The Parable of the Prodigal Son is easily the most famous story Jesus ever told. It has inspired paintings, novels, symphonies, and countless sermons. Yet for all its familiarity, we often miss its radical edge. We reduce it to a morality tale about a wayward child who says sorry and a softhearted dad who offers a second chance. But Luke 15:11–24 is far more disruptive than that. It is a story about the architecture of desire, the bankruptcy of self-exile, and a love that operates outside the economy of merit. **The Request That Kills** The parable opens not with departure, but with a demand: "Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me" (v. 12). In the first-century world, this was not merely impolite; it was violent. By asking for his inheritance while his father still lived, the younger son is effectively saying, "I wish you were dead." He wants the benefits of sonship without the relationship. He wants the assets, not the father. This is th...
Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul the Apostle , was a significant figure in early Christianity. Born in Tarsus (modern-day Turkey) around the early 1st century, he was a Roman citizen and a devout Pharisee who strictly followed Jewish law. Before his conversion, Saul was a persecutor of Christians , believing that they were a threat to Jewish traditions. His Conversion to Christianity Saul's transformation happened on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19): He was traveling to arrest Christians when he was blinded by a bright light . He heard the voice of Jesus , saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" He was struck blind and led into Damascus, where he fasted for three days. A disciple named Ananias was sent by God to heal him. When Ananias laid hands on him, Saul regained his sight and was baptized. Becoming Paul the Apostle After his conversion: Saul began preaching about Jesus as the Messiah , shocking those who knew his past. He spent years tra...