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The Parable of the Lost (or Prodigal) Son
Scripture Reference - Luke Chapter 15
Parable
A certain man had two sons.
And the younger son said to his father, Father, give me the portion of property which would belong to me. And his father divided his property unto his sons.
After recieving his property, the younger son went on a journey to a far country and there wasted his property with riotous living. And when he had spent everything there arose a mighty famine in that land and he began to be in need.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and that citizen sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks that the swine used to eat as no man gave food unto him.
And when he came to himself, he thought, "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. And am no more worthy to be called your son and make me as one of your hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father, but when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the younger son said to him, Father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.
But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring a fat calf and let us eat the meat and be merry because my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what was happening in the house. And the servant said unto him, Your brother has come and your father has prepared meat because he has recieved him safe and sound.
And the elder son was angry and would not go in, therefore his father came out and enquired why. And he answered to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve you, and neither did i transgress at any time your commandment and yet you never gave me a young calf that i may have party with my friends. But, as soon as this your son came, who wasted your property with prostitutes, you have prepared the meat of a fat calf.
And the father said unto the elder son, Son, you are always with me and all that i have is yours. It was necessary that we should make merry and be glad for this your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found.
Meaning
The Younger Son did not know the value of money. He did not try to wisely save or invest his share of money and property which his father gave to him. He fell for the sinful ways of the world and wasted all his share of wealth in sinful living until he was totally bankrupt and did not have any money left with him.
Now, he had to work under someone in order to survive in that land. The job he gets is to feed the swine and in return he got the wages which could not fill his stomach. And he would have willingly ate the husks which the swine ate as no man gave food unto him due to the famine in that land. This adverse circumstance in his life makes him realize his mistakes and sins and he remembers how the servants in his father's house had plenty of food given to them.
And then he decides to go back to his father, seek his forgiveness and request him to be allowed to be atleast as one of his hired servants so that he may atleast be in a better state than he was while working in the swine-feeding job.
When he is still far away from his house, his father sees him, has compassion on him, ran and hugged him, and kissed him.
Then the younger son repents and says, I have sinned against God and before you and I am no more worthy to be called your son.
But the father immediately commands his servants to bring the best dress and put it on the younger son and to put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And bring a fat calf and prepare meat and let us all eat and be joyful for my son whom we thought was dead is alive again. He was like a treasure which was lost and is now found. And all the servants were happy too.
When the Elder Son comes to know that the Younger Son has returned and that there was being held a joyful party to celebrate the occassion of his safe return, he is upset and remains outside the house.
When his father comes out and asks him why he has remained outside the house then the elder son complains, saying, all these years i have served you as a son without leaving the house like the younger son and also i have kept all your commandments all the time but you never gave me even a small young calf so that i and my friends could have a party. But as soon as your younger son who wasted all the money and property you gave him on prostitutes, came, you have prepared the meat of a fat calf.
And the father explained to his elder son that the elder son was always with him and all that the father has belongs to the elder son also. And that it was necessary to celebrate and be joyful for the younger son who was once dead and is alive again and who was like a treasure which was once lost and is now found.
The father in the parable is symbolical to Father-God in Heaven. We can understand how much loving and compassionate our Father-God is from this parable especially to lost sinners and how happy He will be when they repent and come back to Him. The Servants in the parable are symbolical to the Angels (and Good Spirit-beings) in heaven who are happy to see even one sinner repenting and turning from his sinful ways.
The Younger Son in the parable is symbolical of all the lost sinners living in the world and who are spiritually dead. And who need to awaken and become spiritually alive. And who need to return from their wordly ways and who need to realize the uselessness of the sinful ways and who need to return to God again just like the younger son returns to his father and repents and asks forgiveness from him and humbles himself before his father sincerely saying he is totally unworthy to be called as his son.
The Elder Son in the parable is symbolical to the already repented and saved people. The sheep which are already in the flock of the Great Shepherd. And the sheep which are already serving God sincerely for many years and who have kept the commandments and teachings of God all the time.
The Elder Son was complaining in self-pity instead of being happy to see his younger brother come back home safe and sound. And the father had to explain to him that all that belongs to him also belongs to the elder son and there was no need to complain nor engage in self-pity and that it was a time to celebrate and be happy.
We can clearly see the depth of humbleness which the younger son (after some hard experiences in life due to his mistakes) has when compared to the elder son (although he was righteous and faithful to the father right from the beginning). The Elder Son could not understand the Father's joy and he did not love his younger brother enough to be happy for the party being hosted on his return. We can see the depth of love which the father had for both the sons. The father gladly forgave the younger son even before he confesses his sins and asks forgiveness. Everyday and all these many years, the father must have been waiting in hope for the younger son. He must have been looking out of his house expectantly for his return. And when he was yet far away, he runs to meet him, hugs him and kisses him. This is how our Father-God's heart is. He considers each one of us like a precious treasure. And the younger son's love and respect for his father would have grown more in his heart, having been forgiven much and accepted by the father.
Now the parable was given, so that we would not commit the mistakes the younger son committed and to avoid the mistake the elder son committed. And so that we might also love and forgive all those who are like the younger son just like his father loved and forgave him. And so that we may understand God's heart towards both kinds of people i.e people like the younger son and people like the elder son.
All Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.
-- Anonymous Christian
Scripture Reference - Luke Chapter 15
Parable
A certain man had two sons.
And the younger son said to his father, Father, give me the portion of property which would belong to me. And his father divided his property unto his sons.
After recieving his property, the younger son went on a journey to a far country and there wasted his property with riotous living. And when he had spent everything there arose a mighty famine in that land and he began to be in need.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and that citizen sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks that the swine used to eat as no man gave food unto him.
And when he came to himself, he thought, "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before you. And am no more worthy to be called your son and make me as one of your hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father, but when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the younger son said to him, Father I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.
But the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring a fat calf and let us eat the meat and be merry because my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what was happening in the house. And the servant said unto him, Your brother has come and your father has prepared meat because he has recieved him safe and sound.
And the elder son was angry and would not go in, therefore his father came out and enquired why. And he answered to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve you, and neither did i transgress at any time your commandment and yet you never gave me a young calf that i may have party with my friends. But, as soon as this your son came, who wasted your property with prostitutes, you have prepared the meat of a fat calf.
And the father said unto the elder son, Son, you are always with me and all that i have is yours. It was necessary that we should make merry and be glad for this your brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found.
Meaning
The Younger Son did not know the value of money. He did not try to wisely save or invest his share of money and property which his father gave to him. He fell for the sinful ways of the world and wasted all his share of wealth in sinful living until he was totally bankrupt and did not have any money left with him.
Now, he had to work under someone in order to survive in that land. The job he gets is to feed the swine and in return he got the wages which could not fill his stomach. And he would have willingly ate the husks which the swine ate as no man gave food unto him due to the famine in that land. This adverse circumstance in his life makes him realize his mistakes and sins and he remembers how the servants in his father's house had plenty of food given to them.
And then he decides to go back to his father, seek his forgiveness and request him to be allowed to be atleast as one of his hired servants so that he may atleast be in a better state than he was while working in the swine-feeding job.
When he is still far away from his house, his father sees him, has compassion on him, ran and hugged him, and kissed him.
Then the younger son repents and says, I have sinned against God and before you and I am no more worthy to be called your son.
But the father immediately commands his servants to bring the best dress and put it on the younger son and to put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And bring a fat calf and prepare meat and let us all eat and be joyful for my son whom we thought was dead is alive again. He was like a treasure which was lost and is now found. And all the servants were happy too.
When the Elder Son comes to know that the Younger Son has returned and that there was being held a joyful party to celebrate the occassion of his safe return, he is upset and remains outside the house.
When his father comes out and asks him why he has remained outside the house then the elder son complains, saying, all these years i have served you as a son without leaving the house like the younger son and also i have kept all your commandments all the time but you never gave me even a small young calf so that i and my friends could have a party. But as soon as your younger son who wasted all the money and property you gave him on prostitutes, came, you have prepared the meat of a fat calf.
And the father explained to his elder son that the elder son was always with him and all that the father has belongs to the elder son also. And that it was necessary to celebrate and be joyful for the younger son who was once dead and is alive again and who was like a treasure which was once lost and is now found.
The father in the parable is symbolical to Father-God in Heaven. We can understand how much loving and compassionate our Father-God is from this parable especially to lost sinners and how happy He will be when they repent and come back to Him. The Servants in the parable are symbolical to the Angels (and Good Spirit-beings) in heaven who are happy to see even one sinner repenting and turning from his sinful ways.
The Younger Son in the parable is symbolical of all the lost sinners living in the world and who are spiritually dead. And who need to awaken and become spiritually alive. And who need to return from their wordly ways and who need to realize the uselessness of the sinful ways and who need to return to God again just like the younger son returns to his father and repents and asks forgiveness from him and humbles himself before his father sincerely saying he is totally unworthy to be called as his son.
The Elder Son in the parable is symbolical to the already repented and saved people. The sheep which are already in the flock of the Great Shepherd. And the sheep which are already serving God sincerely for many years and who have kept the commandments and teachings of God all the time.
The Elder Son was complaining in self-pity instead of being happy to see his younger brother come back home safe and sound. And the father had to explain to him that all that belongs to him also belongs to the elder son and there was no need to complain nor engage in self-pity and that it was a time to celebrate and be happy.
We can clearly see the depth of humbleness which the younger son (after some hard experiences in life due to his mistakes) has when compared to the elder son (although he was righteous and faithful to the father right from the beginning). The Elder Son could not understand the Father's joy and he did not love his younger brother enough to be happy for the party being hosted on his return. We can see the depth of love which the father had for both the sons. The father gladly forgave the younger son even before he confesses his sins and asks forgiveness. Everyday and all these many years, the father must have been waiting in hope for the younger son. He must have been looking out of his house expectantly for his return. And when he was yet far away, he runs to meet him, hugs him and kisses him. This is how our Father-God's heart is. He considers each one of us like a precious treasure. And the younger son's love and respect for his father would have grown more in his heart, having been forgiven much and accepted by the father.
Now the parable was given, so that we would not commit the mistakes the younger son committed and to avoid the mistake the elder son committed. And so that we might also love and forgive all those who are like the younger son just like his father loved and forgave him. And so that we may understand God's heart towards both kinds of people i.e people like the younger son and people like the elder son.
All Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdom, and Thanksgiving, and Honour, and Power, and Might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.
-- Anonymous Christian