The Real Meaning of the Prodigal (Lost) Son
In any communication, there is a sender and a receiver.
When you tell stories, you have to understand not only who the sender is, but who the receiver(s) is.
When you realize there are narrators of stories, you have to be very careful because you yourself – as a reader – are also a receiver. Characters in stories are also senders and receivers.
As a reader of a story, you can never be a sender because you’re not in the story. All readers of stories are receivers.
Therefore, the communications being told from senders to receivers in stories will always be “in question.” In other words, the story will always be subject to interpretation.
Did you read it? Did you understand it? Did you miss something?
As a reader, you have to provide the context of what you read, the tone, the everything that the words convey to you. It is an awesome responsibility to understand what’s being communicated.
Readers have to work hard to understand stories, perhaps as hard as in understanding each other in real life itself.
Interpretation of stories is where problems usually arise.
For example, if you lose sight of who is talking and to whom they are talking to, you can get mixed up in what’s really being communicated. Careful reading and re-reading is always essential to true understanding of the communications within a story, or what people call “the message.”
Misinterpretation is exactly what’s been happening with Luke’s famous story from the Bible about the Prodigal Son.
Where We Go Wrong Reading Luke’s Story
Characters in Luke’s story are reacting to each other – not to you. And the truth is, Luke, as the narrator of story, is a first person narrator: he is in the story.
There can be only one of two kinds of narrators: inside the story (1st person), or outside the story (3rd person). Luke is outside the story since he is only identified as the author of the story (Gospel according to Luke). Even though Luke is mentioned in the Bible later, for this particular story, Luke is like any author of a story who is not IN the story.
Therefore, we have to believe him. Any 3rd person narrator MUST be believed if the story is to make sense. They call 3rd person narrators “omniscient.” Luke knows everything, and is telling us exactly what we need to hear.
Luke Chapter 15: 1-31 is one of the more famous stories told. It is about what has come to be known (mistakenly) as the story of the Prodigal Son. But it is also mis-named. In fact, the word “prodigal” is NEVER used in the entire Bible!
Luke’s story is comprised of actually three stories, the main one being the third one, about the son who comes home after wasting his fortune. However, we need the first two in order to understand the third. Also, we need to understand who Jesus is speaking to when he tells these stories.
Many times, when Jesus speaks, it is a story inside a story, making the listening even more important to true understanding.
For example, does the son spend money and resources freely and recklessly as the definition of “prodigal” suggests? Yes. But the real name of the story should have been the “Lost Son” because like the sheep and coin, the son gets lost. Unlike the sheep and coin, who can’t really know they are lost, the son comes to that realization and goes back repenting of his actions.
That’s the real key to the story. It’s not about Jesus finding lost sheep. It’s about self discovery you are a sinner, repentance, and the joy in heaven that happens as a result. Sheep and coins do not repent. They don’t even realize they are lost.
Because the fact of the matter is that the lost son comes to realization of his sin (which by the way you should try to figure out) BY HIMSELF. And only after taking a job to feed swine and wasting his money does that realization come to him. Can you imagine a worse condition than feeding swine or wanting to eat what you feed them? That is the condition of “sin.”
My argument is that many people who interpret this story (as Jesus finding lost sheep) have missed the point because they lost sight of who Jesus was talking to in the story. They overlooked who the receivers of his stories were.
If you realize who he was telling these stories to (the receivers), and keep in mind that audience in light of the stories (and remember, you are a reader, and that as a reader, you can only “listen), the truth becomes clear. Essentially, as sinners, you have to repent if you are going to have heaven rejoice.
This is quite different from the usual interpretations you hear about Jesus finding lost sheep.
As usual, I have referenced King James version at the end of this essay for your own study.
The Set Up: the audience (receivers)
The first verse of Luke sets up the entire narrative and should be examined as always very carefully.
Verse 1: THEN drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
Analysis: What we should take into account in this instance is what just happened prior to these people drawing near to Jesus to hear Him because sets the stage for these stories. In Luke 14: 35 “It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Jesus was just talking to “great multitudes” (see my analysis of why you need hate to follow Jesus). He was just telling the crowds to hate their parents and everyone else if they expect to follow Him.
It’s not entirely necessary to know that to understand this story, but it helps.
Now, all of the “publicans and sinners” drew near “to hear him.”
What is a publican? I think we can all figure out what a sinner is, and that would probably be the entire crowd if they admitted it (including all of us as readers).
A “publican” is a tax collector. We all know, even today, there is something nasty about the word “tax” and perhaps worse, being a collector of taxes. Perhaps that why Luke lumps publicans together with sinners?
Unlike the prior narrative where we have to speculate on how “great multitudes” heard Jesus preach, Luke uses the word “near” in this story. There is no longer a question about hearing what Jesus is about to say.
Verse 2: And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Analysis: Unlike other stories, Luke adds another “qualification” before Jesus starts talking, which is equally important to combine with the first sentence. And here, Luke actually begins the conflict that will take place and is central to understanding the parables: murmuring.
Think about it. Jesus hasn’t even started speaking, but there was murmuring going on!
Luke adds to the audience of receivers of Jesus messages a couple of other groups on top of the already named tax collectors and sinners.
Pharisees of course were members of the Jewish sect that strictly observed traditional and written law. They maintained the “letter” of the law, which meant they were doing strict observance of traditional and written laws.
The first time this “Pharisees “word is used in the New Testament is Matthew 3:7 when John the Baptist was preaching; “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
Vipers. John the Baptist calls them this. Hmm.
There’s more, much more. Matthew 5:20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” And, 23:25 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” Or Mark 10:2 “And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.”
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is at odds with the Pharisees. And the Pharisees didn’t like Jesus very much either (i.e., Luke 5:21 “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”)
Pharisees are always watching Jesus, tempting him.
In Luke 11: 39 “And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” That’s quite the observation[1].
So of course they were murmuring. Remember, as narrator, Luke is setting up the stage for Jesus to teach, and also to convey to us the moral of his story. Saying that Pharisees and scribes (someone who copies documents and who also are lumped together as the antagonists throughout the New Testament) are murmuring, means they are saying things in a soft “indistinct” way – speaking quietly.
And what do they murmur and whisper? That Jesus receives sinners and eats with them.
Shocking. Because they don’t. Why don’t they? Well, that’s one of the meanings this story is about.
So far we have established that within the audience that draws near to Jesus are publicans, sinners, Pharisees and scribes – everyone who is actually against what Jesus says and does. In other words, a variety of groups not friendly to Jesus or his teachings is now about to listen to Him. Thus, the conflict is set up: Jesus against everyone else! Keep in mind that Jesus is talking to these people, all of which are murmuring about Him.
Story #1: The Lost Sheep
Verse: 3-6. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Analysis. Jesus likes parables, so he challenges his audience by saying, “What man of you.” In other words, you’re all doing this. And what are they all doing, these pharisees and scribes, publicans and sinners? Going after one sheep who wanders off and leaving the 99 to fend for themselves!
And when you find the one, and return home, calling everyone together to rejoice.
Most interpretations see this as a good thing. Most interpretations see this as Jesus talking about himself: that he will leave the 99 and go after the one that is lost.
But that’s entirely wrong, which happens when you don’t go to the source and read it for yourself out of context. In this case, what is the outcome of finding the lost sheep? Rejoicing. Calling his neighbors around and friends around to see what a good thing he did. But was that such a “good” thing – to leave the 99 sheet in jeopardy?
Seriously: do you think for a moment that Jesus thinks this is a good thing? Or, did you forget who Jesus is talking to?
He is talking to pharisees and scribes, publicans and sinners about themselves! They are the ones who leave everything to find one lost sheep! That’s not a good thing, is it?
You can only think it is a good thing if you forget to whom Jesus is speaking!
He is talking to people who don’t understand him…who want to destroy him…who think what he is speaking is blasphemy. So in His own unique way, Jesus is telling them listen up! You are wasting your time looking for one sheep when you should be looking at yourselves!
He is holding up a mirror to them and showing them their own hypocrisy. Imagine, calling for a celebration because you found one out of 100! Really?
Why would a true shepherd put his flock into jeopardy to find a lost one who wandered off?
I would challenge all of us to rethink this story.
The focus (because these stories lead up to the more famous story of the prodigal son) is the action of the shepherd and the action of the sheep: one sheep gets lost, and the shepherd leaves the flock to find him. Jesus is telling everyone (his audience) that’s what THEY would do, and they would do it to “look good” in front of their neighbors and friends. Absolutely the wrong motivation to do anything according to the philosophy of Jesus! Jesus is not about finding lost sheep; He is about having yourself find your Self!
Let’s continue with this line of thinking.
Verse 7: I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Analysis. This is the crux of the story. He connects the “joy” of the celebration of finding a lost sheep to the joy in heaven over a repenteth sinner. Does the sheet repent wandering off? Of course, not. His wandering off is a theme, of course, but remember: the Shepard finds him and brings him back.
Jesus is NOT the shepherd. There’s nothing in the narrative that suggests this connection. The lost sheep is a “sinner” who repents, and the 99 other sheep are sinners without repentance. And while it’s true the shepherd leaves to find him and bring him back, that same shepherd calls everyone around himself to see what a good guy he was for doing that.
Sorry, but Jesus does not require that kind of admiration. The term in the story that’s significant is “likewise joy.” The parable actually doesn’t work well on its own, which is why this is a three story parable of which the sheep is the first. Sheep don’t sin. A sheep can get lost. A sheep can be found. A sheep can also find his way back to the flock.
But the text of the story is that a shepherd leave his 99 sheep to find one that is lost, and when he does, has a party. The shepherd puts the 99 in danger – unnecessarily.
Jesus leaves the parable and tells them “joy” will be in heaven over one sinner that repents than 99 who need no repentance. So it’s really a story about sheep, not the shepherd. And it’s about a lost sheep.
You can argue that the shepherd had to find him. You can stretch it to try to say Jesus as Shepherd. But there’s no evidence of that because he’s talking to that audience that hates them. He is holding up the shepherd to the audience as superficial, just like his audience is!
With this verse, the parable becomes clear: the 99 sheep are everyone in front of him, and the one lost one is the one who repents.
The joy in heaven is over “one sinner that repenteth.” Moreover, is there anyone who never needs to repent?
Is this a story about the joy of repentance? Jesus drives it home with another story.
Story #2: The Lost Coin
Verses 8 –9: Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
Analysis. Now He turns to something very important to his audience: money. Don’t forget the composition of that audience: tax collectors, scribes, etc.
He’s telling people about an obsessive woman who loses one of her ten pieces of silver and searches until she finds the coin she lost, and then calls everyone to rejoice that she found the piece she lost.
Who does that? Who is so miserly that they lose one coin, find it, and then call for a celebration?
What could Jesus possibly mean by that?
Here again, He is holding up a mirror to the audience, and we have to read the next verse to get the drift of the story.
Verse: 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
He brings in the joy part of his story again, and the joy in the presence of angels of God for a sinner that repents.
What has that got to do with the lady who finds her coin and rejoices? Is the lady the angel? Is the coin the sinner?
Well, Jesus is talking to his enemies, and He is trying to build a bridge of feelings with them. He knows their characters: selfish, hypocritical, the people who murmur. His stories deal with a feeling of “joy” as his audience feels joy: over trivial things, like finding a lost coin, or a lost sheep.
But then with the last verse in each of these stories, he jumps from the narrative and draws the comparison to sinners, repentance and joy in heaven for those sinners who repent. The story is one thing; the moral is another.
The stories are about the people and after they finding something they’ve lost hold a celebration (feelings of joy). The moral of these stories is that a sinner who repents make heaven happy. The joy of finding something lost is equal to the joy in heaven over a sinner who repents.
That’s quite the difference, isn’t it? But it is still not completely clear.
And that’s why Jesus goes into the story of the lost son — only unlike the other stories, in this one, the son loses himself. A very careful reading of this story (which should be called the Lost Son) compared to the other two stories is critical to the final understanding of what Jesus is trying to teach us.
Story #3: The Lost Son
Verses 11-24: And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Analysis. One of the most famous stories from the New Testament, Jesus spins the tale of one of two brothers who asks his father for his “portion of goods” that are falling to him. He goes off and wastes them (hence the word Prodigal that gets attached to the overall story). Things take a turn for the worse and he ends up feeding swine, and would “fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat.” He thinks on it and realizes his father has servants that eat well, so he plans to go back to ask his father, “I have sinned against heaven and before thee.” In a word, he repents. Keep in mind that it is hunger that drives him to repentance.
But his father sees him from “a great way off” and runs to him. Joy. The father is “heaven” from the prior stories, feeling the joy over the sinner who repented (finding the lost coin, sheep). He celebrates including best robe, a ring and he kills the “fatted calf.”
The key to understanding this is that the father didn’t find his son. In fact, he didn’t go looking for him either. It was the son who came to the realization of the horrible mistake he made, and he repented. In the prior stories, the shepherd went out to find the lost sheep; or the woman to find the lost coin. The father never leaves; the son returns of his own accord to the joy of the father.
Two Sons
It is also very important in this story that there are two sons: one is a sinner who repents, and the other is a son who “does what’s expected.” And don’t forget the audience to whom Jesus is speaking to. “Doing what is expected” is often a theme in these stories; more than once, the person who does what is expected gets the short end of the stick — or so it seems.
The audience hearing this story are the people who believe, like the next verse will show, that they are the righteous, the ones who follow the law, who know the truth. In short, they are like the son that never left home, so they feel there is no need for repentance (and hence, they don’t understand job). They have been doing things right.
But Jesus’ truth is not their truth; Jesus is about self discovery of yourself as a sinner, regardless if you leave home or not. And from that discovery, repentance, followed by joy. Repentance for what? Your actions, your feelings, your thoughts. For doing wrong. Or, for doing only what is right. Oddly, it’s the theory of opposites: you can’t know right unless you know wrong, and vice versa. The lost son would never have known he was a sinner without doing what was wrong; whereas, the other son never really knew what “good” was, did he? He just followed the rules without understanding why there were rules, and hence, reacted like he did upon his brother’s return.
Indeed, throughout the Bible, most of the stories are around people who discover their own vulnerability as sinners – or don’t. Consider the next verse.
Verse 25-28. “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.”
Analysis. The brother finds out what’s going on and refuses to participate in the celebration of his brother’s return. He doesn’t feel any joy, including the fact that there is a celebration. Remember in the first two stories, celebrations took place after the sheep and coin where found. Everyone took part. But those first two stories were about the feeling joy over finding something lost. Like the father here, he is feeling job because he “found” is son; however, that’s not quite right: it is the son who repented and found his father again. His father, happy, comes out to “plead” with his other son.
This “fatted calf” is important because it was a high sign of celebration on special occasions. As you’ll see in the next verse, it bothered the brother immensely.
He was “angry” and would “not go in.” It reminds you a child not getting his way, doesn’t it?
Verses 29- 30: “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”
Analysis. These verses are about what the brother says to his father. He is clearly jealous. He complains that he has served his father “many years.” That he hasn’t “transgressed” any commandment at any time. He followed the rules. He lived, in short, by the law. He was not lost.
The idea of “not lost” is important because we are all lost. Only some of us realize it, while others don’t. Jesus has a way of throwing this truth at people who think they are not lost, but are in fact, lost. What do you think the murmuring was about?
The son says, “Yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my friends.” This is important. Why is he complaining that his father never gave him something to “celebrate” with his friends? Today it’s called whining.
An interesting phrase is “thy son.” The son speaking too is a son, but his brother who “lived with harlots” gets the fatted calf!
Imagine that.
It has shades of Cain and Abel in it, doesn’t it? Perhaps if the father wasn’t there, one of the brothers would have killed the other.
In any case, the brother feels an injustice has happened – his father has rewarded his brother who wasted his part of the fortune. Why is the father so happy? The brother isn’t feeling the job.
The final verse of the passage explains it all.
Verses 31-32: “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”
Analysis. Herein lies the clues to the entire passage.
Sheep are lost and found…coins are lost and found…people are lost but unlike a coin or sheep, have to find themselves. The people who find sheep and coins do it as a superficial way to get “admiration” and have a celebration. But when you lose and find yourself, there is where the real job is.
This is a story about the joy of a sinner who repents and how everyone should be happy about that. Of someone who“is lost” and through self-discovery, realizes his mistakes and repents. It is a story about the joy felt by those who love him. Who love unconditionally.
The word “meet[2]” in important, too. In other words, it was necessary – a must – that they make merry because the brother was dead and now is alive!
It is a story about a brother who doesn’t love his brother — about a brother who thinks just going through life doing your duty is enough. Besides, if you always think you are doing the right thing, why would ever repent?
Unlike traditional interpretations, this is a story about repentance through self discovery. As I have discuss in prior essays (see Disobedience Repentance and Forgiveness. An Interpretation of the Book of Jonah), repentance runs as a consistent theme in many of the stories of the Bible. The story of Jonah is one of the more telling tales of repentance where I concluded:
The Book of Jonah is really a story about perceptions. Jonah knows he is dealing with God, but tries to ignore that fact. It’s a story of deceptions. Jonah hides who he is until found out, he is thrown off (remember, the sailors didn’t want to do it but did)….But a careful reading will show that Jonah never repents…The story of Jonah is a story really about God’s ability to change His mind, and that as humans, we cannot nor should not try to fathom His will.
The lost sheep did not repent; the coin for sure did not repent. Those stories were stories for the listeners (the tax collectors, Et.al) and the joy they feel in their selfishness. It is a false joy because it has no repentance integrated into it. Jesus is telling us that to realize true joy, you need something called repentance.
The lost son story is a story of repentance and the joy experienced by those who love you when in fact you repent.
Jesus had to tell the two stories first to get the murmurers in the mood for the real message: self-discovery of your sins leads to repentance and joy.
One wonders if it worked.
Which it didn’t. The next story from Luke is about the unjust steward, which Jesus told to his disciples. I wrote about that as well, and perhaps you’d enjoy reading my interpretation, entitled, “The Unjust Steward was a Crook Just Like his Boss.”
See what you think.
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For Your Reference Luke 15: 1 – 31 from King James Version
1 THEN drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
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[1] John 8: 12-20 sums up Jesus’ battle with Pharisees perhaps the best. “12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. 14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. 19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. 20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. “ When you read that passage, it is clear the Pharisees were threatened with the truth of Jesus.
[2] The Greek verb translates as “it was meet” is a special verb according to sources that means “it is needful,” and “there is a need.” They explain that it is always singular referring to a specific moment in the past, present, or future. It works something like our word “must.”
