Luke 15:11-32 (CEV)
11 Jesus
also told them another story:
Once a man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his
father, “Give me my share of the property.” So the father divided his property
between his two sons.
13 Not long after that, the
younger son packed up everything he owned and left for a foreign country, where
he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 He had spent
everything, when a bad famine spread through that whole land. Soon he had
nothing to eat.
15 He went to work for a man
in that country, and the man sent him out to take care of his pigs.[a]
17 Finally, he came to his
senses and said, “My father’s workers have plenty to eat, and here I am,
starving to death! 18 I will go to my father and say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. 19 I
am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your
workers.’”
20 The younger son got up
and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his
father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed
him.
21 The son said, “Father, I
have sinned against God in heaven and against you. I am no longer good enough
to be called your son.”
22 But his father said to
the servants, “Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a
ring for his finger and sandals[c] for his
feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and
celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back
to life. He was lost and has now been found.” And they began to celebrate.
25 The older son had been
out in the field. But when he came near the house, he heard the music and
dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants over and asked,
“What’s going on here?”
27 The servant answered,
“Your brother has come home safe and sound, and your father ordered us to kill
the best calf.” 28 The older brother got so angry that he would
not even go into the house.
His father came out and begged him to go in.
29 But he said to his father, “For years I have worked for you
like a slave and have always obeyed you. But you have never even given me a
little goat, so that I could give a dinner for my friends. 30 This
other son of yours wasted your money on prostitutes. And now that he has come
home, you ordered the best calf to be killed for a feast.”
31 His father replied, “My
son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But
we should be glad and celebrate! Your brother was dead, but he is now alive. He
was lost and has now been found.”
INTERPRETATION
THE
LOVE OF A FATHER
What did the father think when his younger son asked for his inheritance before his death? In reality, the younger son asked his father to die. This is clear from the Jewish laws of inheritance. The strong element of shock and dismay felt by the original audience often is lost for the modern day reader. The original Jewish audience asks how a son can be so cruel as to ask for the inheritance before the father dies. Money is more important to the younger boy than is his relationship with his father. The father in Jesus' story would have said to himself, "My son wants me dead." Pay attention to how many times the Jewish law of inheritance mentions the father’s death.
If a man assigned his goods to his son to be his after his death, the father cannot sell them since they are assigned to his son, and the son cannot sell them because they are in the father's possession. If his father sold them, they are sold [only] until he dies; if the son sold them, the buyer has no claim on them until the father dies. The father may pluck up the crop of a field which he has so assigned and give to eat to whom he will, and if he left anything already plucked up, it belongs to all his heirs
The story deals with relationships within a family circle. Not only does the parable teach about the love of the father but it tells about the relationship between two brothers. The behavior of the younger son, who becomes the prodigal, is only a symptom of the real crisis. Even though the father has unlimited empathy, the family difficulties depicted in this parable are enormous. Neither of the brothers comprehends their father's love. Nor does one brother hold love in his heart for the other. As a matter-of-fact, both brothers are spiritually sick but in diverse ways. Nonetheless, they both build relationships based upon money.
The Inheritance
What did the father think when his younger son asked for his inheritance before his death? In reality, the younger son asked his father to die. This is clear from the Jewish laws of inheritance. The strong element of shock and dismay felt by the original audience often is lost for the modern day reader. The original Jewish audience asks how a son can be so cruel as to ask for the inheritance before the father dies. Money is more important to the younger boy than is his relationship with his father. The father in Jesus' story would have said to himself, "My son wants me dead." Pay attention to how many times the Jewish law of inheritance mentions the father’s death.
The Jewish Law of Inheritance
If a man assigned his goods to his son to be his after his death, the father cannot sell them since they are assigned to his son, and the son cannot sell them because they are in the father's possession. If his father sold them, they are sold [only] until he dies; if the son sold them, the buyer has no claim on them until the father dies. The father may pluck up the crop of a field which he has so assigned and give to eat to whom he will, and if he left anything already plucked up, it belongs to all his heirs
Luke 15:11-32 - The fact that a penitent sinner
pleases God more than a ceremonially correct self-righteous and/or religious
person is quite evident in this parable.
15:12 – At a father’s
death Jewish Law allotted one-third of the estate to the younger son and
two-thirds to the elder (Deut.21:1-17). The younger son’s request betrayed his
rebellious nature in wanting to live independently of his father’s will. A Jewish father could abdicate his wealth
prior to his death (1King.1-2).
15:15 – From his
immorality (v.13), the son falls into apostasy. He joins himself to a Gentile
farmer who raises pig, which was regarded by Jesus’ audience as especially
“unclean.”
15:17 – Note how the
father is present in the son’s memory in the far country.
15:18,19 – Repentance is
sorrow for sin, confession that the offense has been committed against a holy
God, and change of heart that manifests itself in change of action.
15:21 – Compare what the
son actually says to his father with his prepared confession (vv. 18, 19). He does not even have a chance to finish his
confession before his father calls for a celebration of joy.
15:22-24 – The father’s
reception shows that genuine repentance brings not only pardon but complete
restoration.
15:25-30 – The loveless attitude of the elder brother portrays the
religious leaders’ claim to self-righteousness, their doctrine of salvation by
achievement, and their uncharitable attitude toward repenting sinners. Just as the elder brother had no true
relationship with his father, so the religious leaders had no true relationship
with God.
15:28 – Intreated: The hope for reconciliation
of the father extends not only to the younger son, but to the elder son as
well.
15:30 – This Thy Son: The joyless attitude of the older brother
(who typifies Jesus’ critics) is portrayed by this pejorative jibe. He cannot bring himself to say, “my brother.”
15:31-32 – God will
extend His mercy to whomever He will. Despite the objections of those who view
salvation in another way.
CONCLUSION
The needs of both lost sons are met by the compassion of the father. He is without power when his sons make the wrong decision to reject his love. In spite of refusal, the father is waiting to receive his sons when they come to themselves and comprehend their need for communion with him. Jesus tells his hearers what God is like and makes them see themselves in his creative illustration. This story has no conclusion. Each person must decide for himself or herself how the parable will end. In the same way that God shows compassion for his children, they in turn must establish and exhibit love for one another.
Playwright Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
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