The Park Forum

Scripture Focus: Luke 19.11-13
11 While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

Reflection: Until I Come Back
By John Tillman

It bothers me when interpreters contend that there is only one possible message or lesson from a given passage. It’s prideful and often plainly false. For example, Paul used a regulation about animal husbandry to teach that pastors deserve payment for their work. (1 Corinthians 9.9-11; 1 Timothy 5.17-18) If the passage only has one lesson to teach, which is it? Animal ethics? Or ministerial ethics? Of course, it’s both and even more than that. God’s word is living and active. (Hebrews 4.12) Guided by the Holy Spirit, ministers bring out of it things both old and new. (Matthew 13.51-52) 

However, context and the author’s intent are two of the main tools of good interpretation, and they often give us what I would call the primary or first-order interpretation.

Luke consistently included the context of Jesus’ parables. Knowing the situation, event, debate, or question Jesus was responding to helps us understand the intent of the story, which in turn helps us interpret the story’s primary meaning.

Minas and talents (Bags of gold from a similar parable in Matthew 25.14-30) are both financial terms for a certain amount of money, measured by weight. The minas parable in Luke is tightly focused on the immediate situation. Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem. Jesus’ followers thought the kingdom was about to start right then by taking control of the city. They pictured an insurrection and an overthrow led by a powerful king.

The talents parable is part of a trilogy of parables on spiritual neglect. The parables of the virgins, the talents, and the sheep and goats illustrate what it will be like when the Kingdom of God comes.

The minas story mentions taking control of cities and making Jesus king, but not at the expected time. There was work to do first. The talents parable and its partner parables warn Christ’s followers that we have been given opportunities to know him, resources to cultivate for him, and needy people to serve for him. How we respond reveals whether we are part of his kingdom or not.

Jesus desires to call you “friend.” How have you responded? Are you keeping him at a distance by neglecting your “mina” or your “lamp?” What have you been given to steward and cultivate? Are you burying it or planting it so it can grow?

Use well what Christ gives you until he comes back, remembering that knowing him is the greatest gift.


Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus taught us, saying: “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.” — Matthew 7.15-20

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 10 (Listen 2:11)
Luke 19 (Listen 5:29)

Read more about God Forbid
God forbid that we would make decisions based on politics rather than truth

God Forbid

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Scripture Focus: Luke 18.35-43
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” 
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. 

Reflection: Types of Blindness
By John Tillman

Impairment of visual acuity means people need to be closer to something to see it clearly than those with normal vision. Impairment of one’s field of vision can mean blind spots or tunnel vision. These occur to different degrees, and some forms of blindness are temporary.

On Jesus’ final trip to Jerusalem, he healed a blind man. Right before this, Luke described the disciples as having a type of temporary blindness. Jesus spoke very clearly about what would happen to him in Jerusalem, but his meaning was hidden from them. (Luke 18.31-34)

We sometimes over-analogize Jesus’ healings to the point where we almost forget about the people he healed. We can also draw wrong conclusions when we let the analogies escape the context of scripture. Jesus’ miracles are not all soteriological analogies, and we can make mistakes when we apply them that way. That being said, Jesus and the gospel writers who tell us about him applied meaning and symbolism to many of Jesus’ miracles.

Jesus’ healings and miracles indicate his identity, mark his mission, and prove his promises.

John the Baptizer questioned Jesus’ identity, asking, “Are you the one?” (Matthew 11.3). Jesus told John’s messengers to describe his actions, beginning with healing the blind. Jesus listed the healing of many other types of impairments, ending with the dead being raised and the gospel being proclaimed to the poor. Both Jesus’ identity and mission are revealed in these actions.

Mary and Martha questioned Jesus when he delayed coming, allowing their brother Lazarus to die. So did the crowd. They muttered, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11.37) Jesus promised Martha that he was the resurrection and the life. Lazarus’ resurrection was a preview of the ultimate proof of Jesus’ promise to her, which was his own resurrection just a few days later.

Even those who already believe can be blinded. The blind man already believed. Before his healing, he called Jesus “Son of David.” The disciples believed, but they had blind spots and a tunnel vision focused only on political salvation.

There are many types of blindness. Jesus heals them all.

Do you have tunnel vision, focused on one narrow definition of Jesus’ kingdom? Do you have blind spots of doubt? Are you blinded by loss or pain? Call out to the Son of David. Come closer to him and be healed.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Be exalted, O Lord, in your might; we will sing and praise your power. — Psalm 21.14

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 9 (Listen 3:01)
Luke 18 (Listen 5:27)

Read more about The King We Want
I’ve sent a king, God says
He rode in on a donkey
My servants prophesied him
You rebels crucified him

The King We Want

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Scripture Focus: Luke 15.17-20
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. 

Reflection: The Far Country and the Father’s Field
By John Tillman

What is the purpose of the trio of “lost things” parables—especially the third and longest in the series, The Lost Son? Why did Jesus tell these stories?

Some interpreters focus on the prodigal’s sins and poor decisions, making the story a preventative tale to scare prodigals straight. Was Jesus trying to scold or scare prodigals? 

From medieval morality plays to modern “Hell Houses,” scaring prodigals straight has a poor history of long-term success in either evangelism or discipleship. It doesn’t do much to cultivate a growing, vibrant, and enduring faith, and it doesn’t seem to have been Jesus’ goal.

Jesus told many stories about punishments in this life and the next. (Matthew 18.6-9, 24.48-55, 25.26-30, 25.41-45; Luke 16.19-31) However, the “sinners” these tales aim to “scare straight” are the wealthy, who fail to be generous, and the powerful, who fail to help the weak.

These three stories answered an accusation. Religious leaders muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15.1-2) They were suspicious of the crowds Jesus attracted and of Jesus by association. “There must be something wrong with his teaching if he spends time with those people!”

The “Lost Things Trilogy” has two simultaneous audiences: the “sinners” and the “righteous.” Jesus extends his hands to both groups, focusing on welcoming rather than warning. To the sinners, these stories say, “You are valued, and God ‘celebrates you home,’ no matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done.” To the “righteous,” they demonstrate God’s heart for the lost and they call them to join the celebration.

One group is the brother lost in the far country. The other is the brother lost in his father’s field, refusing to enter his father’s happiness. Both brothers have a distance to cross to come home. The brother lost in hedonism in the far country, makes it home to the father’s embrace ahead of the brother lost in jealousy in his father’s field. (Luke 15.28-30)

We all may be or become one or the other of these brothers. We may become lost in a far country or our father’s field. Whatever lures you away, whether the pleasures of wickedness or the pleasures of self-righteousness, let them go and come home. We have things to repent of, things to leave behind, and things waiting for us in the arms of a loving father. 

Come home to the father, whether you are lost in the field or the far country. Come home and celebrate.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
I have said to the Lord, “You are my God; listen, O Lord, to my supplication.” — Psalm 140.6

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

​Today’s Readings
Zechariah 6 (Listen 2:08)
Luke 15 (Listen 4:19)

​This Weekend’s Readings
Zechariah 7 (Listen 1:57), Luke 16 (Listen 4:27)
Zechariah 8 (Listen 3:33), Luke 17 (Listen 4:22)

Read more about Prayer for Older Brothers
One son refused to stay in the home due to sinful rebellion.
One son refused to enter the home due to sinful unforgiveness.

Prayer for Older Brothers — Guided Prayer

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