5:30 Coffee: I'd love to read your reflections on this painting: The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

Thursday, February 5, 2009

I'd love to read your reflections on this painting: The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

I just finished the book The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller last week, and I'm digging into The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen this week. Keller's book is fabulous, and I've heard Nouwen's is amazing. What are your reflections on the painting... what do you see in it? Any part of your story you'd like to tell... leave it in the comments!

9 comments:

kylemoffitt said...: Keller is one of my favorite preachers. I haven't read very much of him but saw him at Mars Hill several years ago. Incredible thinker! I'll have to get his book. As for the painting, who are the characters represented, besides the father and prodigal son? Who is the dark character in the upper left?; February 6, 2009 at 4:08 PM
John J. Roberts said...: Hey Kyle... that's the question. One point that Keller makes is the importance of the older brother. Doubtless one of the other characters is the older brother.

In Keller's view we (the church) are the "older brother!" We're not that interested in the return of the younger brother. Our sense is that we've kept all the rules and now the father is accepting the younger brother who has sqaundered his love!

You should pick up the book, you'll love it!; February 6, 2009 at 6:48 PM
John J. Roberts said...: Kyle, I'm going to say that the figure standing with his arms crossed and higher than the rest on the right hand side is the older brother. I'd say the other two are up for grabs... but let me take a shot at it.

The character in back may be one of the household servants observing the reunion with wonder... who receives back their errant son in this manner? It's a witness to the onlooking world regarding the love of the father to the lost.

The person seated on the right is perhaps on par with the father socially and religiously... he may be wondering... what's his guy doing?

Notice the father's hands... the tenderness with which he's embracing the son.. and his half shut eyes, the joy and peace he feels to have his son back in his presence again... in whatever shape he's in...; February 7, 2009 at 10:36 AM
John J. Roberts said...: By the way... notice that there is no ring on the father's finger... he's already given it to his son?; February 7, 2009 at 10:39 AM
living wanderlustfully said...: Also one of the father's hands is significantly more feminine than the other...maybe to show that God is both masculine and feminine?

I like that one of the son's shoes fell off... it kind of shows his eagerness to fall before his father; nothing else really matters to him, especially not appearances.; February 12, 2009 at 4:31 PM
John J. Roberts said...: Kymber... great to hear from you! It's hard to dispute the two hands of the father being different and the point must be that God is both masculine and feminine. I think there is significance to his being called "father" throughout scripture, but if we are made in the image of God "male and female" it has to mean that our essence as masculine and feminine must flow from the essence of his character.

Here's an intersting point about the sandals I think. The one that's off is on the side of the hand that's feminine... could it show God's care and comfort for the hurt. The sandal that's on is on the masculine hand side which may depict the strength of the father, and his ability to hold the son firm in his grasp... notice also that the masuline hand appears to be holding the sone with more firm and strong pressure, when as the touch of the feminine hand appears to be more gentle.

Wouldn't you love to sit and chat with Rembrandt and get into his head about this painting. Wouldn't it be disappointing if he said, "Yeah I was always frustrated that I couldn't get those hands to look the same!" :)

John

PS: by the way I got your message on my phone - sounds good.; February 13, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Joel said...: I think there's something else to see in the condition of the prodigal's shoes. It both shows his poverty and suggests that the walk home must have been painful.; February 15, 2009 at 2:13 PM
John J. Roberts said...: That's a great point Joel... it seems like often the journey back to the father is a difficult one! You wonder how far away from home the younger son had wandered.

What's your view of why there's one shoe on and one shoe off?; February 15, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Rendab_ML said...: What I think is interesting, and what struck me afresh this week is how often we who believe in God are functional atheists. That is to say, we affirm that God is, and that He is at work, and intensely interested in every detail of our lives (unless we are deists of course), but then we don't rely or call upon Him>.

Ouch,John, too true. Thanks!; March 25, 2009 at 4:08 PM

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Life and Ministry

I've been alive for 46 years... I know that's not much compared to some people, but it's enough that I realize I'm on the downhill side, probably, unless I live past 92! That would be interesting I think. Otherwise, however, I'm at a point of deep reflection... how will the rest be spent. I've been in the same spot for 20 years now, doing pretty much the same work, so it's time for serious evaluation.

There are two things that have challenged my thinking... one old, one new. First, the 9th stage of Eric Erikson's psycho-social development; "Integrity vs. Despair." It struck me twenty some years ago. Erikson basically says that there will be a time when you will begin to reflect on your life and you will conclude that it's been a life full of good decisions and directions, and work done well - if that's the case you'll come away with a sense of integrity; your life has had meaning and purpose. If on the other hand you look back and see that it's been filled with missed chances and squandered opportunities you'll have a sense of despair. I want my reflection to lead me to integrity!

Second, I had a class on 2 Timothy this summer at Regent College with Earl Palmer. He and I had lunch one day and it was just a great encouragement. He said to me, "Never think of yourself as old... I'm nearing 80 and I don't think of myself as old! You have lots of life ahead of you... your most productive years! Realize that you are young and God has alot of stuff for you to do!"

Looking forward!
John

Book Reviews

Are Women Human (Dorothy Sayers): This little book (about 80 pages at most) is a lot of fun, but also profound. It's actually a compilation of two essays - I think both lectures - which Sayers gave around 1938 to a women's group in London. They wanted her to talk about the importance of feminism – which she didn’t want to talk about specifically. She's very fun to read... very British... very to the point... very intelligent and articulate. I read it as preparation for the sermon series in 2 Timothy because I'm trying to think of Paul's treatment of women and this book was suggested to me by Earl Palmer (University Presbyterian - Seattle) at a class I recently took from him. Here, in my estimation, is the essence of Sayer's view, "Women should be doing everything they're gifted to do... but not in order to prove that they can do what men can do. There are fundamental differences between men and women; they're made for different things. If you have to choose between a woman or a man to do a certain task you should choose the one who is best at that task. It gives our lives meaning to do what we're good at... it honors God to do what we're made for. A woman shouldn't become a mechanic to prove that women can be mechanics... nor should she be kept from mechanics because she is a woman. Great treatment of the subject I thought. My view of Paul and women, incidentally, is that he thought very highly of them. He speaks specifically in a coupe places about them being silent, but then talks all over the place about their roles as prophets, teachers, deacons, and "outstanding among the apostles." I take his specific instructions about women and silence to be a specific address to a specific problem. Barth says, "There are no NT letters apart from the troubles of the NT church." He's right about that.
Searching for God Knows What (Donald Miller): Miller is great... his writing style is interesting and very conversational. A little too conversational at times for me. But I love to be challenged by what he's saying, both in this book, and "Blue like Jazz" which is also enjoyable, and challenges some ideas that we have about life, faith, and church. Miller makes me laugh at one moment, and then get very serious the next. Honestly, I howled with laughter during the first chapter, "Fine Wine: The Failure of Formulas." He gave me cause to think anew about Shakespeare’s Play, "Romeo and Juliet." I have to go back and reread it... it's been way too long. Here's a bit of a summary statement for the book, from chapter one: "I realized the gospel of Jesus, I mean the essence of God's message to mankind, wasn't a bunch of hoops we needed to jump through to get saved, and it wasn't a series of ideas we had to agree with either; rather, it was an invitation, an invitation to know God."
Before I Go: Letters to Our Children About What Really Matters (Peter Kreeft):Before I Go: Letters to Our Children about What Really Matters (Peter Kreeft): This is simply a delightful little book. I don't mean "little" in a way to demean it... rather it reads like a little book. There are 161 short letters, from a couple sentences to a couple pages of advice that Kreeft is leaving mostly for his children. Here is a quote from #23, Sacred Time: "Visit a church at least once a week and just spend five minutes in the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, just adoring Him. He came a long way for this meeting: all the way from heaven. And He brought you a long way for this meeting: all the way from nothingness, out of which he created you. He thinks this meeting is that important. And you don't? Which one of the two of you do you think has it right?" I love the sacredness of Kreeft's Catholicism. I like his writing. This book is full of good stuff. It's been especially meaningful to me since I'm preaching through 2 Timothy which is Paul's "Last Words" -- literally.
Playing for Pizza (John Grisham): Nothing profound here, but it's an enjoyable read. Maybe I'd classify this as a "feel good" novel. It's not going to change the world, but it's a story with some redemption, victory, set mostly in Parma, Italy. There is some interesting information here about various parts of Italy. Story is an NFL Quarterback, Rick Dockery, who can't seem to make it in the NFL, and ends up playing in the Italian NFL, for the Parma Panthers. They're putting all their hopes on him to win the Italian Superbowl! In the end... Easy read about 260 pages.
Fish!: This is a great little book,sort of expensive for the size of the book, less than a hundred pages. This book is really helpful for getting refocused on how to be a positive influence in a "toxic energy dump."
Real Sex (Lauren Winner): I really like Winner's writing. Heard her speak at the National Pastor's Conference in '07... she's fun. I read another of her books, Mudhouse Sabbath, which I loved. I think you should read this very articulate and frank discussion of Sex within the faith framework. Read it.
Velvet Elvis (Rob Bell): Thought provoking look at the church, faith, and the journey. I'm not crazy about Bell's writing style, but readable, and challenging ideas. I'd recommend it. If the church doesn't stay relevant it will end up the like the "Velvet Elvis" painting Bell found in the basement of his house... obsolete.
His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman): I read the trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) as well as Lyra's Oxford. As advertised the books are hard on "the Church" but that's to be expected from Pullman's atheism. The books were a fun read, we're reading them to our boys now. Good opportunity for dialogue about important ideas. Lyra's Oxford was disappointing, and very short. Few observations: (1) "The Church" is probably a little too exercised about this series. (2) I think "killing God" is a little too strong a description of what happens. (3) I think it's very interesting, given Pullman's atheism, that there is so much metaphysical stuff in this series. (4) If you haven't read the books or seen the movie... see the movie first... they foul up everything in the movie which makes it difficult to enjoy if you've read the books. Trilogy books are around 250 pages. Fun, but definitely not The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia... not close.
Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck): This is a classic that I'd never read until recently. It's a very interesting portrayal of friendship, caring, and loyalty. It's accessible, and about 90 pages. Glad I read it.

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Thursday, February 5, 2009

I'd love to read your reflections on this painting: The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt

9 comments:

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