Father and Two Sons (Luke 15)

"Father and Two Sons" in Luke 15 is one of the three ”lost” parables in Luke: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Is this an allegorical story or just a family story with two parts, the younger son and the older son? The main theme is the father’s compassion. We need to analyze characters: the father's behavior as not very adamant about his sons and his unconditional acceptance of his son; the older son/brother as a diligent son; a prosecutor-role; the younger one as immature and selfish; not truly repenting, but returning home to survive. Reconciliation will happen eventually? What are the conditions for it?

Rich Farmer (Rich Fool)

This parable is known as Rich Fool, found only in Luke. One’s riches are not made by oneself. One must thank God, the laborers, the community, the sun, and the wind. Rather than building more warehouses, one must share one’s abundance with the community. Storing only for oneself while others are starving is evil. Life is short.

Good Samaritan

What do you say about the traditional allegorical reading of this parable of the Good Samaritan? What is wrong with a priest and a Levite? Describe a Samaritan’s detailed care of the robbed man? Any thoughts about the new definition of a neighbor?

Ten Bridesmaids

The source of this parable of ten bridesmaids is uncertain; found only in Matthew. The kingdom of God is compared with ten bridesmaids’ preparedness for meeting the bridegroom. Strong allegorical elements in this parable reflect Matthew’s theology and eschatology. How to understand the five wise women’s behavior toward the other five?

Great Banquet

Some think that this parable of a banquet in Matthew and Luke is not an authentic parable of Jesus. If Jesus told this parable, the point may be a countercultural banquet that powerless people are brought to the party eventually. This parable is shocking to Jesus’s audience because, given the ancient meal culture, no one can easily reject the host's invitation. More unusual is the host’s decision to bring in the poor, the lame, and the blind to this party. Does this parable challenge the usual meal culture in Jesus’s time? How is the reign of God related to the host in this parable?

Two Sons (Matt 21:28-31)

The parable of the two sons in Matthew 21 deals with "true faith" that requires "action" or "practice." The father has a vineyard that needs workers. The first son says first, no, but later he changed his mind and went to work. He is not perfect but did the will of the father. The second son: first, yes, but he never went to work. He did not obey his father. Word only does not help. The perfect son will be the one who says “yes” and goes to work immediately. Jesus points out the problem of hypocrites, who don’t do what they know or teach (Matt 23:3).

Unmerciful Servant

Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant because of Peter’s question: "How many times should one forgive?" Jesus answers: “Seventy times seven.” 

Discuss the king’s act of forgiving a huge debt (10,000 talents) at once. However, his forgiveness did not work out well because his slave did not forgive his fellow slave, who owed him only 100 denarii, a peanut amount. Could the king deal with his slave differently from the beginning? Obviously, the problem does not lie in the king but in his slave, who did not forgive his fellow slave.

Think about the notion of “too easy or too fast forgiveness” in our life situation. Does it work?

Evaluate the claim that members in the community must forgive one another endlessly. How can this thing happen decently? What is the sufficient condition to make this possible?

Vineyard Laborers (parable)

When do we say something is fair?

Or when do we say something is justice?

In the parable of Vineyard Laborers, is the landlord fair to his workers?

Does the master do justice to them?

What kind of justice is dealt with in this parable?

Attributive justice or economic justice?

What challenges do we find from this parable?

Augustine, Luther, Western Christianity, and Diverse Aspects of Faith in the New Testament

We need to know the dominant form of Western Christianity that was influenced by Augustine and Luther. But we also need to point out the problems with these Christian theologians. The diverse aspects of faith in the New Testament do not support these thinkers. Their understanding of faith and salvation may be summarized as follows: 

1) Individual salvation or justification: imparted or imputed righteousness (forensic salvation); 

2) Introspective, inner faith out of guilt rather than public faith; 

3) Invading, exclusive gospel: colonialism and exclusivism. 

But the prevailing aspects of Christian faith have to do with “participatory faith,” as in the four Gospels and Paul’s 7 undisputed letters. There are also other minor aspects of faith: faith as knowledge, faith as works, and faith as a conviction.  

A talk with Indonesian graduate students in the US and audiences in Indonesia

I was live on YouTube to talk with Indonesian graduate students in the US and international audiences in Indonesia. It was a great experience that I presented about 20 mins and we had a Q and A time. The questions I received from them were remarkable and thoughtful. They were so enthusiastic about new insight and new knowledge about the New Testament.