In Luke 15:11-24, Jesus tells a parable about a young man, the son of a loving, wealthy father. Dissatisfied with living under his loving father’s authority, this entitled young man demands his share of his father’s estate, intending to leave the comfort and safety of the family home, to make his own way in the world.
Let’s see how it works out for him and what lessons we can learn from the parable.
A man had two sons and the younger of them said to his father,
“Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.”
So he divided his property between them and soon thereafter, the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a far country where he squandered his property in reckless living.
After he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country and he began to be in need. So he hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to feed pigs. He longed to eat the pods that the pigs were eating but no one gave him anything.
When he came to his senses, he said to himself, How many of my father's servants have more than enough bread while I perish here with hunger!
I will go to my father and say;
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your servants.”
Then he arose and returned 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.
The son said to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But the father said to his servants,
“Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
And they began to celebrate.
Unpacking the Parable.
1. An idyllic life.
The story begins with an idyllic family home in which the young man enjoys the abundance of his wealthy, loving father.
Here is the young man’s own Garden of Eden, what more could he want?
2. He wanted what was not his.
But enjoying his father’s abundance wasn’t enough, he wanted more. He wanted something to which he was not yet entitled; he had no claim on a share of his father’s property while his father was alive. Now was not the right time to claim his share of his inheritance that was still 'coming' to him at some time in the future.
The father's property is the young man’s equivalent of the ‘fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’; just as the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ was placed in the Garden of Eden, so too a share of the father’s estate would be ‘coming’ to the son in due course, but not yet.
3. Unprepared for the responsibility.
The young man’s actions demonstrate his complete lack of preparedness for his newly-acquired, unearned wealth. Without his loving father’s guidance, the irresponsible actions of this entitled, immature young man would lead to poverty, hardship and suffering as surely as night follows day.
In the same way, Adam and Ever were unprepared for the awesome responsibility of the 'knowledge of good and evil', an awakened conscience. And, as with the curses that followed Adam and Eve’s rebellion, the young man’s poverty, hardship and suffering were the curses that followed his own reckless actions.
4. Coming to his senses.
This is where the parable of the prodigal son parts company with the story of the Garden of Eden; unlike Adam and Eve, the young man comes to his senses and repents.
He prepares a ‘prayer of repentance’, acknowledging how he has offended God and his father, and begging his father’s forgiveness. By humbling himself, he is no longer the arrogant, entitled young man he once was; he has become a mature adult accepting personal responsibility for his actions, not blaming others for his poverty, hardship and suffering.
5. The father’s forgiveness.
See how compassionate and welcoming the father is on his son’s return. See how quick he is to forgive his son; before his son has completed his ‘prayer of repentance’, the father is embracing him and lifting him to his feet. See how quickly he instructs his servants to clothe his son with ‘the best robes’. See how quickly he restores his son to the family.
See how God our Father longs for us to return to his presence. See how quick God is to forgive us when we do repent. See how quick God is to embrace us in His love and clothe us with the best ‘robes of righteousness’.
What is holding you back?
Can you see how the only impediment to God’s forgiveness is our rebellion and resistance to his loving authority?
If you have been living in rebellion against God’s divine authority, now is the time repent; to humble yourself and pray and seek God’s face and turn from your wicked ways.
Today is the time to stop living in rebellion and start obeying God’s divine Law, ‘God’s Simple Formula for a Perfect World’.
Challenges ahead!
But, be aware that there is an angry, resentful, older brother lurking outside in the dark, the return to the family will have its challenges!
