young cow

April 30, 2019

The fatted calf (Lk 15:23-15:23)

“Get the fatted calf!

Kill it!

Let us eat!

Let us celebrate!”

 

καὶ φέρετε τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν, θύσατε, καὶ φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν,

 

This long parable story about the prodigal son can only be found in Luke, not in any of the other gospel stories.  Luke indicated that Jesus said that the father of this returning prodigal son told his slaves to bring the fatted calf (καὶ φέρετε τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν) and sacrifice or kill it (θύσατε).  They were going to eat it (καὶ φαγόντες) and celebrate a feast (εὐφρανθῶμεν).  The fatten calf was a specially fed young cow that was kept for eating at special occasions.  Once again, Luke is the only biblical writer who used this term σιτευτόν, that means fattened calf, 3 times in this story.  Let the good times roll!  Do you like beef?

 

October 2, 2017

Israel was stubborn (Hos 4:16-4:16)

“Like a stubborn heifer,

Israel is stubborn.

Can Yahweh

Now feed them

Like a lamb

In a broad pasture?”

Hosea insisted that Israel was stubborn, just like a stubborn heifer or young cow. How could Yahweh feed them, as if they were meek lambs in a wide-open pasture? Thus, there is a difference between the stubborn young cow of Israel and the mild-mannered lamb of Judah.