Stories for the Waiting Room
"Stories for the Waiting Room" examines the existential value of Jesus' parables for living in today's complex society. The podcast's host, Dr. Mark A. Proctor, holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Baylor University with an emphasis in New Testament Studies. Dr. Proctor has published a handful of scholarly articles on the parables, and their content has provided meaningful subject matter for his graduate and undergraduate courses. "Stories for the Waiting Room" examines the parables in light of their first-century cultural milieu with an eye toward applying their timeless content and challenges to our own contemporary context.
Stories for the Waiting Room
Joy in Recovering What’s Gone Missing: Lost Sheep in Thomas, Matthew, and Luke
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Dr. Mark A. Proctor
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Season 1
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Episode 7
In the seventh episode of "Stories for the Waiting Room," Mark and Lee take a look at the three versions of Jesus' parable of the Lost Sheep in the Gospel of Thomas 107, Matthew 18:10-14, and Luke 15:1-7. In each instance, the gospel writers use Jesus' story to address their respective theological concerns. In Thomas the parable affirms the good shepherd's love for wise disciples. Matthew instead presents the sheep not as the biggest of the bunch but as a vulnerable and immature member of the flock in need of the shepherd’s care and rescue. Finally, Luke uses the Lost Sheep story to cast Jesus' association with tax collectors and sinners as his attempt to encourage their repentance and bring joy to God in the process.