Parables: The Prodigal son

Parables are stories that help explain a concept or situation by way of analogy or riddle.

We have looked at many of Jesus’s parables that describe the kingdom of God: how it grows, how people respond to it in various ways, how precious it is in God’s eyes, etc.

Last week we stumbled into two parables that while describing the heart of God, were actually used not as describing a concept, but a situation.

English Standard Version Chapter 15

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Notice that Jesus is not trying to teach the people about a higher concept like the kingdom of God, but is rather explaining what he is doing in this situation. He is basically answering the Pharisees accusation “why does he eat with sinners and tax collectors?”

Jesus answers by parable, essentially saying that those who are lost and then found bring greater joy than something that was never lost.

Lets give a bit more context:

Tax collectors were seen as traitors to the Jewish people.

They took money from the people and gave it to the roman invaders.

They worked for the enemy.

Jesus befriended them.

Sinners - In the eyes of the pharisees everyone was a worse sinner than they were.

They set up laws so that they wouldn’t even come close to breaking God’s laws.

For example in order to not take the Lord’s Name in vain, they stopped using the name of the Lord at all

Replacing it with either “Adonai” = Lord or “HaShem” = the name.

When Jesus talks about a lost sheep or a lost coin, he is talking about sinners. Those who are lost and just need to be brought back.

But what about a Tax collector? Someone who has betrayed his family and friends and now works for the enemy?

One of Jesus’s disciples was a tax collector - Matthew. It’s not clear, but it is possible that this conversation happened shortly after Jesus called Matthew

English Standard Version Chapter 9

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

So we have a similar situation, Jesus is eating a meal with tax collectors and sinners, and the phariasees are asking questions.

Imagine you are matthew, Jesus is eating at your house, the religious leaders are asking why he would associate himself with someone like you, someone who betrayed his family for money, and Jesus tells them this story.

English Standard Version (Chapter 15)

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.

The Younger son does something unthinkable, he basically tells his father that he is not dying quickly enough, he wants his share of the property. THis is shameful, the father would have every right to disown the son with this outrage, but instead, he agrees, and gives his sons their share of the inheritance.

13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in 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 his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

The younger son wastes all his money away. so that he has nothing, all of his share of his fathers wealth its gone. He spent it all on useless things,

Drink

Women

Drugs

fancy clothes

gambling

Until he has nothing. the only work he can find is working with pigs:

Pigs are unclean, they are the epitome of uncleanliness,

Jews cannot eat pork, by law.

there would have been no worse job for a jewish man.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” ’

He comes to his senses, and decides that while he knows he is not worthy to be considered part of his fathers family, after all the shame he has caused his father to bear.

He knows his father is kind, and perhaps could hire him as a servant. He’s not interested in being in a relationship with his father, he just wants his fathers stuff.

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

While he was a long way off - the father was looking.

-Like a shepherd looking for a lost sheep

-like a woman looking for a lost coin

He ran,

-wealthy Older jewish men did not run - it is hard to run as you get older, it is also undignified. you have to hike up your robe to expose your ankles, after a certain age, you did not run.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

The father interrupts his son’s rehearsed speech. He is not interrested in having another servant, he wants his son back.

the robe

the robe is a sign of favor, when people were being celebrated they got to wear the best robe, easy way to mark the most celebrated person.

Like Joseph and the coat of many colors

The ring

Signant ring, used to mark or seal important document and family goods. Whoever heald the signant ring held full authority to act on the families behalf

Not only is he a lost son returned, but the father is now trusting him with the rest of the property.

Sandals

Only the rich wore sandals back in those days. They were expensive, especially ones that fit good.

The fatjer brings the son out of poverty

the fattened calf

Meat did not last long back in the days before refrigeration. so it was saved for special occasions, wealthy familys would have a calf that they would fatten up for future celebrations.

The son coming home was worthy of a great celebration, greater than whatever they were saving the calf for.

If you are matthew, the tax collector, who has brought shame to his family by working for the romans, this story of a son being welcomed back to his father’s house is incredible. God welcomes him home, despite his past.

Jesus has told the pharisees that him eating with tax collecotrs an sinners lines up with the heart of God, trying to bring them home.

but the parable isn;t over.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’” 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

THe older son is angry. He doesn’t get a party? he has done everything right! he never shamed his father, or did anything that would waste away his fathers money. He is not like his younger brother

He refuses to go into the party. His father invites him in, but he refuses.

God does not keep people out of heaven, our own choices do that.

The older son is the pharisees.

English Standard Version Chapter 18

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God welcomes his lost children home. those who have never done anything worth celebrating, he celebrates when they come back to him.

If we are lost or in trouble, we just need to repent - repent means turn around, and go back to the Father.

we have to make sure we never become like a pharisee, someone who thinks that we can earn God’s favor, someone who thinks we can work our way into heaven, someone who thinks that we are better than those around us becuase of how we managed to live our life.

We need to celebrate the lost who are found, and celebrate with them. We need to come into the party, instead of refusing to join in out of some misplaced sense of righteousness.