The prodigal

On a day we must relearn how so many Christian parables fail Torah, let's talk The Prodigal Son. In the Gospels we know, this anecdote exists in one of the four: canon Luke. Maybe not even that.

The basis is a beloved son of the landlord, who then goes out to fritter his inheritance. In Luke's sources, the landlord is God and the son is Christ. But note! that, for this parable, I used an indefinite for the singular. Here we read of plural sons - two, for the narrative purity.

The tale wasn't in Marcion's Luke. Once more we confront inter-Lukan variance across MSS. We are somewhat used to this, with Bezae and others.

Marcion was happy to tell of God's mercy and desire to regather His sheep, relating similar immediately prior. Hence why the story got tacked where it did, where other attempted additions like the Adulterix ended up floating elsewhere. As to its content, I suggest there's more to The Prodigal than God's mercy. I suggest this story had a more-particular object in mind.

In this particular, I ponder if we are looking at Peter. Peter is the locus for many Gospel tales, as the favoured disciple who betrays his trust. The decision of John 1-20 was to give up on Peter - it shifts to the Beloved (we'll get back to him), to be associated with the Blessed Mother (because mommy). But we know from Paul that Peter did not lose his station, so, you know, John did not win his war. The Johannines would find John 21 foisted upon his very Gospel.

The proPetrine faction, which is Mark's and Matthew's faction, knew Peter wasn't done wit'. But despite reciting much Petrine apologetic, they missed this one. I've noted last month that defending Peter wasn't Luke's focus; Luke's focus is to defend all the Disciples, whom Luke is setting up to receive the Spirit. This parable leaves the jealous other son(s) outside the feast.

I suspect Marcion was right inasmuch as the story wasn't in Luke, although his opponent Tertullian knew it - from somewhere. The story was a tradition spread among Peter's defenders. It may even defend against the Gospel of John itself. Marcion - or his followers - continued to resist the story because, as we all must know, Marcion is all about Paul, and his followers hardened that position even unto Peter's expense (thus downplaying Acts).