What is the meaning of the Parable of the Prodigal Son?

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What is the meaning of the parable of the prodigal son? We're going to answer that question.

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First, this is a brief overview of the parable of the prodigal son. To realize the full scope of this topic, please visit our website, gotquestions .org.

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The parable of the prodigal son is found in Luke 15, 11 -32. The main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of God.

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In telling the story, Jesus identifies himself with God in his loving attitude to the lost.

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The younger son symbolizes the lost, and the elder brother represents the self -righteous. The major theme of this parable isn't so much the conversion of the sinner, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the father.

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We see in this story the graciousness of the father, overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father's goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance.

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First, the younger son asks his father for his share of his estate. Though it was perfectly within his rights to ask, it was not really a loving thing to do, as it implied that he wished his father was dead.

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Instead of rebuking his son, the father patiently grants him his request. This is a picture of God letting a sinner go his own way.

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Reading on, we find that he travels to a distant country, and this physical departure was a display of his willful disobedience to all the goodness his father had offered.

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In this process, he wastes all his father had worked so hard for on selfish, shallow fulfillment, losing everything.

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At this point, he sails himself into physical slavery to a gentile and finds himself feeding pigs, a detestable job to the

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Jewish people. Once his wealth and his food were gone, so were his friends. It is a picture of what sin really does in a person's life when he rejects the father's will.

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The son begins to reflect on his condition, and realizes that even his father's servants had it better than he.

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This is reflective of the sinner when he or she discovers the destitute condition of their life because of sin.

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It is the realization that, apart from God, there is no hope. This is exactly what conversion is all about.

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Jesus portrays the father as waiting for his son and notices him while he is still a long way off.

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During that time, it was not the custom of men to run, yet the father runs to greet his son. When the father reaches his son, not only does he throw his arms around him, but he also greets him with a kiss.

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This is a picture of how our heavenly father feels towards sinners who repent. God greatly loves us, patiently waits for us to repent so he can show us his great mercy because he does not want any to perish.

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This prodigal son was satisfied to return home as a slave, but to his surprise and delight is restored back into the full privilege of being his father's son.

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That is what God's grace does for a penitent sinner. The father then orders the servants to bring the best robe, a ring for the son's hand, and sandals for his feet.

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All these things represent what we receive in Christ upon salvation. Instead of condemnation, there is rejoicing for a son who had been dead but is now alive.

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This is a picture of what occurs in heaven over one repentant sinner. Now to the final and tragic character in the parable of the prodigal son.

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The older son who worked hard, obeyed his father, and brought no disgrace to his family or townspeople.

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It is obvious by his words and action that he is not showing love for his father or brother.

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One of the duties of the eldest son would have been to include reconciliation between the father and his son.

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Yet he remains in the field instead of in the house where he should have been. This act alone would have brought public disgrace upon the father.

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The older brother's focus was on himself, and as a result there is no joy in his brother's arrival home.

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The older son never utilized the blessings at his disposal. We do not know how this story ended for the oldest son, but we do know that the

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Pharisees continued to oppose Jesus and separate themselves from his followers. Despite the father's pleading for them to come in, they refused and were the ones who instigated the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

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A tragic ending to a story filled with such hope, mercy, joy, and forgiveness. The picture of the father receiving the son back into relationship is a picture of how we should respond to repentant sinners as well.

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All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are included in that, all, and must remember that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags apart from Christ.

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It is only by God's grace that we are saved, not by works that we may boast of. That is the core message of the parable of the prodigal son.

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That answers the question, what is the meaning of the parable of the prodigal son? Research this question further on our website, gotquestions .org.