Exploring “Who Is Jesus?” Through Luke’s Parable of the Prodigal Son

Part 1

Bible: The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

Luke’s Parable of the Prodigal Son holds the question, “Who is Jesus?” The parable starts with a man who had two sons and requested his father to give him what was due on his inheritance. The meaning is that the son did not have the patience to wait for his father’s death, he wanted immediate inheritance. The father consents, and he shares his land between the two sons. When he gets a share of the inheritance, the younger son sails away to far lands and squanders it in dissolute expenditure. It can be inferred that he drinks, gambles, and visits prostitutes at this time. But this does not take long before he uses up all his money and as soon as that happens a permanent famine sweeps across the land. This makes him destitute since the items purchased have been sold in order to settle the debts. He ends up working as a swineherd, in fact envying the food consumed by the very animals he tends. Now, he finally wakes up. Consequently, he has no choice but to come home empty-handed and ask his father if he may return as a servant. Surprisingly, the son is not despised by his father but rather welcomed home with a jubilee and welcoming party. The older son is envious and does not want to attend the feast. The father tells the older son: “You are always there with me, and everything that I have belongs to you; however, your brother was not lost but now he has been found.

Theology: God’s Unconditional Love and Forgiveness

This story tells a complex, enigmatic yet beautiful theological tale of God’s unconditional love and boundless forgiveness. The father’s compassionate response to the prodigal son portrays a reflecting mirror of God’s unending love for repentant man. The parable presents two of its most significant religious standards associated with grace and Divine mercy. The action of the father goes beyond earthly reasoning and transcends love that is more powerful than man’s limits—overlooking reckless forgetfulness yet not endorsing a fake reconciliation. While this feature of theological essence not only plays a very important role and is an integral part of this parable, it also functions as everlasting light that those underneath one unveil far more hidden depths to God’s divine love for Mankind where forgiveness transforms him or her.

Original Audience: The Ancient Israelite Context

This parable challenged long-standing myths and beliefs in the Jewish community related to righteousness or forgiveness. The idea that in the future a father would take his rebellious son to embrace him would have horrified the audience. It questioned their projection of the divine nature where God is love and mercy.

Today: Relevance in the Modern World

1. The parable addresses individuals who seek release and forgiveness. In the contemporary world, this can be associated more closely with leniency by authentic repentance and God’s limitless mercy.
2. Family actors exemplified by a prodigal son and his eldest brother follow contemporary developments in family relationships. It enables close participants to contemplate some familiar motifs, such as jealousy and resentment in order to strengthen mutual understanding within family relationships.
3. The parable challenges the cultural conventions of a judgmental world. It encourages individuals not to dwell on mistakes and recognizes the possibility of transformation, as well as the value of forgiveness leading towards a more tolerant society.
4. The parable calls on societies to welcome those who have gone astray, creating a culture of embracing and acceptance. It overcomes biased views and recommends the granting of grace to all people despite their past.

Part 2

The American healthcare system is a complicated environment characterized by numerous programs that aim at meeting the different needs of its citizens. Some of these programs have changed based on the shifts in societal ideals, politics, and economic concerns. Medicare is a key healthcare program in America and generally serves aging people, who are 65 years old or older. Medicare is a Federal government-sponsored scheme under which the stay of patients in hospitals, outpatient services, and prescription drugs are covered (Ng et al., 2010). While it serves a wide market, the major beneficiary is aged persons in response to specific health requirements dictated by old age. Still, discrepancies exist among different ethnic and economic groups that show a higher prevalence in terms of access to and utilization due to socio-economic differences.

At the same time, Medicaid is a shared federal and state program aimed at providing health insurance to needy individuals and families. Many minority groups in these populations have access to lifesaving interventions, as evidenced by this program (Wiener & Stevenson, 2016). The Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended Medicaid eligibility resulting in better coverage for communities previously left out. However, these gaps remain and the quality of care may differ depending on where you live, and your socioeconomic status.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) focuses on low-income children who are not eligible for Medicaid. This program closes the gap for families a little higher than Medicaid income level. The health outcomes for children are significantly improved due to CHIP, however, some challenges can be seen especially in areas where marginalized communities may still have awareness and enrollment barriers (Shenkin & Harbaugh Jr, 2014).

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) serves the special health care needs of former military personnel. Despite serving a particular group, its effect is significant to touch on not only the physiological predicaments but also the psychological problems of those who served in the military services. However, the VHA has been under criticism for such problems as delays and availability, with continuous work on how to improve its performance.

In recent years, the US healthcare system suffered a lot of criticism in response to which questions are discussed concerning reforms and potential alteration. Plans for a public plan or single-payer systems have gained momentum, as the former deals with issues of availability and affordability. The conversations are driven by the impetus to develop a fair healthcare system, that is above racial and ethnic lines, social status as well as bourgeois boundaries. Unlike this, the issue of prescription drug prices and pharmaceutical companies influencing the cost of healthcare remains contentious. Concerted actions, which include moves to manage drug prices and improve pricing transparency are under consideration to ensure affordability in accessing essential medications for all individuals.

Reference

Ng, T., Harrington, C., & Kitchener, M. (2010). Medicare and Medicaid in long-term care. Health Affairs, 29(1), 22-28.

Wiener, J. M., & Stevenson, D. G. (2016). Long-term care for the elderly and state health policy.

Committee on Child Health Financing, Racine, A. D., Long, T. F., Helm, M. E., Hudak, M., Shenkin, B. N., … & Harbaugh Jr, N. C. (2014). Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP): accomplishments, challenges, and policy recommendations. Pediatrics, 133(3), e784-e793.