By Dr Chris Walley
The brilliance and variety of Jesus’ teaching poses a challenge to Christian communicators. Faced with the Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount or the Parables, we are forced to say ‘how on earth do we follow that?’ Writers and speakers must steer a course between two perils. The first is to expound Jesus’ lively and compelling words with worthy but wearying commentary: that is unhelpful. The second – the very opposite – is to seek ear-tickling novelty at the expense of truth: that is unhealthy.
What J.John and I have sought to do with our book-length treatment of what is perhaps the greatest of all the parables, ‘the Prodigal Son’, is to try to be imaginative and inspiring while, at the same time, being faithful to the text. In order to do this we have created a three-part book that is unique. In the first part, we creatively re-imagine this parable in a short story set in a later (and perhaps more familiar) setting, filling in some of the details and fleshing out some of the personalities. In the second part, we look carefully at the meaning of the parable, and deal with such important aspects as why Jesus taught in parables and the meaning of this parable in particular. We can guarantee that, however many sermons you’ve heard on this parable and however many books you’ve read on it, you will find new insights! What we also do is point out how the story of the Prodigal leads into the glorious and heartwarming subject of God’s grace towards us. Indeed, the younger son, the father and the elder son all represent different human responses to grace. In the final part, we look at handling relationships in the light of the parable of the Prodigal. We talk about how we can apply the truths that are highlighted in this parable in our own lives. We end by bringing in seven brief real-life accounts of people who feel that they can identify with the characters of this great story.
For many years the News of the World claimed of itself that ‘all human life is there’. It was only questionably true of the newspaper; it is certainly true of this parable. Whether as the rebellious younger son, the suffering father or the judgemental older brother, we all can find ourselves in this parable; either as what we were once, what we are now or what we may yet be.
When J.John and I wrote ‘The Life’ together we had little realisation that it would turn out to be a bestseller (over 100,000 copies have been sold). It’s been great to be working together again and it’s been a joy working on this parable. We hope you are challenged by reading this book; we have been challenged and inspired by writing it.
To order 'The Return' click here
