Prodigal - Part 1

Luke 15:11-24

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. 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. 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.” ’ 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. 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.

While Jesus was teaching the people, He tells the story of one who is purposely lost. The Prodigal doesn’t just wander off absentmindedly. He isn’t accidentally dropped. He chooses, of his own free will, to walk away and leave behind his only true source of life and peace. He becomes untangled from the Father who loves him and ensnared in the world. We read this story with great interest because we can relate both to the Prodigal and to his older brother – each very troubled but in different ways. This isn’t a new story for any of us but it never gets old. That’s because inside of this story is the heart of our story with God. This parable has for centuries been called ‘Evangelium in Evangelio’ [the Gospel in the gospel]. As such, it leads us every single time we read it into the arms of the Father. And while in its totality it is only about 20 verses long, this story is multifaceted and far deeper than a simple reading in English can take us.

First, let’s look at the title of this parable which has been placed upon it by translators and commentators, not Jesus. Just taken in context, the word “prodigal” would seem to mean someone who falls away from or purposely leaves the faith or their family (or both in this case). 'Prodigal' actually means to squander what you have been given.

prod•i•gal \ˈprä-di-gəl\ adjective

[Latin prodigus, from prodigere to drive away, squander]

1: characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure: lavish – a prodigal feast – prodigal outlays for her clothes

2: recklessly spendthrift

3: yielding abundantly: luxuriant—

synonym see profuse—

Keep that word “squander” in your mind as you ponder the meaning of this parable in your own life. We’ll come back to that thought but for now we’re going to pick this text apart a little bit as the details reveal a fount of glorious grace.

• And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’

This young man essentially says, “Dad, I want you to die so that I can inherit my share of your cash. Do it now.” This request would have been absolutely abhorrent to the hearers of this parable. They would immediately despise this young man. In their hearts would also arise questions about the older son as well. It was his responsibility to stand up to the younger brother and deny this request on behalf of his father. You’ll notice he doesn’t do that. We’ll deal with him later.

• And he divided his property between them. 

The fact that the father actually fulfills the sons request was shocking to every hearer of this story. They would have been amazed at his willingness to acquiesce to this absurd request. Now the younger son does something the entire community would have found disgraceful; he sells his portion of the inheritance and leaves town.

• Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country,

He had to leave town. If he hadn’t the community could have possibly killed him. At the very least, they would have ostracized him from the community completely.

Now the son wastes everything he has been given living a high and extravagant life.

• and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, (it probably didn’t take him very long to lose everything. Now his problems begin in earnest.) 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.

Upon hearing about being reduced to feeding pigs the hearers of the story would have gasped in shock. Pigs were unclean animals. They were never even supposed to be touched by a Jewish person. Now he was feeding them and even trying the food that was meant for the pigs, his hunger is so great. He is driven to devise a plan.

• And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 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! ¹⁸I 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.”’

There are those who would say this was the point of his repentance. I would disagree with that stance. Here we find someone who is in a mess and trying to figure a way out of that situation. He knows his father well enough to believe that should he return he would at least be given a job. As a servant, he would have the means to pay back what he had taken in the first place. His plan allows him to save face with his family and the community. In his heart lies a plan, not necessarily repentance.

• 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. ²¹And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²²But 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. ²³And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Here is the crescendo of the story. The father has just been waiting for the day of His son’s return. He has watched and prayed as the days went by, hoping for the restoration of his relationship with this precious child. When that glorious day finally arrives, the father takes action. While the son is still far off, the father does a few things that we should find shocking and glorious.

1. He RUNS to the son. A Middle Eastern adult male never runs because it is undignified. It would mean total humiliation. The Father just doesn't care about that. His son is home!
2. He passes through the “gauntlet” of on-lookers who would have gathered for the sons return as soon as news spread that he was back. The people in that gauntlet would have felt free to throw garbage and perhaps even strike the son as he re-entered the town. The father runs that gauntlet for him.
3. The father restores the son to his original place as a part of the family by placing a ring on his finger, a robe around his shoulders, and shoes upon his feet.
4. The son doesn’t even get to complete the speech he had practiced. The father takes over and arrangements are made for a great celebration for the lost has been found.

There’s a difference between actually being sorry for a sin and being sorry you got caught or have to pay the consequences. While the prodigal’s repentance may have been self-centered and really only a means to an end, the father’s grace and compassion were perfect and complete. While the son was fickle, foolish, and frightened, the Father was gracious, giving, and generous. We’re not done with the story. But for today, ponder the places in your life where God’s grace has been squandered and where you have received the outrageous love of the Father rather than what you deserve.