The Prodigal Son

THE Parable of the Prodigal Son, even as The Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, which immediately precede it, was addressed particularly to the scribes and the Pharisees. It is designed to emphasize the vaunted self-righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees and their resentfulness of the fact that Jesus showed interest in the publicans and sinners, and taught that upon the basis of true repentance they could attain the favor of his Heavenly Father.

The parable is an interesting story which might well have been true in the experience of many throughout the centuries. A certain man, apparently of means, had two sons, who, in the ordinary course of events, would inherit their father’s estate. The younger of these two sons said to his father, “Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.” The father granted the son’s request, and a short time later “the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”—vss. 12,13

Then difficulties arose. “There arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.” (vs. 15) But this was far from satisfactory. “He would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”—vs. 16

In this degrading situation of dire need this younger son “came to himself”; that is, he realized that he had acted very foolishly, and became repentant. He reflected upon the contrasting situation at home, and had been so humbled that he decided he would be glad to become one of the hired servants of his father, for thus he would at least get something to eat.

So this repentant son said within himself, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” He carried out this purpose, and upon arriving home offered himself to his father as a servant.—vss. 18-21

Then comes the important lesson of the parable. The father forgave his son, and received him back into his family. Indeed, a feast was arranged to celebrate the occasion of the prodigal’s return. The feast and its accompanying merrymaking were in progress when the elder son came in from the field. But when he learned what had happened he was not at all pleased.

The elder son refused to take part in the celebration, complaining to his father that although he had served him faithfully throughout the years that his brother had been wasting his life, no celebration had ever been arranged for him. For him no “fatted calf” had ever been killed and no opportunity given to make merry with his friends.

This parable clearly illustrates the sin of jealousy in connection with a matter of no less importance than life itself. However, unlike the elder son, the father looked upon the return of his younger son as though he had received him back from the dead. The boy’s sin had not destroyed the father’s love for him.

But it is important to note that the prodigal son had repented of his wrongdoing, and had returned humbly to his father, not even asking to be reinstated as a son, but merely that he might become one of the servants. Here we have illustrated an important principle in God’s dealings with all his intelligent creatures, whether angels or men, Jews or Gentiles, Pharisees or publicans. Repentance is essential in order to have one’s sins forgiven.

God’s love for the sin-cursed and Satan-blinded human race motivated him to send his beloved Son to be a Redeemer and Savior. Thus he made provision for the reconciliation of mankind; but as individuals no one receives any benefit from this except upon the basis of repentance and dedication to do the Father’s will. There are two aspects of a sinner’s return to God. There is God’s part in providing the atoning blood, and there is the sinner’s part of repentance and consecration.

As for the scribes and Pharisees to whom the parable was addressed, they were very much like the elder son who thought that he was entitled to special consideration because of his superior conduct. Nothing is said in the parable to indicate that the elder son had been hypocritically righteous, although Jesus had charged the scribes and Pharisees on other occasions with hypocrisy. Evidently the Master wanted us to know that even those who sincerely serve, and to the best of their ability endeavor to be righteous, have no right to be jealous when sinners repent and are accepted with rejoking into the favor of God.

On the other hand, the lesson might also be that no matter how outwardly righteous one might be, to take the attitude of the elder brother in the parable would itself indicate an impure heart condition. It would surely reveal a lack of true godlikeness. Our Heavenly Father stands ready to embrace all who return to him in humility and true repentance. This is illustrated in the brief parable of the Pharisee and publican who went up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other debased men, especially the publican. But the publican smote upon his breast, and asked God to be merciful to him, a sinner. He went away justified, but the Pharisee did not.—Luke 18:10-14

Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, “Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” And again, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”—Matt. 23:13,23

From these denunciations it is evident that the scribes and Pharisees had little or no compassion for those whom they considered at variance with their own standards of holiness. Justice and mercy, based on true faith in the divine arrangements of love, had little place in their viewpoints and attitudes.

The father of the prodigal son spoke of having received him back from the dead. To him it was as though the young man had really been dead, and we can understand the heart rejoicing and sympathetic understanding of this loving father.

But the father’s sentiments are not shared by many, even today, who are not willing to concede that sinners who have actually gone into death, and will be restored to life, can possibly receive any consideration from the Heavenly Father. How thankful we are to have learned that the love of God is broader than the measure of many human minds which have been distorted by erroneous views concerning him!

The important lesson of the parable to us is that we are to maintain a sympathetic and loving attitude toward the erring, and to rejoice at any evidence of repentance, and endeavor to walk in the ways of the Lord more perfectly. Our attitude toward those who repent of their wrongdoing should he based upon what they are today, rather than on their erroneous conduct of yesterday. Thus we will be like our Father who is in heaven.

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