Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G103 The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Luke 15:11–32

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All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Luke 15:11-32

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give to me the share of the wealth which falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

13 And not many days after, having gathered together all things, the younger son went on a journey to a distant country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

14 But when he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one gave him anything.

17 But having come to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have an abundance of bread, and I am perishing 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 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ‘

20 And he arose and went to his father. But when he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23 And bring the fatted calf here and slaughter it, and let us eat and be merry;

24 for this my son was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.’ And they began to be merry.

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 having summoned one of the servants, he was inquiring what these things might be.

27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him back in good health, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and began to plead with him.

29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, so many years I have been serving you and I never transgressed your commandment; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fatted calf for him.’

31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32 But it was necessary to be merry and to rejoice, because your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ “

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is recorded only by Luke; it is not found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, or John. The Lord Jesus told this parable while He and His disciples were on the way from Galilee back to Jerusalem, before the Passover of the year 27. That was the Passover during which He would be arrested and crucified to complete the atonement for the sins of mankind.

The Lord Jesus told this parable, along with two others, in response to the murmuring of the Pharisees and the scribes. They had criticized Him when they saw Him teaching tax collectors and other sinners and eating with them. According to the viewpoint of Judaism, those who were considered devout to God were not to associate or come near those regarded by society as sinners, such as tax collectors, prostitutes, and thieves.

Just before the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the Lord Jesus had told the Parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. Each parable reveals a particular aspect of the salvation that the God grants to mankind.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15:4–7 portrays the sheep as those in need of salvation. The ninety-nine sheep that did not go astray represent those who have already received salvation. The lost sheep represents a person who has not yet received salvation and needs to be saved.

The ten silver coins in the Parable of the Lost Coin in Luke 15:8–10 symbolize the full number of those who will be saved. The lost coin represents those who are among the last to be drawn by God to the Lord Jesus so that they may enter into salvation, completing the number of the saved according to the God’s will and foreknowledge.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son that we study in this lesson carries the same meaning as the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12–13. The sheep in those two verses and the two sons in Luke 15:11–32 are likened to those who have already believed in the Lord. The lost sheep and the prodigal son are likened to believers who have sinned because they lived according to their own will.

Now, let us together examine the meaning of each verse in Luke 15:11–32.

Luke 15:11-12

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give to me the share of the wealth which falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

In the parable, the father represents the God, and the two sons represent two types of people within the Church. Both are granted the status of children who inherit the inheritance of the God and belong to His family.

The older son represents God’s people who diligently serve the Lord and contribute to the work of His house, yet possess pride and lack love for those who have gone astray. The younger son represents God’s people who are selfish, lack a heart for serving the Lord, desire to live according to their own will, seek worldly pleasures, and are easily prone to fall into sin.

The younger son’s request for his share of the inheritance represents the selfishness of God’s people who misuse or demand the God’s blessings in order to pursue worldly pleasures, rather than using them to serve the Lord.

The father’s act of dividing the inheritance represents the God granting special blessings to each of His people and respecting their free will. This also implies that the God allows each person the freedom to choose their way of life, even if that means choosing a path of disobedience, leading to spiritual separation and the consequences of sin.

In addition to the blessings the God gives to all humanity, such as life and the necessities of life, He also bestows special blessings upon His people. These are called “special blessings” because they are given exclusively to God’s people, such as peace in the soul, fellowship with God, and being led by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 15:13

13 And not many days after, having gathered together all things, the younger son went on a journey to a distant country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

″Not many days after″ shows that the younger son hastily followed his own will without careful thought.

″Gathered together all things″ refers to collecting all the portions of the inheritance given by his father, indicating his determination to leave and sever ties with his family.

″Went on a journey to a distant country″ means he went to a place beyond the oversight and protection of his father.

″There wasted his possessions with prodigal living″ implies that the younger son completely gave himself over to the pleasures of the flesh, wasting all the wealth he had received from his father. The younger son not only failed to build up his family’s legacy but also failed to establish anything for himself.

In the spiritual life, any of God’s people who still delight in worldly pleasures are easily tempted to misuse the special blessings given by the God in pursuit of fleshly desires. If they are not watchful, they may drift away from the Church, plunge into sinful environments, and waste their youth, health, time, strength, and resources on things that do not glorify God.

Luke 15:14-15

14 But when he had spent everything, there arose a severe famine throughout that country, and he began to be in need.

15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

“A severe famine” refers to a severe lack of food, symbolizing an intense spiritual famine. A severe spiritual famine is the lack of God’s Word, the lack of understanding of His Word, the absence of care and guidance from God, and the deprivation of other blessings from Him.

“Began to be in need” implies that hardship and lack gradually came upon the younger son after he had squandered his inheritance. God’s people who become distant from the Lord and from the Church also gradually experience spiritual poverty and eventually become spiritually famished because they no longer receive the special blessings from God. The great famine occurred while the younger son was far from his father, indicating that spiritual hunger is the result of severing one’s relationship with the God, the source of all blessings. Spiritual poverty is not only the loss of blessings but also the loss of peace, life’s purpose, and an intimate relationship with God.

“Joined himself to a citizen of that country” means humbling oneself to make a living in a foreign land, depending on strangers. God’s people who have fallen into sin also tend to cling to unbelievers in the world. In desperation, fallen believers may seek comfort or support from worldly people or systems instead of returning to the Lord and the Church.

“He sent him into his fields to feed swine” implies that the younger son, who once had wealth and enjoyed the pleasures of life, had now become a laborer struggling to survive. In the Bible, pigs are considered unclean animals. This implies that when God’s people fall into sin and live according to the ways of the world, they eventually lose the special blessings from the God, become defiled by sin, and are despised and oppressed by the world. However, the God still patiently waits for them to return to Him with His mercy and grace.

Luke 15:16

16 And he was longing to fill his stomach with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one gave him anything.

In the Middle East, carob pods were a cheap food given to livestock, especially pigs, and only those in extreme poverty would desire to eat them. The younger son, because of hunger, wanted to eat the food meant for pigs, but no one in that land gave him anything. This shows his isolation and utter misery. It also reflects his complete collapse, as if there was no way out. Yet that was precisely the opportunity for him to come to his senses, recognize his condition, and repent, returning to his father.

God’s people who fall into sin by living according to the world will also come to a point where they no longer experience the God’s special blessings and are treated without mercy by the world. They will fall into complete despair, without a way out. This despair, though deeply painful, is also an opportunity for fallen believers to recognize their condition and cry out for the mercy of the God who is always ready to forgive and restore.

Luke 15:17-19

17 But having come to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have an abundance of bread, and I am perishing 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 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ‘

The phrase ″came to himself″ implies that the younger son realized his wrongdoing and also recognized that he was no longer worthy of his father’s love. He came to understand that even the hired servants in his father’s household were treated well and had more than enough food.

″I have sinned against heaven″ implies that the son acknowledged his actions were not only a fault against his father but also a violation of divine order, that is, against the will and commandments of the God, when he disobeyed his father.

″And before you″ implies that the younger son admitted his sins had caused pain to his father, the one he had dishonored.

″I am no longer worthy to be called your son″ expresses his accurate self-awareness and genuine repentance.

″Make me like one of your hired servants″ is a plea for mercy from the father, and at the same time, it continues to express the younger son’s humility, brokenness, and repentance. Although this request is humble, it also shows that the younger son had not yet realized the boundless mercy of the father, who would receive him not merely as a hired servant but as a son.

In the Kingdom of the God, even those considered the lowest are satisfied and abundant in the love and grace of the God. This shows that even those despised and rejected by society, such as tax collectors and other sinners, if they truly repent, will also have an abundant share in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Failure to fulfill our duties toward one another is also a sin against the God. For the God created all things and established the laws of life for all creatures. Among them, humankind has specific duties toward one another: children must obey their parents, and parents must care for and protect their children; servants must faithfully and diligently serve their masters, and masters must treat their servants with kindness and justice; citizens must submit to governing authorities, and rulers must act for the benefit of the people.

Failure to fulfill these mutual duties, such as the younger son’s disrespect toward his father, is a sin against the God who ordained these roles and responsibilities within the family and society. Genuine repentance is the way to correct such wrongs.

When God’s people stumble and fall into sin, they must repent quickly and call upon the mercy of the God to be restored to His love and grace. Repentance must be sincere and expressed through meekness, humility, and a willingness to bear the consequences of one’s wrongdoing. The mercy of the God always exceeds anyone’s expectations; He is ready to forgive and restore all who return to Him. His call from ancient times still remains: ″Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God″ (Jeremiah 3:22).

Luke 15:20-21

20 And he arose and went to his father. But when he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

″He arose and went to his father″ implies that repentance must be turned into action, and that action must be decisive. The act of arising and coming to his father shows that repentance must be expressed through a firm decision to move from despair to hope, based on faith in the father’s mercy.

″When he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion″ reveals that the father always loved, cared for, and longed for the return of his prodigal son. Perhaps each day, he stood watching the road leading to his house.

″He ran and fell on his neck and kissed him,″ the father took the initiative to run toward the prodigal son. The act of embracing his son’s neck and kissing him expresses the father’s love and forgiveness for him. It also signifies the father’s initiative in restoring their father-son relationship.

The younger son spoke to his father exactly as he had planned when he came to his senses. This demonstrates his sincere repentance. He did not take advantage of his father’s warm welcome by trying to lessen the seriousness of his sin.

The God always waits for and calls the “prodigal sons” to repent and return to His love and grace. His call is recorded in many places throughout the Bible:

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18).

“And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.” (Joel 2:13).

“Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.″ (Zechariah 1:3).

The devil will sow into the minds of God’s people who have fallen into sin the thought that the God will not forgive them because their sins are very serious. They are unworthy to return to the God. The God has abandoned them.

It is true that they have sinned very seriously. It is true that they are unworthy of the God’s love and grace. But the God does not abandon them because His mercy and lovingkindness reach to the heavens (Psalm 36:5); His compassion never ceases (Lamentations 3:22). He does not keep His anger forever because He delights in mercy (Micah 7:18). Every child of God needs to memorize these two verses:

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” (Psalmsn 103:11).

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

God’s people who have fallen into sin should believe in God’s Word; do not believe the thoughts that arise in your mind from guilt or that are sown by the devil.

Luke 15:22-24

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

23 And bring the fatted calf here and slaughter it, and let us eat and be merry;

24 for this my son was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.’ And they began to be merry.

The father did not stop at his son’s words but immediately expressed his joy and mercy through action, for he knew his son had truly repented. He was overjoyed because the son whom he considered as dead and lost was now alive and had returned to him. He did not utter a single word of rebuke, because it was unnecessary. The son had already come to a deep awareness of his wrongdoing. Without delay, the father ordered the servants to bring out the best robe and put it on him, to place a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet, demonstrating forgiveness and restoration without hesitation.

“The best robe” symbolizes the restoration of sonship.

The “ring” represents the restoration of authority over the servants and the right to inheritance within the family.

The “sandals” signify the restoration of freedom from the status of a slave, for slaves at that time went barefoot.

The “fatted calf” was a fine food, fitting for the joyful celebration of the prodigal son’s restoration.

When someone who has willfully strayed from the love and grace of the God truly repents and returns to His mercy, that person is restored by the God to the status of His child, reinstated to co-reign with Christ in the Heavenly Kingdom, and restored to freedom in Christ, delivered from the yoke of sin and the devil. All of heaven rejoices over the repentance of such a person.

Luke 15:25-27

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 having summoned one of the servants, he was inquiring what these things might be.

27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him back in good health, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

That day, the older son was still diligently working in the field as usual. When he came near the house and heard music and dancing expressing joy coming from inside, he was surprised and called one of the servants to ask what was happening. The servant told him that the younger son had returned, safe and sound, so the father had killed the fattened calf to hold a feast in celebration.

This was an unexpected and displeasing event to the older son. The following verses reveal his thoughts, emotions, and reactions, reflecting his character.

The fact that the older son was faithfully working in the field as usual shows his loyalty, but it also sets the stage for his prideful attitude when confronted with his father’s forgiveness toward his younger brother.

Luke 15:28-30

28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and began to plead with him.

29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, so many years I have been serving you and I never transgressed your commandment; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fatted calf for him.’

The older son’s criticism in verse 30 shows that he knew about his younger brother’s reckless lifestyle, perhaps through rumors or circulating reports, which intensified his dissatisfaction when the father held a celebration. Therefore, when the older son heard that the father had killed the fattened calf and hosted a feast to celebrate the return of the prodigal brother, he became angry.

The older son was so upset by his father’s action that he refused to go into the house to witness what he found offensive. His anger at hearing about the feast with the fattened calf was not merely a reaction of surprise but also revealed a lack of mercy and a self-righteous attitude.

When the father heard that his older son had returned but refused to enter the house, he went out personally to meet him and offer counsel. However, the older son did not heed his father’s words. Instead, he spoke words of criticism, implying that his father had treated him unfairly and had shown favoritism toward his younger brother. The older son’s criticism revealed jealousy and a lack of understanding of the father’s love, a love that embraced both sons and desired that they both rejoice together in the happiness of the family.

In reality, the father had already divided his estate between both sons. According to the custom of the Israelites, the firstborn son received a portion double that of his siblings (Deuteronomy 21:17). The portion that the father kept for himself was his to do with as he pleased; even if he had chosen to give it all to the younger son, that would not have been unjust. The older son had already received the greater inheritance, but he misunderstood the father’s love through the lens of merit, failing to see that the father’s mercy was extended to both sons.

The older son diligently worked and did not disobey his father’s commands, not out of love, reverence for his father, or a desire to build up the family estate, but with the mindset of a loyal hired servant, harboring jealousy toward his younger brother. As a result, he boasted of his own efforts and resented the father’s mercy shown to his brother. He criticized his brother’s wrongdoing without any regard for his brother’s repentance. Nor did he rejoice to see that his brother had returned safely. The servant-like mindset within the older son prevented him from understanding the father’s love, as he focused solely on his own merits and his jealousy of his brother.

The anger of the older son symbolizes the anger of the Pharisees and the scribes when they saw the Lord Jesus teaching and eating with tax collectors and other sinners. It also represents those of God’s people in the Church who are zealous in Church work but boast of their deeds out of pride and lack compassion for those who have stumbled but have truly repented. These are people who consider themselves righteous, yet lack mercy and do not rejoice when others are forgiven.

The attitude of the older son serves as a warning to God’s people to avoid pride and self-righteousness. Instead, they should learn from the mercy of the God and rejoice when those who have fallen repent and are restored.

Luke 15:31-32

31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

32 But it was necessary to be merry and to rejoice, because your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ “

The father’s words, “Son, you are always with me,” both affirm that the older son has fully received the father’s love, provision, and blessings, and gently remind him that the blessing of always being by the father’s side is greater than all material possessions. Compared to the younger son, the older son has received the greater blessing, as he did not have to experience hardship and separation from the father.

“All that I have is yours” implies that the father recognized the hard work of the older son and his contribution to the increase of the family’s wealth, and he intended to give the remaining portion of his estate to him when he passed away. Therefore, the older son should not be displeased over a single fattened calf being killed to celebrate his younger brother’s safe return in genuine repentance. The older son’s displeasure over a fattened calf shows that he did not understand the father’s mercy and grace.

Once again, the father emphasized his feelings toward the younger son, expressing his immense love for him, saying: ″But it was necessary to be merry and to rejoice, because your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.″ If he loved the prodigal son that much, how much more would he love the son who had not gone astray and had diligently worked to build up the family’s estate? In short, the older son had no reason to be jealous of his brother or to criticize the father, claiming that he had acted unfairly.

In one respect, the older son is also a prodigal son. Because he was disrespectful to his father, criticized him, failed to understand his father’s love for him, and lacked compassion and forgiveness toward his repentant brother. Destroying material inheritance is serious, but destroying the emotional inheritance between father and son is far more serious. The older son also needs sincere repentance and to join in the family’s joy within the father’s love.

Many of God’s people are proud, boast about their service to God, and are jealous of those who have sinned but truly repented and have been welcomed back into the Church by the God. They do not realize that this attitude shows they are worse than those who have sinned but humbly repented.

Let us all remember this saying:

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13).

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
04/26/2025

Note:

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.