Parable of the Prodigal Son Part 1

Study of Luke 15:11-24

And He said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 

But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate."

— Luke 15:11-24

Continuing the theme of God's joy in finding the lost and repentance of sinners, Jesus now tells His longest parable about a merciful father and two sons. If the two earlier parables of lost sheep and coin are told to reflect God's attitude towards sinners, this time the story is a contrast between God's attitude and the Jews' attitude towards sinners.

The story starts when the younger son could not wait for his father's death that he asked for his inheritance before the proper time. This shows his unhappiness in his father's presence that he wants to be independent and live his own way. Disrespect to parents especially fathers are viewed negatively in the ancient world and condemned in their honor-shame culture. Rebellious sons were also to be stoned to death in their Law.

“If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them, then his father and mother shall seize him, and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gateway of his hometown. They shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey us, he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and fear.

— Deuteronomy 21:18-21

Perhaps to prevent his son's obstinacy to intensify and be further exposed if he resisted his wishes, he immediately divided the inheritance between the two sons with the older having a double portion (two thirds) and gave at most a third portion to the younger son. After getting what he wants, the younger son migrated to a distant country, most likely gentile land, to live away from his father.

Now that he is totally free from his father's authority and with lots of money to squander, nothing is stopping him from obeying all his lusts. Insanity takes over when restraints are removed and we are allowed to live out our fantasies. The rationality we have been endowed by our Creator as made in His image are overpowered by our basest carnal instincts and we become like irrational animals. The young man is no longer thinking upright, he is living life to the fullest of his ungodly desires in the here and now without regard of its future consequences.

Soon he spent all his inheritance and on top of that a severe famine occurred so food has become scarce and very expensive. He is now broke and hungry and of course, no more friends too. In his desperation, he forced someone to hire him for work and was sent to feed pigs which are forbidden unclean animals for a Jew. He has sunk so low that he craves the carob pods that the pigs are eating but nobody gave him even that. This is the ultimate humiliation for a Jew.

While suffering the consequences of his folly, reason returned and he came to his senses. He thought "How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!"

Warren Wiersbe comments on this

"This scene in the drama is our Lord’s way of emphasizing what sin really does in the lives of those who reject the Father’s will. Sin promises freedom, but it only brings slavery (John 8:34); it promises success, but brings failure; it promises life, but “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). The boy thought he would “find himself,” but he only lost himself! When God is left out of our lives, enjoyment becomes enslavement."

As often the case, it is in a miserable state that we remember God and turn to Him for help and salvation. When things are well and good we are happy to enjoy ourselves without regard to God. The young man realized he has no other hope but to go back home and so he planned "I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.”’

The first step to repentance is realizing and admitting our sinfulness and unworthiness but it does not stop there. If the prodigal son just thought his plan in his mind and did not put it to action he would still die in hunger. He must actually turn away from where he is toward his father's house. Likewise, repentance is not only conviction of sin and being emotional about it but involves an actual turning away from sin and towards God.

It seems the father was constantly watching for his son to come home that he immediately recognizes his boy even from afar. Filled with compassion at his son's impoverished condition, he completely disregarded his dignity and ran (old men do not run in their culture) to meet his son. He hugs him and kisses him while still filthy and smelling like pigs. And even before the son completes what he planned to say to hire him as a servant, the father interrupted and commanded his servants to put on him the best robe, a ring, and sandals signifying he is being received back as a son with full rights and authority. 

The father did not demand any penitential conditions for forgiveness nor even a hint of rebuke. It was enough for him to hear his son's confession. The father was just so happy that his figuratively dead and lost son came to life and is found that he ordered the fattened calf, which is reserved for special occasions, to be killed so they could eat and celebrate. A picture of God's joy over sinners who repent.

Like the prodigal son we are all dead in our sins that we need a new birth.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,

— Ephesians 2:1

And we are all lost that need to be found.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

— Isaiah 53:6a

In vivid imagery through the father's attitude, Jesus is showing God's compassion for pitiful sinners like us, as it is written

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust.

— Psalm 103:10-14