Bible Discourse 58 Jesus’ Parables on humility and discipleship, and the parable of the prodigal son

Discourse 58

Jesus’ Parables on humility and discipleship, and the parable of the prodigal son

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And Jesus answering spake unto lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?”  And they held their peace.  And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, “Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?”  And they could not answer him again to these things.

And he put forth a parable for those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out of the chief rooms; saying unto them, “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, ‘Give this man  place’; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may see unto thee, ‘Friend, go up higher’: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.  For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” 

Then said he also to him that bade him, “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”

Then said he unto him, “A certain made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, ‘Come; for all things are now ready.’ And they all with one consent began to make excuse.  The first said unto him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.’

“And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came, and showed his lord these things.

“Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.’

And the lord said unto the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.’”

And there went great multitudes with him and he turned, and said unto them, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.  For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? ? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’

“Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, that desireth conditions of peace.

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?  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.”

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, “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?  And when he hath found it, he layeth it, on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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.

“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.

“Either what woman have 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? 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.  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

And he said, “A certain man had two sons: 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.  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.

“And when he spent all, there arose mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself in a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

“And when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me one of thy hired servants.’” 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.

“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.’  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: And bring the father fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’  And they began to be merry.

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew night to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, ‘Thy brother is come; and thy father had killed the fatted calf, because he hath received safe and sound.’

“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.  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: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’  And he said unto him, ‘Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 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.’”

                                                           Luke 14:1—15:32

And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.

And Jesus answering spake unto lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?”  And they held their peace.  And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and answered them, saying, “Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?”  And they could not answer him again to these things.                       Luke 14:1—6

Jesus observed that many people assembled there were hypocrites in observing Sabbath. Jesus said: Any time is good to do good even if it is Sabbath. He then healed the sick man.

And he put forth a parable for those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out of the chief rooms; saying unto them, “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, ‘Give this man  place’; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may see unto thee, ‘Friend, go up higher’: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.  For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”    Luke 14:7—11

“Whosoever therefore humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”                                                    Matthew 18:4

Jesus said: Divine law reveals the truth and exposes the deceit. Humility is the natural expression of every soul who knows God.

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”   James 4:6

Jesus abhorred the status seeking dinner guests.  He told them that satanic delusion of egotism debases a man. Humility elevates the man. The Omnipotent Lord never puts Himself forward.

“In taking infinite pains to shroud with mystery His presence in the atoms of creation, the Creator could have had but one motive, one sensitive desire: that man seek Him only through free will. With what velvet glove of every humility has He not covered the iron hand of omnipotence.”    Autobiography of yogi, Chapter 24

One great devotee said: “I bow to myself. I am the sustainer of the universe.”  When one identifies with not his little self but with his divine self, he rejoices to be the servant of all.    

Then said he also to him that bade him, “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee.  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”                                           Luke 14:12—14

Jesus said: Do not hold feasts for vanity. Those feasts are for those who need no feeding. They do not have any spiritual benefit. Use this money to feed the poor.  By serving the poor you serve the God selflessly in the temple of unfortunate.

“resurrection of the just’, Jesus implies that by serving the poor and afflicted will be weighed by the law of cause and effect and will be rewarded by the God.

 

And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.”

Then said he unto him, “A certain made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, ‘Come; for all things are now ready.’ And they all with one consent began to make excuse.  The first said unto him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.’

“And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came, and showed his lord these things.

“Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.’

And the lord said unto the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.’”

And there went great multitudes with him and he turned, and said unto them, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.  For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? ? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’

“Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, that desireth conditions of peace.

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.                                  Luke 14:15—33

Jesus was unhappy with the invitation extended to truth seekers, many of whom excused themselves on flimsy grounds.

Then the master invited selective few who are need of his spiritual blessings. There is still room for more.  

Those in need of my spiritual service will be attended to and benefited. Every devotee must make his life a heaven reaching tower of wisdom. He must reckon with the price to be paid in renunciation, self-discipline and meditation. He is called disciple who forsakes the material engagements and maintains self-discipline.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?  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.”

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, “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?  And when he hath found it, he layeth it, on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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.

“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.

“Either what woman have 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? 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.  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

                                                                                             Luke 15:1—10

Jesus said: Naturality is good. A divine shepherd means a true guru. Even if one disciple go astray he will not leave him into lurk in spite of having hundreds of disciples.  There is rejoicing in heaven when an error stricken soul turn toward God.  A woman feels happy when she finds her lost coin.  Jesus compares the guru and his disciple to a shepherd and his sheep. The shepherd is happy with his hundred sheep as a flock.

The great love of God is expressed by Jesus beautifully. When a sinning child repents his foolishness and makes sincere effort to return to God’s kingdom, Sadguru or true Guru feels happy.

  

And he said, “A certain man had two sons: 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.  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.

“And when he spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself in a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

“And when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.’” 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.

“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.’  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: And bring hither fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’  And they began to be merry.

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew night to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  And he said unto him, ‘Thy brother is come; and thy father had killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.’

“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.  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: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’  And he said unto him, ‘Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 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.’”   Luke 15:11—32

Jesus explained deep spiritual truths through parables to his disciples. Two spiritual sons were born on earth as per their past karma. The younger devotee was proud to possess about his wisdom and hence he was careless. He identified himself with sense pleasures and journeyed into far country of delusion and wasted his virtuous qualities.  Because of bad company and delusion, he faced mighty famine of inner suffering and he desired to be nourished again by some divine food but not find it in his drought-stricken life. He sought refuse with a good man. The good man devoted himself to train some discipline unruly souls (swine). This younger son was ready to be satisfied even with ‘husks’ of rudimentary discipline.  This younger brother prayed with repentance thus: “Heavenly Father, I am darkened with ignorance and unworthy to be of your son. I am Thy true soul-image within me. Take me back.   Whatever position and duties I am destined to do I am ready to do to atone myself for my evil actions.”  He then lifted hus consciousness toward Cosmic Consciousness. The Heavenly Father thus received him back and commanded His angels to bestow him the best robes of astral lights.

The elder brother who was always in deep consciousness and came nearer to Cosmic Consciousness was not happy with the treatment meted out to his younger brother. The Heavenly Father through intuitive wisdom of elder brother removed his misunderstanding.  “Devotee son, you are ever in My Cosmic Consciousness. You should not feel less because we celebrate the return of you younger brother who was spiritually dead is now divinely alive. Rejoice.”

Through this parable, Jesus wanted to explain how happy is God to receive back his warring or prodigal children back to his fold. “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.”

Even the most wicked person can become a saint by unshakable resolution to find God.  Bhagavadgita says:

Apichetsu duraachaaro bhajate maamanyabhaak

Saadhureva samantavya ssamyagvya vasitohinah     Gita 9—30

He who without any other avocation, mind anchored to me,   and worship me with incessant devotion, he is considered to be  good  even if he may be a consummate evil doer.

Becoming a slave to senses is wrong doing. Doing Kriya yoga sadhana is right doing.

Kshipram bhavati dharmaatmaa saswachchaanti nigachchati

Kaunteya pratijaaneehi namebhaktah pranasyati  Gita 9—31

Those sinners who are taking shelter in Me are becoming men of righteousness. They are getting peace and tranquility soon. Hey Arjun, take a oath “ My devotee never perishes’’.

Maam hi paathavyapaasritya yepisyuh paapayonayah

Sthiyo vaisyaastathaa soodraastepi yaanti paraamgatim   Gita 9—32

He Arjun, those who are having low and sinful births, ladies, vaisyas, Sudras, are attaining supreme goal of reaching Me undoubtedly.

Those who do not do any sadhana are Sudras. The awakened kundalinee start touching Chakras gradually proportional to  Kriya yoga sadhana.  The development of the sadhak is proportional to the Chakra,  proportional to the awakened Kundakinee. The castes, Brahma, Kshatriya, Vaisya, and Sudras are made as per the chakra reached by the awakened Kundalinee. If this awakened Kundlinee touches Moolaadhaara then he is called Kshatriya, Swadhistaana—Vaisya, Manipura—Vipra, and Anaahata—Brahmin.

The son of an Engineer may or may not become an Engineer in future. A Sadhak who could become a Brahmin by virtue of his awakened Kundalinee touching Anaahatachakra. He may not have a son of that stature in real life. Hence the father may be a Brahman, but his son may not be.