Luke’s LXX Allusion to Jacob and Esau in the Prodigal Son Parable Affirmed
May 10, 2008 by LO
Summary
Luke’s LXX Allusion to Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33:4) in the Prodigal Son Parable (Luke 15:20) Affirmed (10 pages; .PDF format; ~190KB) examines the Greek texts of Genesis 33:4 and Luke 15:20 to demonstrate the striking linguistic parallels in these texts and to suggest that Luke employs an allusion to the former in the latter.
Additional evidence is explored to strengthen this affirmation, including:
- LXX quotations and allusions by Luke in his other NT writings, and
- modern commentators who affirm an allusion in Luke 15:20 to Genesis 33:4 and other scenes in the Genesis narratives.
Finally, a handful of implications for Christian interpreters arising from this affirmation are discussed.
(The fresco of Luke is by Cappella Tornabuoni (1486-90, Santa Maria Novella, Florence). See the Web Gallery of Art for further details.)
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