In a new look at the parable of the Prodigal Son, I would like to explore another
theme apart from repentance, that is almost taken for granted in the story, As
with most of Jesus’s parables an analogy is used to show our relationship with
God. In this parable a father representing Heavenly Father has a son that
represents all of mankind, is used to show how coming to earth is like the boy
that leaves home and loses his inheritance. In leading up to this parable,
Jesus tells us how much the heavens rejoice over one soul who is lost, then
found, demonstrated in the story by the Father waiting for his returning son
with the ring and robe that represent his former glory. Both Jewish and Christian accounts talk about
a time before we came to earth.[1]
In the Acts of Thomas[2],
a very similar story is told in The
Pearl showing how the theme of
coming to earth as a boy leaving home[3]
was understood by his listeners.
In the Pearl
there is also a youth ready for his journey to come to earth to prove himself,
a robe representing his pre-existent glory is removed, in other places it is
couples with a loss of memory of his former state, a veil of forgetfulness[4]
is imposed so the test will be complete before he comes to earth to look for
his pearl of great price.[5]
Below
is a comparison of the two stories to show the similarities. (The Pearl:
starting in verse 20, is taken from, Hennecke-Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha vol 2 pp.498-503) Luke is taken from the King
James.
Luke ch.
15
Pearl
11. And
he said, A certain man had two sons: 1-2: In my first primeval
childhood I was nurtured in 12. And
the younger of them said to his Father,
the royal
house of my Father with loving care… [6]
Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth 11. And they made a
Covenant with me, and wrote in my
to me. And he divided unto them his
living. heart lest I go astray.
13. And not
many Days after the younger son 20 I went down into
Egypt
Gathered all together and took his journey
into 32. And they dealt with
me treacherously.
a far country, and there wasted his
substance and gave
me to eat of their food.
with riotous living.
33. And I forgot that I was a kings son and served their
14.And when he
had spent all, there arose a might king.
Famine in that land; and he began to be in
want. 35. And because of the
heaviness of their [food]
16. And he
would fain have filled his belly with the I fell into a deep sleep.
Husks that the swine did eat: and no man
gave 36. [And all this]
that befell me.
unto him.
My parents
observed and were grieved for me
17. And when he
came to himself, he said, How many
40. And they wrote to me a letter.
hired servant of my father’s have bread
enough 43. [Awake] and rise
up from thy sleep,…
and to spare, and I perish with Hunger! 44. Remember that
thou art a son of kings.
18. I will
arise and go to my father, and will say unto 46. Remember thy splendid robe.
Him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and 47. That thou mayest
put them on…
before thee,
48. And thou with thy brother, our crown prince,
19. And am no
more worthy to be called thy son: [be heir] in our kingdom.
make me as one of thy hired servants. 56. I
remembered that I was a son of kings…
20. And he
arose, and came to his father. 65. As with its voice
it had awakened [me]…
But when he was yet a great way off, his
father 68. And [drawing]
me with its love.
saw him, and had compassion, and ran,
and 72. And my
splendid robe which I had taken off…
fell on his neck, and kissed him. 98.
I clothed myself with it…
21. And the son
said unto him, Father, I have 99. I bowed my head
and worshipped
Sinned against heaven, and in thy sight,
and the
splendor of the father [who] had sent
am no more worthy to be called thy son. [the robe]
to me.
22. But the
father said to his servants, Bring 102. For he rejoiced
over me and received me,
forth the best robe, and put it on him;
and And I
was him in his kingdom.
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 103. And with sound [of the
organ]
23. And bring hither
the fatted calf, and kill it, All his servants
praise him.
And let us eat, and be merry:
[1] Jeremiah 1:5; Job 38:7; Eccl.12:7; John 3:13; Heb12:9; Freedman and Simon, Midrash Rabbah Vol.1:59 (Gen.R. 8:7); R.H. Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, Vol.2:444 fn.5; James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics Vol.10
pp.235-240; Babylonian Talmud,
Yebamoth 62a (see end of tractate for "Guf" where souls are kept before coming to earth); Hamerton-Kelly,
Pre-Existence, Wisdom & The Son of Man; Terryl L.Givens, When Souls Had Wings, Oxford; Joseph
F. McConkie in Apocryphal Writings and
the Latter-day Saints ed.C.Wilfred Giggs
[2] Edgar Hennecke and Wilhelm Schneemelcher, trans. R. McL Wilson, New
Testament Apocrypha vol 2 pp.498-503
[3]
Acts 17:28-29; Romans 8:16-18 (Talking about us being sons of God)
[4]
Barnstone, The Other Bible,pp.28; the
Apocryphon of John (II, 1) 22:20-30; 23:1-10, in James Robinson, The Nag Hammadi Library, pp.111 (NHL)
[5]
Midrash Tanchuma, Shemos II, Pekudei 3
by Rabbi Avraham Davis, pp.404-405, 409-413; The account is also in Barnstone, The Other Bible,pp.26-28 and Ginzberg. Legends of the Jews vol.1. In the
six-day of creation; Pistis Sophia, by Mead
pp.278
[6]
Verse one is taken from Hugh Nibley, Appendix III in Message of the Joseph Smith Papyri: Egyptian Endowment, pp.267-272
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