Prodigal Son
“What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son?”The Parable of the Prodigal Son is found in Luke chapter 15, verses 11-32.
11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.12 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.
13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.
17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’
20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[a]’
22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on.27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him,29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’
31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
The three character in the parable is:
1)The forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of God. In telling the story, Jesus identifies Himself with God in His loving attitude to the lost.
2)The younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day,
Luke 15:1
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.3)The elder brother represents the self-righteous (the Pharisees and teachers of the law of that day,
Luke 15:2
2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
The major theme of this parable seems to be the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the Father.
In this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son’s return.
to one in one Luke 15:11-32demonstrating God’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity.
We see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance Romans 2:44 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?We will begin unfolding the meaning of this parable at verse 12,
Here we see the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate, which would have been half of what his older brother would receive; in other words, 1/3 for the younger, 2/3 for the older Deuteronomy 21:17
17 He must recognize the rights of his oldest son, the son of the wife he does not love,(In this case the husband has two wives and a son with each of them and his first born is with the wife that he has fallen out of love with) by giving him a double portion. He is the first son of his father’s virility, and the rights of the firstborn belong to him.
Though it was perfectly within his rights to ask, it was not a loving thing to do, as it implied that he wished his father dead. Instead of rebuking his son, the father patiently grants him his request.
This is a picture of God letting a sinner go his own way Deuteronomy 30:1919 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!We all possess this foolish ambition to be independent, which is at the root of the sinner persisting in his sinGenesis 3:66 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.Romans 1:2828 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.A sinful state is a departure and distance from GodRomans 1:2121 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.A sinful state is also a state of constant discontent.Luke 12:1515 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” This son learned the hard way that covetousness leads to a life of dissatisfaction and disappointment. He also learned that the most valuable things in life are the things you cannot buy or replace.In verse 13 we read that he travels to a distant country. It is evident from his previous actions that he had already made that journey in his heart, and the physical departure was a display of his wilful disobedience to all the goodness his father had offeredProverbs 27:1919 As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.Matthew 6:2121 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.Matthew 12:3434 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
In the process, he squanders all his father had worked so hard for on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything.
His financial disaster is followed by a natural disaster in the form of a famine, which he failed to plan forAt this point he sells himself into physical slavery to a Gentile and finds himself feeding pigs, a detestable job to the Jewish peopleLeviticus 11:77 The pig has evenly split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is uncleanDeuteronomy 14:88 And you may not eat the pig. It has split hooves but does not chew the cud, so it is ceremonially unclean for you. You may not eat the meat of these animals or even touch their carcasses.Isaiah 65:4; 66:174 At night they go out among the graves, worshiping the dead.They eat the flesh of pigsand make stews with other forbidden foods.Isaiah 66:1717 “Those who ‘consecrate’ and ‘purify’ themselves in a sacred garden with its idol in the center—feasting on pork and rats and other detestable meats—will come to a terrible end,” says the Lord.
Needless to say, he must have been incredibly desperate at that point to willingly enter into such a loathsome position.
And what an irony that his choices led him to a position in which he had no choice but to work, and for a stranger at that, doing the very things he refused to do for his father.
To top it off, he apparently was paid so little that he longed to eat the pig’s food. Just when he must have thought life could not get any worse, he couldn’t even find mercy among the people.
Apparently, once his wealth was gone, so were his friends. The text clearly says, in vs. 16 “No one gave him anything”
Even these unclean animals seemed to be better off than he was at this point. This is a picture of the state of the lost sinner or a rebellious Christian who has returned to a life of slavery to sin 2 Peter 2:19-2119 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before.21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.It is a picture of what sin really does in a person’s life when he rejects the Father’s willHebrews 12:112 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.Acts 8:23.23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”
Sin always promises more than it gives,
Takes you further than you wanted to go, and Leaves you worse off than you were before.
Sin promises freedom but brings slaveryThe son begins to reflect on his condition and realizes that even his father’s servants had it better than he.
His painful circumstances help him to see his father in a new light and bring him hope Psalm 147:1111 No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.Isaiah 40:30-3130 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint.Romans 8:24-2524 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[a] for it.25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)1 Timothy 4:1010 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,[a] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.This is reflective of the sinner when he/she discovers the destitute condition of his life because of sin. It is a realization that, apart from God, there is no hope Ephesians 2:1212 In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.2 Timothy 2:25-2625 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
This is when a repentant sinner “comes to his senses” and longs to return to the state of fellowship with God which was lost when Adam sinnedGenesis 3:88 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees
At that point the son devises a plan of action.
Though at a quick glance it may seem that he may not be truly sorry, but rather motivated by his hunger, a more thorough study of the text gives new insights.
He is willing to give up his rights as his father’s son and take on the position of his servant.
We can only speculate on this point, but he may even have been willing to repay what he had lostLuke 19:88 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”Leviticus 6:4-54 If you have sinned in any of these ways, you are guilty. You must give back whatever you stole, or the money you took by extortion, or the security deposit, or the lost property you found,5 or anything obtained by swearing falsely. You must make restitution by paying the full price plus an additional 20 percent to the person you have harmed. On the same day you must present a guilt offering.
Regardless of the motivation, it demonstrates a true humility and true repentance, not based on what he said but on what he was willing to do and eventually acted uponActs 26:2020 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do
He realizes he had no right to claim a blessing upon return to his father’s household, nor does he have anything to offer, except a life of service, in repentance of his previous actions. With that, he is prepared to fall at his father’s feet and hope for forgiveness and mercy. This is exactly what conversion is all about: ending a life of slavery to sin through confession to the Father and faith in Jesus Christ and becoming a slave to righteousness, offering one’s body as a living sacrifice.1John 1:9
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Romans 6:6-186 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; (Or Do not let sin reign in your body, which is subject to death.) do not give in to sinful desires.13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.Romans 12:1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.Jesus portrays the father as waiting for his son, perhaps daily searching the distant road, hoping for his appearance. The father notices him while he was still a long way off. The father’s compassion assumes some knowledge of the son’s pitiful state, possibly from reports sent home.
During that time it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father runs to greet his son (vs.20). Why would he break convention for this wayward child who had sinned against him?
The obvious answer is because he loved him and was eager to show him that love and restore the relationship. When the father reaches his son, not only does he throw his arms around him, but he also greets him with a kiss of love
1 Peter 5:14Greet each other with Christian love.(Greek with a kiss of love )Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.
He is so filled with joy at his son’s return that he doesn’t even let him finish his confession. Nor does he question or lecture him; instead, he unconditionally forgives him and accepts him back into fellowship.
The father running to his son, greeting him with a kiss and ordering the celebration is a picture of how our Heavenly Father feels towards sinners who repent.
God greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us His great mercy, because he does not want any to perish nor escape as though by the fire Ephesians 2:1-10Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
1 Corinthians 3:15
15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
This prodigal son was satisfied to return home as a slave, but to his surprise and delight is restored back into the full privilege of being his father’s son. He had been transformed from a state of destitution to complete restoration.
That is what God’s grace does for a repenting sinner
Psalm 40:22 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
Psalm 103:44 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
Not only are we forgiven, but we receive a spirit of son ship as His children, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, of His incomparable riches
Romans 8:16-1716 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Ephesians 1:18-19
18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.( Or called, and the rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his holy people. )
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
The father then orders the servants to Bring the best robe, no doubt one of his own (a sign of dignity and honor, proof of the prodigal’s acceptance back into the family)A ring for the son’s hand (a sign of authority and sonship)
Sandals for his feet (a sign of not being a servant, as servants did not wear shoes—or, for that matter, rings or expensive clothing, vs.22).
All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon salvation:
The robe of the Redeemer’s righteousness
Isaiah 61:1010 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.
The privilege of partaking of the Spirit of adoption
Ephesians 1:55 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, prepared to walk in the ways of holiness
Ephesians 6:1515 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.( Or For shoes, put on the readiness to preach the Good News of peace with God.
A fattened calf is prepared, and a party is held (notice that blood was shed = atonement for sin
Hebrews 9:22
22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
Fatted calves in those times were saved for special occasions such as the Day of Atonement Leviticus 23:26-3226 Then the Lord said to Moses,27 “Be careful to celebrate the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of that same month—nine days after the Festival of Trumpets.[a] You must observe it as an official day for holy assembly, a day to deny yourselves[] and present special gifts to the Lord.28 Do no work during that entire day because it is the Day of Atonement, when offerings of purification are made for you, making you right with[c] the Lord your God.29 All who do not deny themselves that day will be cut off from God’s people.30 And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day.31 You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.32 This will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you, and on that day you must deny yourselves. This day of rest will begin at sundown on the ninth day of the month and extend until sundown on the tenth day.”
This was not just any party; it was a rare and complete celebration. Had the boy been dealt with according to the Law, there would have been a funeral, not a celebration.
Psalm 103:10-13
“The Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”
Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but now is alive, who once was lost but now is found Romans 8:1
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
John 5:2424 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.Note the parallel between “dead” and “alive” and “lost” and “found”—these terms applies to one’s state before and after conversion to Christ Ephesians 2:1-5Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
How Should We Read the Words of Jesus?
Jesus the greatest preacher of all time, told stories and preached sermons the whole world needs to hear.The genius of Jesus is that he often preached one message with two punch lines. If you were confident of your own righteousness, you got law, but if you were not, you got grace.
Jesus is brilliant at giving people exactly what they need. We have read the first part Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). Some people love this story, others hate it. I’ve had people tell me, “I feel bad for the older brother. He worked so hard.” They say this because they are working hard. They are good and decent and can’t understand why Jesus would throw a party for prodigals and not for them. It troubles them that we are inside whooping it up while they’re outside working on their résumés.
The story is real. Every one of us is in it and everyone is invited to the party. Grace is for all. But you’re going to have trouble receiving it if you think of your heavenly Father as an employer. And that’s the whole point. You’re going to have to change your mind about God or you will never enjoy his love.
This parable has another final and tragic, the oldest son, who, once again, illustrates the Pharisees and the scribes.
Outwardly they lived blameless lives, but inwardly their attitudes were abominable.Matthew 23:25-2825 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,[a] and then the outside will become clean, too.27 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
This was true of the older son who worked hard, obeyed his father, and brought no disgrace to his family or townspeople.
It is obvious by his words and actions, upon his brothers return, that he is not showing love for his father or brother. One of the duties of the eldest son would have included reconciliation between the father and his son. He would have been the host at the feast to celebrate his brother’s return. Yet he remains in the field instead of in the house where he should have been.
This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father. Still, the father, with great patience, goes to his angry and hurting son. He does not rebuke him as his actions and disrespectful address of his father warrant (vs.29, “Look,” he says, instead of addressing him as “father” or “my lord”), nor does his compassion cease as he listens to his complaints and criticisms.
The boy appeals to his father’s righteousness by proudly proclaiming his own self-righteousness in comparison to his brother’s sinfulness Matthew 7:3-53 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
By saying, “This son of yours,” the older brother avoids acknowledging that the prodigal is his own brother (vs. 30).
Just like the Pharisees, the older brother was defining sin by outward actions, not inward attitudesLuke 18:9-14Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
In essence, the older brother is saying that he was the one worthy of the celebration, and his father had been ungrateful for all his work.
Now the one who had squandered his wealth was getting what he, the older son, deserved.
The father tenderly addresses his oldest as “my son” (vs. 31) and corrects the error in his thinking by referring to the prodigal son as “this brother of yours” (vs. 32).
The father’s response, “We had to celebrate,” suggests that the elder brother should have joined in the celebration, as there seems to be a sense of urgency in not postponing the celebration of the brother’s return.The older brother’s focus was on himself, and as a result there is no joy in his brother’s arrival home.
He is so consumed with issues of justice and fairness that he fails to see the value of his brother’s repentance and return.
He fails to realize that “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 1 John 2:9-119 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.10 Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.11 But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
The older brother:
The wise father seeks to bring restoration by pointing out that all he has, have been available for the asking to his obedient son, because it was his portion of the inheritance since the time when he gave his brother his share
The older son never utilized the blessings at his disposal Galatians 5:2222 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,2 Peter 1:5-85 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is similar to the Pharisees with their religion of good works. They hoped to earn blessings from God and in their obedience merit eternal lifeRomans 9:31-3331 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law[a] instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall.But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”Romans 10:33 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.
They failed to understand the grace of God and failed to comprehend the meaning of forgiveness.
It was, therefore, not what they did that became a stumbling block to their growth but rather what they did not do which alienated them from God.
Matthew 23:23-2423 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!Romans 10:44 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[a] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.They were furious when Jesus was receiving and forgiving “unholy” people, failing to see their own need for a Savior.
We do not know how this story ended for the oldest son, but we do know that the Pharisees continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from His followers.
Despite the father’s pleading for them to “come in,” they refused and were the ones who instigated the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ Matthew 26:59 59 Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death.
A tragic ending to a story filled with such hope, mercy, joy, and forgiveness.The picture of the father receiving the son back into relationship is a picture of how we should respond to repentant sinners as well1 John 4:20-2120 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister,[a] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.Luke 17:3So watch yourselves!“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.Galatians 6:1We Harvest What We Plant6 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer[a] is overcome by some sin, you who are godly[] should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.James 5:19-20Restore Wandering Believers19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.
Romans 3:23“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ephesians 2:9; Romans 9:16; Psalm 51:5).
We are included in that “all,” and we must remember that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” apart from ChristIsaiah 64:66 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds,they are nothing but filthy rags.Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,and our sins sweep us away like the wind.John 15:1-6“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
It is only by God’s grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of Ephesians 2:9
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.Romans 9:1616 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.Psalm 51:55 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
That is the core message of the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
Consider Jesus’ story of the Pharisee and the tax collector as well (Luke 18:9–14). Both men went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself. His prayer was a résumé. He thanked God that he was not like other men and bragged about his fasting and tithing. But the tax collector stood at a distance and prayed just seven words: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus ends the story with a bombshell: “The tax collector went home justified before God.”
How does this parable make you feel? Does it fill you with joy or resentment?
Words mean different things to different people. If you identify with the tax collector or the prodigal, the words of Jesus are packed with radical grace. You’ll read them with praise and thanksgiving and whoops of joy. But if you identify with the Pharisee or the older brother, his words are extremely unsettling. They are serious words, not fun at all.
Your response to these stories is your response to the gospel. If you identify with the sinful tax collector, then this story is good news. Really? He went home justified?That’s the scandal of grace right there. God justifies sinners Romans 4:55 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinnersSearch the parable for evidence of the tax collector’s good works or merit, and you’ll find nothing. Grace is for the undeserving. It’s for those without résumés.
But if you are confident of your self-righteousness, this story is not good news at all. “Wait a second. I fast. I tithe. I am better than other people. Jesus, what are you saying?” Jesus doesn’t mince his words.Luke 18:14“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” . That’s a hard word for a hard heart. It’s a word that condemns the self-righteous and silences the boastful. It’s a word of law for those who don’t see their need for grace.Yet if you allow them, the words of Jesus will change you. They will strip you of your religion and reveal your need for grace