The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32. NKJV.

I’ve heard and read many an explanation about the prodigal son. My focus here though would be more on the father.

We open from verse 12.
And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

In the New Living Translation (NLT), we read,
“The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.”

Ancient Jewish culture is a deeply patriarchal society. The father is not only the head of the household but he is also the owner of everything else like slaves, vineyards, farmlands etc. When his son asks for his portion, the father was well within his rights to not only refuse but also chastened him (Deut. 21:18-21). From what we see in the NLT, the second son might have as well told his father that he wish he was dead already so that he can have his share of the estate immediately. Given the respect that fathers are expected to be given in this culture, this must surely have been a slap in the face to the father. We can only imagine the hurt and pain that this request caused him.

But he divided the estate anyway and grant his son’s wishes. Imagine the sorrow of the father when he did this even though he probably knew that his son was making a big mistake. Imagine the love of this father who decided to grant his son’s selfish, greedy and self-centered wish. This loving father did not impose his will upon his son [even though it was lawful and he had every right to do it] but allow him to take his portion of the estate in his own time and not at the time that the father would have wanted.

Since this was the second son, he most likely received one-third of the estate and his older brother, the other two-thirds because according to Deut. 21:17, the first born receives a double portion.

We pick up again in verse 13.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 

After getting his portion of the estate, it would not be too far-fetched to think that he then sold everything so that he can have money in his hand as he prepares for his journey to a far country. Once again, imagine what must have gone through the father as he sees the son selling his share of the estate. What about the older brother? So far, there’s been no mention of him. It could be that he was indifferent to all of this. He couldn’t care less what his brother wanted. Now that the estate has been divided, everything will one day be his.

Since this is a well-known parable, we’ll skip some parts and go to verse 16.
And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 

The son is in quite a predicament – he’s now reduced to feeding pigs, animals that Jews considers unclean. And if that wasn’t humiliating enough, his hunger has driven him to even want to eat pig feed. But it seems like he could not even afford to buy pig feed. If there was anything like a poverty line in those days, then it’s safe to say that he was well below the line.

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants (18-19).”

We can only wonder how long this son was in that situation but regardless, ‘he came to himself’ (17). He decided on two things: (i) first, he was going to ask for forgiveness from his father for not only what he did to him but also what he did to God directly. This was the best decision he could have made; (ii) he knew that what he did was almost unforgivable and he made no attempt for excuses. He knew that he’s already squandered his share and he’s no longer worthy to be a son. He’s not even worthy to be his father’s slave for that matter. His request would be for his father to make him a hired hand.

Do you wonder why not a slave but a hired hand? Go to Genesis 39 and read about Joseph and how he became an overseer of Potiphar’s house. All that Potiphar had was put under Joseph’s (a Jewish slave) authority (Gen. 39:4). There’s no doubt that the father in this story was a good and faithful man who feared God and treat everyone right; he must have treated his slaves well too. I imagine that the son knows his father’s goodness and he thought that being a slave in his father’s household was too good for him and he does not deserve that anymore. A hired help on the other hand are probably daily wage laborers ­– someone that you hire to do a particular job and be done with.

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (20-21).

Picture this seen for a moment. We have an old man running towards his son and felling on his neck and kissing him. Remember that this is a patriarchal society with the fathers expected to behave in certain manner that shows dignity and respect. But we can assume that the father did not care that it was highly undignified of him to be running around, he did not care what others will say about him. All he knew was that his beloved son was back. Full credit to the son as well for going ahead and saying what he had wanted to say. We all know how difficult it is to admit our sins. Seeing the father’s reaction, a lesser man might have been tempted to savor the moment and not admit to anything. But he was determined to say what he had decided. I imagine the son is now on his knees ready to ask for his father’s mercy. He was only halfway through his speech when his father interrupted. Did his father even heard what he was saying? Probably not, such was his joy at getting his son back.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘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 fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry (22-24).

The father was not satisfied that only he would be happy for having his son back. He wanted all his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him. It’s safe to assume that the father was a very wealthy man so this was likely a very grand party and many people were there.

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ (25-27)

The older brother now enters the scene for the first time. It seems like he was oblivious to what was going on. Could it be that no one told him what was going on? Judging from what we know about the father, this was unlikely. He must have already known that his brother had come back. When he saw the party, perhaps, he must have thought that something else was going on. After all, no one in their right mind would ever throw a party for ‘a prodigal son’; not after he ‘has devoured his father’s livelihood with harlots’

But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. (28-30)

The party was going on and all the father’s friends and neighbors were enjoying themselves and celebrating the return of the younger son. But someone was not there and he refuse to join this party. Once again, recall the culture and the respect that fathers command. He could have sent his servants and force his older son to come in. But in keeping with his character, he was humble enough to go out and plead with his older son. Notice that the older son did not even address him as ‘father’, a sure sign of respect for the family patriarch. When we read what the older brother had to say, who among us would not have responded the same way he did? We know this story well enough but wouldn’t you have agreed with him? His younger brother did something terrible… he must pay for what he did; he should certainly not be celebrated.

And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’

The father had already divided his estate among his 2 sons and everything the father had now belonged to the older son. He really did not lose anything with his brother’s return. What angered the older son was the father’s forgiveness and his apparent ‘forgetfulness’ of his brother’s actions. Did the father expect him to show the same love and forgiveness for his brother? The story ends with the father reiterating that celebrating his brother’s return was the right thing to do.

The analogy in this story is obvious – the father is God the Father. Here are just a few things we learn about God the Father from this story:

1. He loves His sons and will not impose His will upon them, even if He knew that the sons are making bad choices.
2. He has the right and the authority to do as He please, but His love and respect for His sons will not allow Him to do so.
3. He anticipates that one day His son will return to Him. He was patient to wait and never stop looking forward to seeing His son again.
4. He is full of love and compassion and does not hold His son’s sins against him. He was quick to forgive him.
5. He will humble Himself to display His love for His sons.
6. He’s joyful and will celebrate every sinner that come back home to Him. 

You and I are either of the 2 sons. Which one are you?

1. If you’re still on your “far country”, far away from the Father then know that He’s patiently waiting for you to come home to Him; to repent of your ways and to come to Him and say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you”.
2. If you’re now gathering your belongings with intentions to go to some “far country” away from the Father then it’s not too late to turn back home. Your Father is waiting for you.
3. If you’re at the end of yourself and you long to return home but doubt whether the Father will still forgive you, please don’t let Satan deceive you with this lie. No sin is too big that the Father’s love will not cover. He is patiently waiting for you even right now.
4. Or perhaps you’re someone who has ‘grown up in the church’ and you read your bible daily and go to church regularly. But have you ever wished that you could call down fire from heaven to consume ‘those sinners’?
5. Or judge someone in your heart (or even with your words and actions) because they are different from you or they’re not from your church/denomination or they are a different race from you.
6. Or you can’t stand (and even hate) your brother or sister in Christ because they don’t agree with you or they irritate you or they hurt you once and you still cannot forgive them.

Jesus ended the story without showing how the older brother responded. If we’re like the older brother, then we’re the ones who decide how this story ends. Will we continue to be angry and stay outside the Father’s home or will we join our Father in celebrating the return of our brother?