Luk 15:11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
Jesus spoke this parable and probably was referring to our Heavenly Father. The Father is the main character in this parable. This Parable demonstrates the unconditional Love of the Father.
Luk 15:12 "And the younger of them said to [his] father, ’Father, give me the portion of goods that falls [to me].’ So he divided to them [his] livelihood.
The younger son was asking for the inheritance right now and probably was not concern about the father and could not wait for the father to pass away. This is an indication of the lack of respect. The younger son was showing a form of rejection towards the father. The Father who loves the son gave him what he ask for because He knew the son would be more likely to return by showing him Grace.
Luk 15:13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
This waste in today terms could have been thousands of dollars.
Luk 15:14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Luk 15:15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
This is a very low position for a Jewish person to be feeding swine.
Luk 15:16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him [anything].
Luk 15:17 "But when he came to himself, he said, ’How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
There appears to be repentance but really there is not enough indication of that in this verse. The younger son had a brilliant deduction about the situation. The son was very hungry and just wanted to have food, there is still no indication that the son was thinking about how he insulted the father or cared for him by the contents in this verse. The father was very rich and had many hired servants, it was not necessary for His son to serve Him like a slave.
Luk 15:18 ’I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
Luk 15:19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." ’
Luk 15:20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
The son still had not arrived at home but was still a long way off. The Father who knew that the son would someday return and was always watching for him. The father did not wait but ran to greet the son because of his unconditional love for him. The father embraced him and kiss him repeatedly showing him great affection regardless of what the son has done to him or anyone else.
Luk 15:21 "And the son said to him, ’Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
The younger son did not even get to finish his rehearsed speech to get the father to take him back.
Luk 15:22 "But the father said to his servants, ’Bring [fn] out the best robe and put [it] on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on [his] feet.
The Father interrupted the younger son’s speech and spoke to his hired servants to get him the best robe. The best robe is a spiritual picture of the righteousness of Christ. The Father restored the younger son to full sonship within the house. The father was saying that the son had full rights to be here and live in every way in the home as before without proving himself or being on probation. This is unconditional Love. The father put the signet ring on the son reinstating him as a manger of the house having complete access to the financial wealth of the house. The son could now buy and sell as much as he wanted. Even though the son had wasted a large portion of wealth, he was still restored with no questions asked. This is unconditional Love. The father also put the very best sandals on him showing to all the royalty, dignity and respect that he had by this act. How many earthly fathers would require a proving ground first. What is a son today would walk out on his father and take the credit card and thousands of dollars out of the bank and take the good car and leave for a period of about a month. What if that son would live in drugs and with wild women spending all of the money foolishly and wrecking the car and then come home. How would a earthly father respond? This parable was written to all of us so we can know the Father’s Love and then love because we first were loved.
Luk 15:23 ’And bring the fatted calf here and kill [it], and let us eat and be merry;
The Father even celebrated the son’s return.
Luk 15:24 ’for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
Luk 15:25 "Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Luk 15:26 "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
Luk 15:27 "And he said to him, ’Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
Luk 15:28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
The older son still did not know the Father’s love for him.
Luk 15:29 "So he answered and said to [his] father, ’Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
Why was the older son trying to gain his father’s approval by serving him like a slave. The Father is a person of Grace. The Father gave the older son full access to everything but he did not know it.
Luk 15:30 ’But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
The older son did not claim the younger as his brother, but was condemning him. The father was showing extreme Grace and unconditional Love.
Luk 15:31 "And he said to him, ’Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
The Father has given us the Kingdom.
Luk 15:32 ’It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ "
This is unconditional Love. When we know God’s Love then we can love like Him.
1Jo 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
Jhn 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
God’s greatest demonstration of Love is when He sacrificed His SON (Jesus Christ) on the Cross to die for us so we could have eternal life. Christ was buried, resurrected and then ascended to the father - This is the Gospel of Grace.
