Read: Luke 15
At the beginning of Luke 15, tax collectors and sinners flocked to Jesus to hear Him teach. Not surprisingly, the Pharisees disapproved of His socializing with “sinners.” In response, Jesus told three parables describing His love for the lost. The Prodigal Son story is the third and most detailed and unique to the book of Luke.
In the parable, a young brother, like the greedy tax collectors, asks his father for his share of the estate. According to the law, he would have received one-third of everything (Deut. 21:17). Granting this request put the father in financial jeopardy, yet he complied and let the sinner go his way.
The prodigal squandered his inheritance on wild living. Then, a famine struck the land. In a desperate state, the young man took the only job he could find, feeding swine—a dishonorable act for a Jew. As he eyed the pigs’ food with envy, he recognized his wrongdoing and decided to return home and repent.
When the father saw him, he ran to the son! This would have shocked Jesus’ audience. Culturally, a disrespected father would have waited for some indication of remorse. But this father’s forgiveness was exceptional. He kissed his son. Then he called for robes, rings, and a fatted calf for a feast. We can understand the over-the-top love of this father as a picture of God.
The older son was angered by the way his father freely accepted the younger son back into the fold. His attitude was like that of the Pharisees, who complained about justice and equality and showed no mercy to those in need. Incredibly, the father responded to him with even more grace: “You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”
Questions for Reflection:
- Who are you in this story? The younger son, running away from the father? Or the older son, resentful and unforgiving?
- What can we learn from this story?