The Parable Of The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32)

This is a long parable in the book of Luke, so I'll try to interpret it briefly, yet in detail too. If possible. I'll try my best. This passage comes from Luke 15, verse 11 to 32.

¹¹Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. ¹²The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

¹³"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' ²⁰So he got up and went to his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

²²"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

²⁵"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

²⁸"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

³¹" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³²But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

luke15:11-32

Since this is such a long passage, I'll break it down section by section.

Verse 11 and 12
11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

In the beginning, Jesus dives right into the story and describes the main points to start the story. From the two verses, we learnt that...

1. there is a man with 2 sons
2. younger son wants share of estate
3. man divides property

Verses 13, 14, 15, and 16
13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Here, it talks about how the younger son leaves his home and father to go live by himself. This can symbolize how sometimes we leave God and we become to arrogant and want to do everything ourselves. But as it says in the passage, he spent everything and there was a famine in the country. This can shows how we may go through a big trial or trouble in life, maybe even just a small one and we have no one to rely on. Life may just get worse and worse as it did for the son and he needed to feed with the pigs which show how poor he was.

Verses 17, 18, and 19

17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'

The son fortunately came to his senses and realized what he did wrong and learnt to repent and go back to his father. Like us, when we come to our senses, possibly in the midst of tragedy, we need to know and learn to go back to our Father in heaven who knows all and is almighty and powerful. Repent against your sins and ask for forgiveness from our Lord.

Verse 20

20So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

This verse, I think maybe one of the most powerful verses in the passage. The son finally gets home and his Father has been looking for him and finally sees him. Like how when we return to God, he'll see us and welcome us. The father kissed him and loved him like how God will when we return and after we return.

Verse 21
21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

The son now knows what he has done wrong and is repenting from his sin and asks his father for forgiveness. Just like how we all should when we sin or do wrong. Not just when we return to our Father's side.

Verses 22, 23, and 24
22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

The Father asks his servants to dress his son and make a celebration because his son has returned. Making a feast, dressing him us, giving the best to his son. Exactly what our God will do for us. In heaven, he will be celebrating when we return to him or if we go to him for the very first time. Angels will be singing, and there will be a marvelous party in heaven.

Verses 25, 26, and 27

25"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

The older son, who was mentioned in the beginning of the passage overheard the noise and when to check it out. He gets the news that his brother has returned but his reaction was different. Instead of being happy for his brother, he was jealous.

Verses 28, 29, and 30

28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

The older brother got jealous. Why? Because he doesnt understand why his father gives his brother so much when he seems to get nothing. He's jealous because it seems like his father cares more for his brother. We as Christians may sometimes feel like that. We may wonder why this Christian is so much more blessed than us, but we should NEVER be jealous. Instead, we should learn to be thankful that one of our brothers/sisters are so blessed. Remember that God loves us all equally and unconditionally.

Verses 31, and 32
31" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

Here, the father says that they celebrate because their son/brother is back. Once dead but now found and alive again. Lost, but now is found. The older son ALWAYS had everything. So we must learn to be thankful and join in the celebration as well.

SUB it,
Smij Nahc † [Be Thankful. Praise God for his blessings for you and as well as others.]
God Bless You ♥