LOST OR FOUND?

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Text: Luke 15:11-32

In the last weekly, there were questions posed concerning the interpretation of the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31 -32) and the Parable of the Leaven (Matthew 13:33). It is thus good for us to consider one more example, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, so that we may deepen our understanding on how to interpret parables.

 

Considerations for Interpretation

  1. Interpret according to the context. In the case of the three parables last week, they were spoken when Jesus saw the great multitudes that had gathered at the shore of Galilee to see him. Many of them came because of the miracles he had performed, and had heard of his reputation as a master teacher who taught as one having authority (Matthew 13:1-2; c.f. Matthew 7:29). However, how many of them came truly desiring to know the truth of the kingdom of heaven? How many of them were ready to hear and receive His preacing? The parables that Jesus taught would thus deal with the impact of God’s Word and how one should hear God’s Word. The attitude of hearing God’s Word would serve as a litmus test that distinguishes the wheat from the tares.

    In the case of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus was responding to the accusations of the Pharisees and scribes for receiving sinners and eating with them (Luke 15:2). The sinners and publicans were often regarded as great sinners who were lost. The Pharisees and scribes, who prided themselves as righteous religious men, sneered at Christ for associating Himself with them. The parables seek to address this belligerent attitude of the scribes and Pharisees.

    We should also note that the parable follows after the Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Parable of the Lost Coin. Observe the increasing ratio of loss with each succeeding parable – from 1 out of 100 (Parable of the Lost Sheep) to 1 out of 10 (Parable of the Lost Coin) to 1 out of 2 (Parable of the Prodigal Son). The first two parables focus on the rationale and the effort put in by the Lord to seek out those who are lost. On the other hand, the third parable deals with the question – who is truly lost?

  2. The thrust of the parable is usually at the end of the parable. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a clear example – “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:32)

  3. One should take care not to stress the embellishments instead of the key elements of the parable. In the case of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, it is vanity to find an equivalent for embellishments such as the swine which are fed by the prodigal son, or the robe, ring and shoes that were placed on the prodigal son. Rather, the feeding of the swine showed the desperate condition of the prodigal son, while the robe, ring and shoes that were given to him upon his return showed the father’s joy in receiving him back as a son and not just as a servant.

(I) The One Who Is Lost! (v.11-16)

The parable begins with the belligerent younger son making a ridiculous request for an early accordance of his inheritance. One would usually make plans to receive the inheritance only when the parent is dead, and most often after the funeral. For the younger son to make such a request is as good as asking why the father is not dead. Nevertheless, the father still gave the younger son his inheritance.

Alas, the younger son did not spend his inheritance wisely but wasted it with profligate living. He thought he had limitless resources and could live without any restraint. He left for a far country (away from family’s influence) and wasted his possessions. Thus, he found himself with little when disaster struck. There was a famine, and he had nothing to feed himself. In his desperation, all he could do was to become a citizen of that country so that he could find work on a farm feeding swine. Finally, he found himself so hungry that even the swine’s food became appealing to him. What a fall from his previous state of prosperity as the son of his father’s household!

The lost condition of the younger son represents the desperate condition of every man in this world. Every man is lost in sin. There is no one good, no not one (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:17) What awaits a man who is not cleansed of his sin is eternal death in the lake of fire (Revelation 20).

(II) The One Who Is Found (v. 17-24)

The younger son realised his desperate condition was the consequence of his sin and was pre[1]pared to confess his sin before his father – “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” (Luke 15:18) They were just like the sinners and the publicans who realised that they were lost due to their sin, and are willing to repent of their sin.

The younger son made his way to see his father. However, before he could even make his confession before his father, his father saw him from afar and quickly ran to welcome him. He immediately commanded his servants to put the best robe on his son, and also a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. These actions showed how the younger son was accepted not just as a servant, but as a legitimate son of the household. To top it all out, the father ordered the killing of the fatted calf (i.e. a calf that is reserved for special occasions) to celebrate the return of the son. The father was truly overjoyed. Similarly, when men repent of their sins, Christ is always willing to receive them to himself. Christ would never reject anyone who seeks him in humility and sincerity. It is for this reason that Christ received the sinners and publicans. They were like this younger son who “was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (v.24)

(III) The One Who Is Still Lost (v. 25-32)

However, the elder son of the household was not happy. As he heard the dancing and music in the house, he realised that it was a celebration held for the return of his previously rebellious brother. He flew into a rage and refused to join in the celebrations despite the father’s persistent urging. In his anger, he accused his father, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

Observe the following concerning his accusation which revealed the poisonous state of his heart:

  1. The son claimed to have served as a slave (δουλεύω, douleuō) for many years. The attitude of serving his father was not that of a son but rather that of a slave. Was that how he viewed his father?
  2. He claimed that he had not transgressed all these years. Was the elder son totally obedient to the father without any misdemeanour?
  3. He called his younger brother “thy son” (i.e. his father’s son), refusing to acknowledge the returning son as his brother.
  4. He compared himself with his brother who devoured his inheritance with harlots. He clearly viewed himself as superior to his brother in his pride.
  5. He was angry that the specially fatted calf had been slaughtered for his brother and not given to him. How tragic that this argument arose just over a calf!

The father gave a firm but loving reply – “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” (v.31) All that the father had was always his, and did he not get to enjoy the presence and benefits of his father all these years? There should be no cause of complain from the older son.

The spirit of the elder son reflects the spirit of the Pharisees and the scribes. They were not happy that the sinners and publicans were finding an audience with Christ. They did not rejoice that these men were finding the way of redemption in the Saviour. Alas, the ones who were truly lost were the scribes and Pharisees. They think they can find their way to heaven by their legalistic works. They may win the praise of man, but they are still far from the kingdom of heaven. They are still lost in their sin. If only they were like the sinners and publicans who sought Christ with all their hearts!

The frightening thing about this parable is that we may find some who are like the scribes and Pharisees in the church. They may fool others with the appearance of holiness but have never truly repented of their sin and received Christ as their Saviour. They deceive themselves to think that since I go to church and attend the activities, all is well with my soul. They may also despise men who may be classified as “sinners and publicans” in society and mock them from trying to find salvation in Christ. We ought not to be surprised that some of these men may be pastors and elders for were not the scribes and Pharisees the top religious leaders of the day who were respected by the populace. In the end, what matters is whether one has truly repented of their sin and received Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour. Are you found in Christ? Or are you still lost?

Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew