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In this episode, we dive into one of the most well-known parables in the Bible, the story of the prodigal son. But this time, we uncover a powerful cultural context that’s often overlooked: Kezazah.

Kezazah (severing or cutting off) was a Jewish custom, a public shaming ceremony for any Jewish man who lost his inheritance to Gentiles and dared return home. It involved community rejection, symbolic breaking of a clay pot, and permanent separation. Knowing this, the father’s actions in Luke 15 take on an entirely new meaning.

Why did the father run? Not just out of love or joy, but to get to his son before the village could. He ran to cover his son with grace, to protect him from shame, and to restore him before the world could reject him.

Join us as we explore the emotional, cultural, and spiritual weight of this story, and how it reflects the heart of our Heavenly Father who runs toward us, even when we don’t deserve it.

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