1. The parable of "The Prodigal Son" is one of the most moving parables that Jesus ever uttered.

2. It contains valuable lessons for our age.

15:11 And He said, "A certain man had two sons;

1. The parable speaks of two sons.

2. The "younger son" may represent the sinful Jews (verses 1,7,10) and the elder brother those who criticized Jesus.

15:12 and the younger of them said to his father,' Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' And he divided his wealth between them.

1. The older son would normally receive a double portion. (Deut. 21:17).

2. The younger son then would receive one-third of his father's estate.

3. Abraham divided his estate in his lifetime. (Gen. 25:1-6). 

15:13 "And not many days later [with all haste], the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.

1. The words "loose living" are explained in Luke 15:30.

2. The words Agathered everything together@ likely means Aconverted to cash his inheritance.@

15:14 "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be in need.

15:15 "And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

1. Feeding swine was the lowest and most degrading and humiliating possible job for the Jew.

2. The Jews would not keep or eat swine.

3. Swine were unclean to the Jews. (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:8).

4. AOne of the citizens@ denotes a Gentile. See Acts 10:28.

5. This scene gives us a vivid picture of a Jewish man on Askid row.@

6. He had reached bottom and was utterly misable.

15:16 "And he was longing to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

1. The hogs were probably eating carob pods, which are still found in abundance in Palestine.

2. These carob pods are scarcely palatable as a steady diet. 

15:17 "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!

1. The words "he came to his senses" denotes self-evaluation and repentance.

2. He recognized what a fool he had been.

• He had lost the fellowship of his father and the comforts of home.
• He had lost his self-respect.
• He had lost all he had materially.
• He had lost his soul.

15:18 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;

1. He made a decision to return home.

2. These words "and in your sight" may indicate in this parable the father does not represent God.

3. The younger son had sinned against his father by dishonoring him. (Lk. 15:12).

4. In so doing he above all had sinned against God who had given the commandment to honor parents. (Exod. 20:12).

15:19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men. "'

1. The Greek word used here by Luke is "misthios" which means a hired man, a day laborer.

2. A hired man worked only a day at a time and had no guarantee of employment and live on the edge of starvation and destitution. 

15:20 "And he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him.

1. The father sees his beloved son coming and he is moved with "compassion" (not angry) and rums to greet him.

2. The words Aembrace him@ literally mean Ato fall on his neck.@ (Acts 20:37; En 33:4; 45:14,15). 

15:21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'  

15:22 "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

1. The father evidently had control over the properly which he had given to his older son.

2. The son had wasted much and hurt his father and perhaps others deeply.

3. The father still does not rebuke or chastise the son, but he shows deep, pure love and forgiveness.

4. The father could clearly see the son's sorrow, so that no condemnation was necessary.

5. "The robe" was a long and stately garment, such as scribes might love to promenade in.

6. ASandals@ were a luxury, and servants did not always have them.

7. "The ring" may have been a signet, indicating a person of standing or authority in the house.

8. "The fatted calf" was an animal reserved for special occasions of rejoicing and hospitality.

15:23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  

15:24 for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' And they began to be merry.  

1. What joy was in the heart of this father!

2. It was though the son who had been lost forever had been raised from the dead.

15:25 "Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.  

15:26 "And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things might be.

15:27 "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.'  

15:28 "But he became angry, and was not willing to go in [the house]; and his father came out and began entreating him.

1. Instead of rejoicing over his brother, he became angry.

2. He sulked outside the house and would not rejoice over the return of his fallen brother though his father entreated him.

15:29 "But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you, and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a kid [much less a calf], that I might be merry with my friends;

1. He complained because he had not even been given a kid, worth much less than "a fatted calf."

2. He is implying that if anyone got anything, it should have been him.

3. He speaks with true Pharisee spirit. (Lk. 18:11,12; Rom. 3:9). 

15:30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him.'  

1. The eldest brother represents the Pharisees who found fault with Jesus for receiving sinners.

2. The older brother was:

• Self-righteous - He could see nothing good about his brother and nothing bad about himself.
• Jealous - It appalled him that his father was giving a celebration for this dreadful, sinful brother and not for him.
• Heartless - He had no mercy for his brother. He was heartless and would have preferred he had remained lost in sin. 

15:31 "And he said to him, 'My child, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.

1. The remaining two-thirds of his father's possessions were his.

2. The fact the father was celebrating the return of his younger son did not mean even for a moment that he did not love the older son or that his love for him had diminished.

15:32 'But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.' "

1. The father says "for this brother of yours" reminding his older son that the returned son is his brother.

2. His son had been Adead@ spiritually, but now was alive.

1. Sin brings temporary joy. (Heb. 11:24).

2. Sin will make us misable and lead to our condemnation.

3. God stands ready to forgive all who repent even though who have fallen into the depths of sin. See Isaiah 1:18

4. God will richly bless those who return to Him.

5. It is vital that we return to God before it is too late.

• Our heart may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Heb. 3:13).
• Death may overtake us. (Prov. 27:1).

6. We must never be like the elder brother who was jealous of his brother and refused to rejoice that his brother had returned home.

7. We must accept those who return with joy and accept them into full fellowship.