Two Prodigals
TRANSLATION
(11) He then said, “There was a man who had two sons, (12) and the younger said to his father, ‘Father, give to me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. (13) Not many days later, the younger son gathered everything he had and journeyed to a distant country. There he squandered his inheritance with wild living. (14) And when he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to be in need. (15) So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into the fields to feed his pigs. (16) And he longed to fill his stomach with the seed pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything.
(17) “When he came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough to eat, and here I am starving to death! (18) I will set out and return to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. (19) I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Let me become one of your hired servants.”’ (20) And he set out and returned to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and, moved with compassion, ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him. (21) And his son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (22) But his father told his servants, ‘Quickly bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet, (23) and bring the fatted calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate, (24) for this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
(25) “Now his older son was out in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. (26) And he called one of the servants and asked what was happening. (27) He said to him, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ (28) But he became angry and refused to go inside. His father came out and begged him, (29) but he answered his father, ‘For many years I have served you and never disobeyed any of your orders. Yet, you never even gave me a young goat to celebrate with my friends. (30) But when this your son who wasted your property with prostitutes returned, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ (31) And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. (32) But it is fitting to celebrate and rejoice, for this your brother was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’”
OBSERVATIONS
Words referring to close family relationships, father, son, and brother, are found numerous times in this parable. In the first paragraph we find three synonyms, “estate,” “property,” and “inheritance” (vss. 12 & 13), and two occurrences of “pigs” (vss. 15 & 16). Of particular note is the juxtaposition of “this son of yours” with “your brother” (vss. 30 & 32).
Each of the three paragraphs focused on one of the three family members. The parable opened with an emphasis on the younger son demanding his share of the inheritance before his father died. This act of rebellion (he was saying to his father in essence, “I wish you were dead”) led to his eventual ruination and desperate resolve to return home (vss. 11-16). The second paragraph emphasized the father’s unexpected and lavish forgiveness of his rebellious son. He had been waiting for his return, and when the son appeared, he ran to meet him and unhesitatingly opened his arms, his heart, and his home to receive the rebel with a full and undeserved pardon (vss. 17-24). The third paragraph focused on the unwillingness of the older brother to share in the father’s joy or to grant his brother forgiveness. He jealously pouted while his father lovingly appealed to him to join in the celebration. He thus showed himself to be a second prodigal son (vss. 25-32).
OUTLINE
I. The younger prodigal departed with his share of the estate and wasted it all. (11-16)
II. The younger prodigal returned and received the father’s undeserved welcome and pardon. (17-24)
III. The older prodigal refused to forgive and pouted because of the love shown to his brother. (25-32)
IDEA STATEMENT
The selfless love that forgives and restores the repentant sinner will inevitably offend the self-righteous.
APPLICATION
The central figure of this story was clearly the father who demonstrated unwavering love in the way he dealt with both his erring sons. When the younger son rejected his father, demanding his share of the property and leaving home, the father did not try to stop him. When he later returned in a desperate state, ready to take a servant’s place where he could at least obtain food and shelter, the father received him with a love that both forgave his offenses and restored him to the family. When the older brother refused to forgive his brother and resented his father’s lavish response, the father persisted in showing love to both. As in the two previous parables, the thrust of this story’s message was the father’s joy over recovering what had been lost.
In his first epistle, John challenged his readers with this exclamation: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 Jn. 3:1). Because the Father’s love is not something we could ever earn or deserve, it is also something we can never lose. Whether our sins are more obvious like the younger brother’s outright rebellion or more subtle like the elder brother’s simmering resentment, the Father persists in loving us despite our waywardness, waiting patiently for us to surrender our hostility, drop our defenses, and return to his embrace. The well-known worship song phrases it this way: “How deep the Father’s love for us, how vast beyond all measure...” May each of us “…have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…” (Eph. 3:18 & 19).