Die gelykenis van die verlore seun : die eerste-eeuse ekonomie en die hoorders van Jesus

Abstract

Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God. The principle of general reciprocity took centre stage. The system that Jesus proclaimed was an alternative social system to the oppressing and exploitive systems of the Greco-Roman world.

This study aimed to analyse the Parable of the Prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 against the sosio-economic background of Palestine in the first century.

During this study the Parable of the Prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 was analysed, with specific emphases on verses 11-13. Special attention was given to the Prodigals decision and possible motive to leave home.

During this study the social scientific method was used to provide a culture sensitive reading of the Parable of the Prodigal son in Luke 1:11-32. The texts are products of their specific social systems. In this study attention was given to the social-economic setting of the New Testaments Greco-Roman world in Palestine in the first century.

Luke 15:11-32 sets the scene of a parable that communicates the kingdom of God. This study indicated the differences that existed between the Greco-Roman wold and the alternative social order that Jesus proclaimed.

This study indicated that the political and taxation systems of the Greco-Roman word was exploitive in design, while the kingdom of God and the alternative social order of Jesus had the principle of general reciprocity and sharing of resources.