The Parable of the Prodigal Son

This is actually two parables combined in one - the parable of the younger son and the parable of the older son.
The younger son:

Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 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.

“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. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 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.

“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! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” ’

“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. 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.’

“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. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 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.

The older son:

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 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. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 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!’ ”

(NLT, Luke 15:11-32)

In this parable the younger son represents people who are lost in sin and the father represents God.

The younger son's demand to take his share of the inheritance early showed his youthful arrogance and disrespect for his father. Only the harsh reality of life away from his father's protection brought him to his senses. Just as the immature young son found by hard experience that his life of wild living led to desperation, we may find by hard experience that the lures of wealth and pleasure lead us to a life of emptiness separated from God.

But the father's love is the main topic of this parable. Just as the father loved his disrespectful son and longed for his return, God loves all sinners and waits patiently for them to repent and return to His love and protection.

Just as the father rejoiced when his son repented, God rejoices when a lost sinner repents.

Just as the father forgave his son and welcomed him back with full status in the family, God will forgive sinners and welcome them back with full status in the kingdom of God.

The older son represents people who are self-righteous and critical of others.

Unlike the disrespectful and foolish younger son, the older son had been loyal to his father his entire life. It is easy to understand why he felt angry and jealous about the attention his father lavished on the returning younger son. But he was also disrespectful to his father and resented the mercy his father extended to his brother.

Jesus may have originally directed this parable at the Pharisees, a self-righteous religious group that would rather see a sinner punished than saved. But we have to be aware of the "Pharisee" in ourselves when we are tempted to criticize, shun, exclude or punish people we think of as sinners. That is God's privilege alone (Matthew 7:1-5, Romans 14:10-13, 1 Corinthians 4:3-5, James 4:11-12).

Related verses: Ezekiel 34:16, Matthew 18:10-14, Luke 6:32-36, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 10:12, 2 Corinthians 1:3, 1 John 4:8-10.

Related article: What Does the Bible Say about Forgiveness of Sins?

History of publications!

The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
The Parable of the Lost Sheep

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source text http://www.christianbiblereference.org/jparable.htm
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