The Cross & the Prodigal: Luke 15 Through the Eyes of Middle Eastern Peasants

I've had the great privilege by now to have read a couple of other classics from one whom I'll call "Brother Bailey." A true brother and companion in our journey through this life as followers of the meek and gentle Good Shepherd, Jesus the Anointed One!His lifelong perceptions of the Middle Eastern village way of life has truly revolutionized my understanding of so much of what Jesus said and did. As a college student of Theology and History, and in my early years as a very young community based church pastor, I devoured 7 thick volumes of a Protestant-based Bible Commentary, cover-to-cover.I love reading (years later I learned I'm a visual learner, so no wonder)! This was followed by the somewhat rapid reading of the whole Bible, Genesis all through Revelation. Each time using a different translation or paraphrase of the Bible. In a year I would read the Bible through about an average of 3 times. I probably did that a dozen times (mid '70s; so by then there began to exist a plethora of translations and paraphrases).I carried out that strategy so I could catch the sweep of Scripture time and time again. Plus, when reading latter parts of the Bible, the early sections were still fresh in my mind. Same would be true as I went back to the beginning. Especially after digging deep into Scripture by reading the volumous and detailed work of the Bible Commentary. Meanwhile I had the privilege of securing a Master of Divinity degree from our Seminary (a 3-year extensive program, which I loved).And I've continued to treasure the ongoing study of Scripture during the subsequent forty years, since those early years following the strategy described earlier. Along with authors offering fresh perspectives on various passages and topics.Yet NOTHING quite prepared me for the insights my Brother Bailey has graciously and full of the Spirit of Jesus, shared with me. And opened my eyes to grand insights along with small fascinating details. Which came from years of his own research as a New Testament professor in various universities in the Middle East. Yet most importantly, from living nearby, and spending years absorbing the norms and a deeply held way of life among small villages. Spread throughout the vast lands where the events within Scripture took place. Especially the life of Jesus, along with most of the prophets who penned the Hebrew Scriptures, and the Apostles through whom the early Christian community, the followers of "The Way," first came to be established.This book is a reprint of his first booklet—it's really a short read. With the addition of a play acting out the event's of the two prodigal sons. (I've been involved in putting Scripture into plays, but this one was totally lost on me. Sorry, my Brother. Probably just my faulty brain.) Otherwise, a gem to be cherished and soaked in!

The Prodigal Son, a story that occupies a special place in many a heart, usually those of us that have been the prodigal… This book is SO insightful and unpacks ALL of the parable verse by verse in such a profound way.. And the little play at the end was a wonderful bonus (being a screenwriter I really appreciated the author’s creative effort) If you love this parable you will LOVE LOVE LOVE this book.

Book gives me hope of being accepted back into fellowship with the Lord. I can only ask, pray and hope that I am.

I really enjoy Bailey's style, and this book was a bit less technical than some of his others, making it even more easy to read and grasp. He takes a relatively short story and expands on the underlying concepts and cultural understandings that the original hearers would have grasped when they heard it. He adds so much background story to it, that it really comes to life more.My only complaint, and it is a relatively slight one in light of the whole story, is that Bailey kind of misses the mark in identifying the parties of the story. In identifying the prodigal son as just mankind, he misses the covenant significance behind it. The father figure is indeed representative of Yahweh as he points out, but the older son would be representative of the two southern tribes that were technically still within the covenant with the Father, with the prodigal son representing the ten Northern tribes who were not. Like the prodigal son, those tribes were cast out, dispersed throughout the nations, but they were promised (as seen in Isaiah, Hosea and Ezekiel 37, and elsewhere) that one day they were to be brought back into the fold. As we see this beginning to happen under the ministry of Paul, we see the building frustration of the Pharisees who were dealing unkindly to the idea, just as the older son in the story did.But as I said, while this is a technical issue of sorts, it doesn't really alter the thrust of this book's underlying story, that of the Father's love even for the people who despised him beforehand, but were now returning to the fold. I just think that bringing in that identification would add a slightly deeper meaning to the story, as well as bringing in the connection and tying together the promises from the OT that were about to take place.Even without that though, he brings out the extent of the Father's love, which bends over backwards in the face of cultural mandates, and acts in a way that is so contrary to the actions required of someone in the father's position, that it should bring the readers to a greater appreciation of what Yahweh has done for His people.

I bought this book to accompany a Bible study on Luke 15. It’s an excellent resource. I bought a copy for my friend and she loved it and got her whole family to read it as well. It’s a new perspective for me on an old story- but I believe looking at the Bible through middle Eastern eyes makes the most sense. I’ll never think of Luke 15 again in the way I had! I plan to read his other books as well now.

Kenneth Bailey puts real flesh on the story--such as when the parable says "the father ran to meet him" he explains the depth of what that meant for that father to do that in that culture. It gave me a deeper understanding of the loving, longing heart of the Father for his children. And that's only one instance....there were many eye opening culture mores explained. There was no new interpretation of the parable--simply great depth of meaning.....what does it mean in that culture for a son to ask for his share of the inheritance before the death of his father? What does it mean for a hebrew to go to a gentile country and spend his money? Why was the only job the hebrew son could find was herding pigs? How would his village respond to his return? Very insightful.

I've now read a number of Kenneth Bailey's books, then recommended them to all my friends and have made "Jesus through middle Eastern eyes" compulsory reading for my preaching team.The Cross and the Prodigal is much shorter and I think is an updated re-issue of a chapter in "Poet and Peasant." I read a lot of books and have been a Christian and pastor for some time, but think that page for page, this short book is among the most valuable I've read. It takes a fresh look at the 3 parables in Luke 15 - especially the Prodigal Son, which is very familiar material; but although I'd say I know the story well, and have been blessed by Tim Keller's "Prodigal God" and a great chapter in E Clowney's "Preaching Christ through all of Scripture" it felt like whilst reading The Cross and the Prodigal, light bulbs were being switched on in my head as I came to understand parts of the chapter for the first time. I can't recommend it highly enough.The second half of the book is a play based on the Parable, which I'm sure is great and I'll get round to reading it once I've got over the impact of the first half!

Brilliantly written with great Middle East background and scholarship to the parables of Luke 15.

This is one of the most interesting and accurate expositional books that I have read. Recommend it to any serious Bible student.

It answered questions l had from child and adult Sunday school

Great book. Speedy delivery. Can't ask more than that.