The Prodigal and Identity (Luke 15:11-24)
Verse 12 We need to remember that Jesus is telling a parable here, this isn’t an actual event.
- In a sense the wording here is that the son is asking for the fruits of his Father’s life.
- Some have suggested that such a request by the prodigal son was the equivalent of saying to his father, “I wish you were dead.”
- Disrespect today is almost the norm so we don’t see this as scandalous as it was.
Verse 13 The verb “gathered” here has as one of its meanings “to turn into cash.”
- Since most of what he would have inherited would have been land he would have needed to sell off the land before heading off.
- This only adds insult to injury for the father as land was to be kept in the family for generations.
- Now some of the family farm land has a third-party owner.
- “The verb translated as “squandered” normally means to scatter; the image is of throwing one’s possessions to the wind.”
- “The adverb translated “wild living” suggests both reckless and immoral behavior.
- Later in verse 30 there is even a reference to prostitutes.
Verse 14 Famine in the OT was usually seen or understood as judgment from God.
- So, you could assume that this land the son has chosen to live in is wicked land.
Verse 15-16 Now it moves from embarrassment and disgrace of his father to his own embarrassment and disgrace.
- Remember this is a good Jewish boy and pigs were considered very unclean.
Verse 17 I think for many of us, or at least at times in our life, we think like this.
- The Father can’t really forgive me; I have gone too low.
- So, we end up thinking I’m okay with just hanging out on the edges of the Kingdom.
- “Being a slave, being punished it what I deserve.”
Verses 18-19 These two verses also represent one of the greatest lies of the enemy.
- In verse 18 we see some genuine repentance. Admitting his sin.
- But then in verse 19 the son goes back into slave thinking.
- Sometimes we can do the same thing, confess our sin, but then we let the enemy convince us that we can’t really be forgiven, we can’t really be a son or daughter of God.
Verse 20 The son surely must have wondered what the response of his father would be.
- Even today a distinguished Middle Eastern patriarch in robes does not run, but always walks in a slow dignified manner. Running was viewed as humiliating and degrading.
- The man’s unrestrained joy and affection, even to the point of humiliation before others, reveals God’s overwhelming love and grace for the lost sinners.
- The Father is not embarrassed by us or our sins.
- In fact, what He does here is to take upon Himself the embarrassment of the son.
- It also shows the joy the Father/God has when a person repents and returns.