More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music

#492: "The Prodigal" by Josiah Queen

• Michelle Nezat • Episode 492

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CLICK HERE for the episode guide to help you connect with Scripture through this song.

Growing up, my mom and stepdad used to listen to Paul Harvey. He was a radio broadcaster famous for telling "the rest of the story." When Josiah Queen sings "The Prodigal," I'm sure you're thinking of the famous parable Jesus taught. However, we will study the "rest of the story in this episode." Because you see, the story of the prodigal son is only part of the story.

Join me in the gospel of Luke as we place ourselves in the scene where Jesus teaches the parable of lost possessions.

In this episode, I discuss the following:

  • Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: 
    • Read in context
    • Historical context
    • Consult outside resources
    • Repetition
  • Episode Guide
  • The story behind the song "The Prodigal" by Josiah Queen - YouTube Short
  • Where we get the name "prodigal son" from a parable that doesn't use that word - Luke 15:13
  • A discussion on why and how we take things out of context
  • Reading Luke 15 and discovering that the parable of the prodigal son is one part of a three-part parable about lost things
  • Considering the audience Jesus was speaking to
  • Gaining perspective from "The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament" by Kenneth Bailey - Amazon Paid Link
  • The group of Pharisees known as the haberim -- loosely translated as "friends" or "associates" and their rules about who they could and could not eat with
  • How this parable in Luke 15 harkens back to Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34
  • How Jesus pushed the buttons of his audience with his word choices, highlighting a deplorable trade and making a woman the hero of the story
  • How I highly recommend Susan Macias' novel, "Finding Home," to bring the historical context of the New Testament and the parable of the lost sons to life - Amazon Paid Link
  • Pictures of being lost in the far country and being lost at home
  • Discovering who the prodigal son, elder brother, and Father are in the story - "All The Parables of the Bible" by Herbert Lockyer - Amazon Paid Link
  • Revealing what is covered in each panel of the parable picture - lost/found/rejoicing

Additional Resources

This Week's Challenge

 Read Luke 14-16 several times before focusing your attention o

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