The REAL Meaning of the Prodigal Son Will SHOCK You!

The Occasion for the Parable in Luke 15

Everybody knows the story of the Prodigal Son, right? It's about a rebellious kid who wastes his life, and then he comes home and the father welcomes him back with open arms. We've been told that this is a story about grace and forgiveness, right?

And let's face it, a lot of hay has been made about this by pastors at the pulpit. As a matter of fact, I once saw a T .D. Jake sermon where Jake suggested that the story is about the different stages of your.

Life.

Huh?

What if I told you the meaning of the Prodigal Son is not what you were taught? That the real point of the Prodigal Son has very little to do with the Son at all? What do you mean by that, Nate? Well, let me show you.

Get out your Bibles and let's get right into it. Welcome back to Wise Disciple, I'm Nate Sala and I'm helping you become the effective Christian that you are meant to be, and that includes understanding Jesus' parables the way that he intended them to be understood.

Make sure to like, sub, and share this video around if it blesses you. Alright, let's start at the beginning, okay? Not the beginning of the parable, but of the situation at hand, because, you know, parables don't just drop out of the sky, alright?

The parables of Jesus are given for a very specific reason. Watch this. Luke 15, verse 1. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him, this is Jesus, and the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, this man receives sinners and eats with them.

Okay, hold on a second. Have you ever seen The Wizard of Oz? Is that too old of a reference for you? Do you remember when Dorothy wakes up at the end and realizes that the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion, they were really just her friends who work on the farm?

That's who they really were the whole time? This is like that. See, this is what a lot of us don't realize or appreciate about parables, alright? Here's what a parable is. A parable is a story where the important characters illustrate a relevant lesson.

And in the case of Jesus, these lessons, they usually revolved around how God deals with people. Now, wait a second. That's exactly what's going on in Luke chapter 15, right? The Pharisees and the scribes are grumbling because they don't like how Jesus is dealing with the tax collectors and the sinners.

Now here's the cool thing about parables, you know, parables are meant to invite the listener to step inside the story, okay? They're not just meant to be interpreted, they're meant to interpret you. Jesus tells these stories so that his audience will locate themselves somewhere in the narrative and then be confronted with a crisis of decision.

Will they adopt the lesson of the parable or will they just walk away and reject it.

All?

You know, this is brilliant storytelling with spiritual lessons and often very high stakes. So considering all of these pieces, if you want to understand any parable, wherever you're I recommend that you ask four questions, okay?

Number one, what is the occasion for the parable?

All right.

In other words, why did Jesus tell this story in the first place, wherever he is in the gospels, right? Question number two, who are the important characters? So typically in parables, there are three characters.

Sometimes there's less than that and each character serves a particular function in the story.

All right.

Question number three, what are these characters directly saying out loud in quotation marks,.

Right?

In other words, what is spoken in quotation marks often carries the sharpest message. And then the last question, number four, what happens at the end? And usually at the end, that's where the spiritual punch lands, you know, there's often a bit of a, an ending with a twist to it or something that should grab the audience's attention.

Although the ending isn't only where there might be an odd moment or a shocking moment.

Okay.

You with me so far? So these four questions, now this is proverbial, all right? So there's always exceptions to this kind of a thing, but these will typically guide you well. If you are reading a parable anywhere in the gospels, engaging with Jesus, all right?

The Two Lost Sons and the Shock of the Father's Welcome

So now let's see if we can walk through all four of these questions as it pertains to the prodigal son. And we've already started to do this a little bit, right? So question number one, what is the occasion for the parable?

Well, Jesus is hanging with tax collectors and sinners. More specifically, he's participating in what's called table fellowship with these folks. In other words, he's eating with them and the Pharisees and the scribes are grumbling.

About it.

Okay.

In this scenario, which is key to understanding the prodigal son, it actually kicks off three parables. So we have the parable of the lost sheep.

Okay.

So that's verses three through seven. We have the parable of the lost coin. That's verses eight to 10. And then we have after those two, the prodigal son. In each of these parables, there is something odd that happens.

And the point is all of these parables are directed at the Pharisees and the scribes who again, they simply cannot believe that Jesus is hanging around with sinners. And so then in verse 11, Jesus tells this story.

So let's pick it up here and see. So he says, there was a man who had two sons.

Okay.

Well, stop right there. Hold up. Pay attention to the way that Jesus starts this story. Because what I note is the subtitle, and this is usually how we speak about this story. It's called the parable of the prodigal son, right?

But that's not how Jesus starts the story. So notice Jesus does not say there was a prodigal son, right?

No.

Jesus says there was a man who had two sons. Hmm, that's interesting. We'll come back to that. Verse 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. 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. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. Now at this point in the story, I'm pretty sure you would have heard an audible gasp, you know, from somebody in the audience, right?

Remember Jews are kosher. So to suggest that a son would go work in the fields to feed one of the most unclean animals you can think of is shocking. This is a, an odd part of the story, right? Or it's, it's, it's meant to catch attention.

And even worse than that, you know, the son gets so hungry, so needy that he desires to eat the pig food. You know, that's how far he sunk here.

Right?

So, and he was longing verse 16. He was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate and no one gave him anything. And we skipped over something, you know, but let me go back up here really quickly, because I think it's important.

Again, look at this. The son, the younger son comes to the father, says, father, give me the share of the property that is coming to me. That is a massive insult in ancient Jewish culture. You know, to do this thing that the, the prodigal son did with his demand to his father is to basically say to your own father, I wish you were dead.

Why?

Well, because the share of inheritance, the share of property is bestowed to sons after the father's passed away. And so for a son to go to his father and demand it now is essentially to imply, dad, I want you dead and I want what's mine.

It's a, it's a horrible thing to do, to say and do. But the father graciously complies, you know, anyway, let's pick it up here. Verse 17, but he comes to himself. So, so 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.

I will arise and go to my father and I will say to him, 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 hired servants. Now again, let's stop.

Does that sound like in a repentant heart? Does that sound to you like somebody who has hit rock bottom and realized the error of his ways and is willing to make it right? I think so. I think so. If it were somebody else who had not learned the lesson, they would probably have come home and minimize their sin.

They would have maybe sugarcoated, you know, what they had done and tippy-toed around the whole thing, you know, well, I guess I kind of messed up a little bit, but it, you know, you can see that it really was other factors and it really didn't have anything to do with.

Me.

That's not what the son does. The son is like, look, I've sinned against you and against heaven. I've sinned against God, right? The son is truly repentant here. Praise the Lord. But the question is, is it too little too late?

Right?

What's the father going to do here? Because again, based on what the son did to the father, I mean, in social circles, I mean, this is egregious. The father has every right to treat his son as if he were dead to him.

But watch this verse 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. Now that's interesting.

It's interesting, especially if you understand a little bit of the first century and some of the expectations, some of the views of men in the first century.

Okay.

Because this is shocking. And Jesus is, you know, he, he lays it on, uh, in, in the stories he likes to, he likes to put in those shock factors. The reality is, uh, no noble man would run this, uh, this was socially unacceptable.

And we see this in, in, um, Jewish writings, extra biblical Jewish writings of the period in ancient Jewish culture, a noble man was known by the way that he walks. As a matter of fact, the slower a man walked, the more honorable he was considered.

Did you know any of this? You know what I mean? So again, imagine the audience hearing this part of the story, right? You have a son who breaks the family apart, essentially in an incredibly dramatic way, runs off, wastes it all, hits rock bottom, and then comes home in shame.

And then the dad decides to break social norms, doesn't care about how he looks in front of others.

Right?

Because I mean, again, you have to picture this, he's clearly running past other people that are watching all this take place, you know, and he runs and he embraces his son and he welcomes him back again.

You know, think about how this applies to the situation with Jesus and the Pharisees,.

Right?

Where did we start? You know, now let's start thinking about the second question.

Okay.

The second question is, who are the important characters? Well, in the story, Jesus gives us three. There is the man and there are his two sons, right? Now from the audience's perspective, they're supposed to be stepping into the story and determining which character best represents them.

Right?

So think about this. Who is the man and who is the prodigal? Remember the wizard of Oz, right? So in this case, the prodigal represents the tax collectors and the sinners, right? And the father represents God.

Why?

Because for Jesus, the lessons of the parables typically revolve around how God deals with people.

Okay.

You with me so far? So now watch what happens. Verse 21. And the son says to the father, father, I've sinned against heaven and before you, I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 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 and bring the fattened calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate.

Okay.

Let us eat and celebrate, right? What is Jesus doing with the tax collectors and sinners? He's eating with them. You see where this is going for? This is my son. Verse 24. For this, my son was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found and they began to celebrate.

Okay.

So we know who the father is and we know who the prodigal is. I mean, even here, and I can't really get into this, but the robe, right? You see this? The father says, bring quickly the best robe and put it on him.

There is, uh, much teaching in the scripture that connects robes to salvation, putting on robes, putting on the clothing of salvation. It's all over the place. Um, it'd be a good study to do on your own, but anyways, so you see where this is all.

Headed, right?

But we're only down to the two characters and we have one more, uh, that we must deal with. And that's verse 25. There's another character. Watch this. Now his older son was in the field and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing and he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

And he said to him, your brother has come and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound. But he was angry and refused to go in.

Hmm.

His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father. Look, these many years I have served you and I never disobeyed your command.

Yeah.

You never gave me a young goat that I might celebrate with my friends, but when this son of yours came who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him and the father said to him, son, you're always with me and all that is mine is yours.

It was fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. Your brother was dead and is alive. He was lost and is found. Now that last phrase is the resounding refrain from all the parables that Jesus just gave that audience.

Lost sheep, lost coin. And now here it is again. And see, so we're already starting to answer question number three. What are the characters saying out loud?

Right?

Uh, the prodigal comes home and says out loud, uh, words that are commensurate with repentance. I've sinned against you. I've sinned against heaven. The prodigal is repentant. The father then orders, uh, a celebration for his repentant son, but the older brother is angry and bitter, which by the way, did you catch any of this?

The older brother got his share of the inheritance too. Did you catch that? Look at this again, verse 12, the younger son came to the father, father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.

And the father divided his property between them, between them both. So the younger son gets his share, but the older son got his share. So Hey, older brother, why are you so upset about your brother getting a, a fattened calf, getting a young goat, getting a celebration?

Didn't you get your inheritance too? You see what I mean? So it's not like the older brother is left without, you know, the father has already tremendously blessed him and he's still angry and he's still bitter and resentful.

Religious Pride, the Older Brother, and the Open-Ended Ending

Okay.

Now here's the $6 million question, right? Who is the older brother? The parable is not meant to be interpreted, uh, not merely meant to be interpreted. It's meant to interpret you back. All right, clearly Jesus is making a point here for someone in the audience to catch.

On.

And believe it or not, uh, the point does not rest with the prodigal son at all. The lesson or the point that Jesus is making with this parable rests with the older brother. Who is the older brother? He's furious.

He refuses to go into the party. The father has to come out to him because he refuses to table fellowship with his own brother. But by the way, did you notice, um, that he doesn't even claim his own brother?

Look again at verse 30, but when this son of yours came, what?

Right?

Not my brother, this son of yours.

Wow.

Right?

Have you, have you got it yet? The older brother represents the Pharisees and the scribes, the ones grumbling about who Jesus is eating with, you know, the older brother who, uh, you know, I mean, for an objective sort of third party, uh, staring at this particular situation, it probably on the outside looks like the older brother is the rule follower.

The older brother serves the father in, uh, at home. So he looks the part on the outside, but in his heart, he's just as lost as the prodigal.

Son.

He's just as lost as his brother. And he doesn't even know it. See, I actually think that the way that this story, uh, has been communicated to us all these years is a little unhelpful, especially because the way that we've titled it and we refer to it as unhelpful.

I think this parable should have tracked along the first line that Jesus gave. I think this parable should be called the man with two lost sons. Can you see that? Because then we'd understand it's the older brother that needed to heed the lesson.

You know, clearly the prodigal son starts off in a very bad place, but by the end of the story, he's repented. He's come home. He's received the grace and mercy of his father. So the prodigal son, by the end of the story is in a great place.

The older brother is the one who's in trouble. He's the one who is left unrepentant by the end of the story. That means that he's the one, uh, that carries Jesus lesson to the audience. You still with me?

Uh, look at, look again, how the parable ends. Uh, verse 31, the father said to him, son, you're always with me and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. Your brother was dead.

You see that you see that reversal and is alive. He was lost and is found. So the father takes the older son's words, right? This son of yours, right? And then he says, no, no, no, no. This brother of yours.

That's the whole point. Jesus is saying to the Pharisees, these, these sinners that you're judging, these tax collectors, they're your brothers. And guess what? God is rejoicing because they've come home.

Finally, they're on the narrow path. Now following me. Why aren't you rejoicing?

Right?

This parable is all about religious pride and arrogance. The prodigal son is for every person who goes through the spiritual motions. And at the end of the day, still does not know the God they profess to serve.

If you were in the audience that day, when Jesus gave this parable, the implicit question would be posed to you. Are you like the older brother? Or can you celebrate the way that the father does? Because the answer to that question will reveal whether or not your heart is aligned to God's heart.

Amen.

And here's the most brilliant part, right? The story ends on a cliffhanger. Did you notice that? It just ends.

Right?

We don't know what's going to happen next, which by the way, now we're touching on question number four, right? What happens at the end? We don't know. Actually, we don't know if the older brother repents of his own heart and goes in to the celebration, you know, for his brother or not.

Jesus leaves it open-ended to throw the Pharisees and the scribes and all of us, you know, who tend to be like Pharisees into the crisis of decision. And that's where the parable leaves us. That's where it leaves all of us.

Are you a judgmental person? Do you look down your nose at people that are so unlike you? Or will you join them at the father's celebration table? Will you rejoice with God over every lost sinner who was found?

You know what I mean? This still teaches today, right? So let's do this. Let me remix the parable for you a bit.

You ready?

Let's say a woman gets divorced after an abusive marriage, right? So she's been gone from the church for nine years. Nobody knows where she was, but now she comes back. She professes faith in Christ. She wants to get baptized.

She wants to serve. But some leaders raise their eyebrows because guess what? Her divorce was not for adultery or abandonment, right? What do you do? By the way, these aren't theoretical. It's like, I'm not going to go into it, but this is not, these are not abstract examples in the slightest.

You know, these things happen. How about this picture? This one, this one actually is a true story. This one made headlines. I think in Illinois, you have a Christian community that discovers that a group home for newly released felons who have professed faith in Jesus Christ.

They are going to develop a, a, a kind of a halfway house kind of a thing for rehabilitation in that Christian.

Community.

And they protest that group and they sue the prison ministry to shut it down.

Huh?

Do they understand the parable of Jesus, right? Or think about a radical professor, um, deeply embedded in LGBTQ activism, uh, who starts reading the Bible. She starts coming to church. She starts taking notes.

Uh,.

She invites one of the pastors one day and one of the members of the congregation to come and have a meal with her and her friends in her house. What do you do?

Right?

Do you button up your shirt back away? Do you distance yourself? Do you look down your nose or do you celebrate? This is what Jesus wants us all to wrestle with. Ladies and gentlemen, this is where the weight of the lesson of the parable rests.

It's with this picture of God's celebration for the lost and the judgmental Pharisees that are refusing to join. That's the real meaning of this parable. Now does that mean that there's nothing to say about prodigal sons and you.

Know, our, our,.

The nature and the character of our gracious heavenly father? Of course not.

Um,.

We can say a lot. I'm a prodigal son and praise the Lord for his grace upon me. When I finally repented of my sin.

Amen.

But I'm just saying that's not the lesson that Jesus really wanted his original audience to chew on. And by extension us, and I'll just say this and then, and then we'll close.

Okay.

Hey,.

Don't make it hard for lost children to come home. Do you understand? God is not looking for judgmental rule followers. He's looking for gracious party throwers. Let's be more like our heavenly father,.

You know?

And, uh,.

Yeah,.

Let me know in the comments.

Um,.

Who do you easily identify with most in this parable? If you feel bold enough to do that,.

You know?

Um,.

All right,.

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