Parable of the prodigal son or lost son
In chapter 15 (verses 11-32) of the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes a parable from which we can learn strong lessons about faith and the kingdom of heaven. The parable is unique to the Gospel of Luke and describes a father that has two sons, the younger of which asks for his inheritance and goes away to a foreign country for a long time. He is gone for so long that the father presumes he is dead, while this son actually is alive and has acted foolishly, spending his inheritance quickly on useless things and is now broke and in need. The lost son eventually returns home to the father and repents of his actions. Surprisingly, the father rejoices about the lost son that has returned and treats him generously, giving him luxurious gifts that he has never given the older faithful son. The faithful son becomes jealous of his younger brother and does not understand why the father is rewarding his brother after being gone for so long and spending his inheritance unwisely. The father explains:
Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Luke 15:31-32 KJV.
The parable has strong meaning regarding the Biblical teachings on repentance and forgiveness, while explaining and symbolizing the willingness of God to forgive. Those who are willing to repent and stop rebelling against the teachings of God and the Kingdom of Heaven will be forgiven and all of the angels of heaven will rejoice, much more than for those who continued to be righteous.
Just like the two parables described immediately prior in Luke 15, the message is the same. A woman who has ten silver coins and loses one will go through great trouble to find the lost coin and when she finds it will rejoice much greater over the found coin than the others. The man who has 100 sheep and loses one will go through much trouble to find the lost sheep and when the lost sheep is found, the man will rejoice over the found sheep much greater than the others. The message is that those who are faithful will have their reward and will be rewarded for their faith. However, those who were lost and are now found will create a much greater joy in heaven. God loves all of his creation and is willing to forgive those who rebel against him. However, God is also just and must punish those who refuse to repent and come back to faith, just as he promised. Therefore, there is much rejoicing in heaven over those who were lost and in danger of losing their salvation permanently but have repented and returned to faith. The message is that God loves all of his creation and wants all to join him in heaven in his Kingdom, but he also promised that those who reject him and his teachings cannot enter his Kingdom. Therefore, man has time to repent and come to faith in the Lord, but this time is quickly coming to an end and the chance to repent will not last forever. One day God will exert judgement on the Earth on those who rejected his words and his offer of salvation.
As the Pharisees were questioning Jesus for associating with sinners and eating with them, Jesus told these parables in order to explain that his mission is not to approve of their behavior but to call sinners to repentance. Just as the younger son eventually returned home to his father and repented, Jesus was calling his people to repent and come to the faith in him and the Kingdom of Heaven. Some have explained that the older son could represent the original religious doctrine of the Pharisees focused on the law and religious tradition while the younger son represents the new covenant described in the New Testament by Jesus Christ and the disciples. The vast differences in teaching style and philosophy of the Pharisees and the traditional Jewish religious scholars focused on the law and tradition is contrasted with the newer teaching of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant focused on grace, truth, forgiveness, and fulfillment of the law. Therefore, Jesus Christ definitely fulfilled the law as the scriptures explain. Just as the father in the parable loved both of his sons, the Heavenly Father loves all of his children and wants to call them to repentance. The parable is also a general symbolic representation of those who left the faith and have since returned and repented of their sins while asking for forgiveness. While God loves those who are faithful and will reward them, he is also willing to forgive those who have rebelled against his commandments and the whole Kingdom of Heaven will rejoice greatly at their return.
As described in the Gospel of Matthew:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. Matthew 3:2.
Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. Luke 15:31-32 KJV.
The parable has strong meaning regarding the Biblical teachings on repentance and forgiveness, while explaining and symbolizing the willingness of God to forgive. Those who are willing to repent and stop rebelling against the teachings of God and the Kingdom of Heaven will be forgiven and all of the angels of heaven will rejoice, much more than for those who continued to be righteous.
Just like the two parables described immediately prior in Luke 15, the message is the same. A woman who has ten silver coins and loses one will go through great trouble to find the lost coin and when she finds it will rejoice much greater over the found coin than the others. The man who has 100 sheep and loses one will go through much trouble to find the lost sheep and when the lost sheep is found, the man will rejoice over the found sheep much greater than the others. The message is that those who are faithful will have their reward and will be rewarded for their faith. However, those who were lost and are now found will create a much greater joy in heaven. God loves all of his creation and is willing to forgive those who rebel against him. However, God is also just and must punish those who refuse to repent and come back to faith, just as he promised. Therefore, there is much rejoicing in heaven over those who were lost and in danger of losing their salvation permanently but have repented and returned to faith. The message is that God loves all of his creation and wants all to join him in heaven in his Kingdom, but he also promised that those who reject him and his teachings cannot enter his Kingdom. Therefore, man has time to repent and come to faith in the Lord, but this time is quickly coming to an end and the chance to repent will not last forever. One day God will exert judgement on the Earth on those who rejected his words and his offer of salvation.
As the Pharisees were questioning Jesus for associating with sinners and eating with them, Jesus told these parables in order to explain that his mission is not to approve of their behavior but to call sinners to repentance. Just as the younger son eventually returned home to his father and repented, Jesus was calling his people to repent and come to the faith in him and the Kingdom of Heaven. Some have explained that the older son could represent the original religious doctrine of the Pharisees focused on the law and religious tradition while the younger son represents the new covenant described in the New Testament by Jesus Christ and the disciples. The vast differences in teaching style and philosophy of the Pharisees and the traditional Jewish religious scholars focused on the law and tradition is contrasted with the newer teaching of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant focused on grace, truth, forgiveness, and fulfillment of the law. Therefore, Jesus Christ definitely fulfilled the law as the scriptures explain. Just as the father in the parable loved both of his sons, the Heavenly Father loves all of his children and wants to call them to repentance. The parable is also a general symbolic representation of those who left the faith and have since returned and repented of their sins while asking for forgiveness. While God loves those who are faithful and will reward them, he is also willing to forgive those who have rebelled against his commandments and the whole Kingdom of Heaven will rejoice greatly at their return.
As described in the Gospel of Matthew:
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. Matthew 3:2.
