Moses Bible Crafts from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Hear me out on this - Bible school crafts don't just have to be for kids. If you have good memories of doing projects like these in Vacation Bible School, you might enjoy revisiting them now! Feel free take inspiration from these and make something more chic...you could write out the ten commandments in calligraphy or decorate a candleholder with a reminder of the burning bush from Exodus or make a miniature empty tomb out of wood. The possibilities are endless! 

Try a new topping on unleavened bread.

You can use homemade or store bought. Instead of plain matzo or matzah pizza, try topping yours with hummus and and seasonal vegetables (as seen here with watermelon radishes), peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese with salmon or roasted vegetables, or even a fried egg. 

Matzah Toffee Ice Cream Sundaes

You might not want UB week to end with desserts like this!

I hope you all have an amazing time celebrating these Biblical holidays! I'd love to hear what fun things you do to celebrate!

More posts on Passover and Unleavened Bread:
How to Celebrate First Fruits
Kids Crafts for Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits
Unleavened Bread Recipes from Around the World

Recipes for Unleavened Bread (Without Yeast, Gluten Free, No Oven)

These are various recipes you can use to make unleavened bread, also known as matzah or matzo, during the Biblical holidays of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. There's a little bit of everything here, including gluten-free and vegan options, with recipes made from all-purpose wheat flour to corn masa to buckwheat to chickpea flour. Some of these are made on the stovetop, while others can be baked in the oven. These are wonderful homemade alternatives to boxed matzah, which can be hard to find and is sometimes expensive. These recipes are simple and delicious, and easy to prepare during the week of Unleavened Bread or any time of the year!

I think this post is important because the Living God is inclusive in his holidays, and there are ways for all people and cultures to take part in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, no matter what ingredients are available in their area or despite limitations such as allergies. We are free to use various recipes throughout the week, just so long as they are not leavened. I am giving multiple recipes because there is no single 'right' recipe to use during this time.

Where does unleavened bread come from in the Bible?

The directive for eating unleavened bread for a week was given in Exodus, following the final plague against Pharaoh on Passover. So quickly did Pharaoh change his mind and finally free the slaves that they had very little time to prepare for departure, not even time for their dough to rise and become leavened. Jesus told us to "eat to remember" and eating unleavened bread reminds us of the miracles that the Living God performed many years ago in Egypt, and it also reminds us that our circumstances can quickly change when we aren't expecting them to. Unleavened bread is full of hope.

What is the difference between unleavened bread and regular bread?

Regular bread - whether sandwich bread from the grocery store or artisan sourdough bread - is made using leaven, which means the dough has commercial yeast, sourdough starter, or another leavening agent like baking soda or powder. Typically the dough rests for several hours before baking and grows in size during that time. Once in the oven the bread rises more, giving it height and structure and that airy texture we are all familiar with. Unleavened bread is simply flour of some sort mixed with water and occasionally a few other ingredients, but no leaven. It is then baked quickly, in the oven or on the stovetop. Unleavened breads come out of the oven flat, and can be soft or crunchy depending on the thickness of the dough and how long it was baked.

What about the rabbinical rules though?

Rabbinical rules are just that, rules made up by men - rabbis in this case. There are many complicated rabbinical laws related to unleavened bread, like from when the flour first hits water it has to be baked within 18 minutes. We should know that while there may be wonderful intentions behind instructions like this, that does not mean these rules are the word of God. You are free to keep the Biblical holidays by only following what the Bible says. You do not have to adhere to manmade religious customs. If you are looking for the rabbinic laws regarding Passover and Unleavened Bread, you will not find them here.

Trying out different unleavened recipes can be a great activity during the holiday. How fun would it be to have a different type of unleavened bread each day of the week? Or you could do a potluck with several different kinds! 

12 Unleavened Bread Recipes for Passover:

One Ingredient Socca from Pinch of Yum

Whole Wheat Crackers from A Couple Cooks

Crepes from Cookie and Kate

Tortillas from Minimalist Baker

Einkorn Matzah Bread from Land of Honey

Arepas from Minimalist Baker

Gozleme from Recipe Tin Eats

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies from Sprinkle Bakes

Five Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes (Gluten Free) from Minimalist Baker

Gluten Free Scallion Pancakes from Snixy Kitchen

Homemade Crackers from A Couple Cooks

Strawberry Crepes from Well Plated

Please keep in mind that there are many other types of unleavened bread that you could use to celebrate this Biblical holiday. Many cultures from every continent have some sort of unleavened bread recipe from Ethiopian kitcha bread to Chinese pancakes to tortillas to Indian chapati to much more. Any unleavened bread would be a lovely way to celebrate these Biblical feasts!

More recipes for Passover and Unleavened Bread:
Recipes to Use Homemade Matzah In
Blood on the Doorpost Passover Dessert
Meal Ideas and Recipes for the Feast of Unleavened Bread