The Parable of the Prodigal Son

WELCOME PRAYER SONG SILENCE

So, last week Jesus was confronting the criticism that he ate and received publicans and sinners. In response, he told three stories – one of a man losing a sheep, one of a woman losing a coin, and the last of a father losing a son to riotous living. We left off with the prodigal returning home after coming to his senses. And our story continues because we remember that this father . . . had two sons. So, the fatted calf has been killed, the prodigal is dressed, shoed, ringed, hugged, kissed, and received of his father. Let’s read from verse 25 to the end of the chapter:

The Elder Son's Anger

Luke 15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 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.

The Elder Son as a Representation of the Pharisees

Okay, back to verse 25:

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. Of course, it seems natural that this Elder son represented the Pharisees or at least the devout Jews of the day. Where was he when His brother was being received in a party – in the field – which is synonymous with working. That is what devout Jews did in honor of YHWH – they labored, worked, earned their place in the Kingdom through righteous labors.

In my opinion, and in light of the accusation against Jesus that “he received and ate with sinners,” the prodigal, for whom the fatted calf was slain, represented them, and the brother in the field, still under the Law of His father, still working to maintain his favor, represented these Pharisaical accusers. The setting is completely realistic – especially with children or sons of a parent. One gets favorable attention while the other is doing the work there are almost always hard feelings. So, as the son draws near to the house he hears music and dancing – a celebration.

Cultural Context of Dancing

Interestingly, dancing was very popular among the Jews anciently. Miriam, Moses' sister celebrated the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt with dances as well as songs (Exodus 15:20). Of course, David danced before the ark, 2nd Samuel 6:14 – which cost him a wife and it was common at Jewish feasts (according to Judges 21:19-21) and in public celebrations (Judges 11:34), and pretty much whenever there was a time to rejoice (Psalm 30:11; Jeremiah 31:4,13). Sometimes it was used in their religious rituals or services (according to Psalm 149:3 and 150:4) and it was also used by pagans in their worship of idols (Exodus 32:19). To me, this is Jesus just tapping into the culture in telling the story and not a promotion or renouncement of dancing or music. (verse 26)

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. This was the response the man with the lost sheep and the woman with the lost coin had when they found their lost items – they rejoiced – calling friends and neighbors and saying rejoice with me for what was lost is NOW found! (verse 28)

28 And he was angry and would not go in – (would not join the party – and listen) therefore . . . his father came out, and intreated him. We recall that with the prodigal son that the Father gave him his portion of the inheritance.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

In the parable, the father allowed his wayward son to leave and did not pursue him, recognizing that this son was not like a lost sheep or coin, but a human being with a will and ways, who needed to come to his senses and return on his own. Wisdom suggested that the boy needed to learn from his experiences. Conversely, when the son who had always been obedient refused to join the celebration for his brother's return, the father went out to console and encourage him to join the celebration, showing how God works with us when we are hurt and struggling with an issue.

But when paths of outright rebellion are chosen, God allows us to run until we change our minds. The father left the celebration to entreat his older son to come in. The older son responded with hurt and a sense of self-pity, comparing his own experiences with the recent celebration for his brother's return. The older son believed that despite his lifelong service and obedience, he was never given a celebration to enjoy with his friends.

The Older Son's Perspective

Some commentators suggest this reflects the cold hearts of the Pharisees of that time. However, it is seen as an expression of God's love and kindness towards their devotion, emphasizing that the Messiah's attention to those needing redemption was necessary and worthy of celebration.

The elder son’s words express great contempt for his brother, referring to him as "this thy son," showing disdain for the younger brother's actions and the father's acceptance. Jesus, constructing the parable, reflects on this accusation, which is based on the older brother's assumption of riotous living, without knowing the brother's full story upon his return.

A Reflection

The narrative concludes with the older brother's resentment for not having a celebration similar to his brother's. The parable highlights themes of forgiveness, understanding, and the joy of redemption for those who return after being lost. As depicted, the father's actions and choices resonate with God's approach to dealing with our human struggles and rebelliousness.

Exploring the Parable's Lessons

Off country, so how the brother would know that he spent his father's money on harlots is unknown. This leads me to wonder if Jesus is teaching a lesson on judging others without the facts—which is something Pharisees would certainly do—and so he has the elder accuse him of indulging in harlotry when in fact there was no evidence for such. Also interesting is the fact that Jesus does not have the Father react to the harlot comment, but instead (verse 31)

31 he said unto him, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

If the parable is about the Pharisees and the lost sheep of the house of Israel, we note that Jesus has the Father call the Pharisaical brother, “SON.” We sometimes forget that God loved those who loved His law. We remember in the story of the Rich Young Ruler, from Mark's account, the following:

Mark 10:17-21 And when he (Jesus) was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest . . .

The Faithfulness in Following the Law

Followers of the Law, lovers of God, pharisaical as some of them could be, did not make these people enemies of God. It made them faithful in His eyes. And here in the parable of the prodigal Jesus depicts the father's relationship to this devoted but hurt son as loving, saying in the face of his complaints:

“Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

The property had already been divided. What remained was in reality the elder son's as he was the heir to it all and the point the father is making to the Son is he has always loved him, as he has always been with him. And then he says:

32 It was meet (important) that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

This is the work of the Holy Spirit of God—to take those who are His and realign us to His view and ways, and this is exactly what Jesus has the Father do with this Son who was always with him. The son was angry and hurt, and these feelings caused him to resent his brother who in fact, had repented (changed his mind) and had turned. A true son would see himself in partnership with the father he loved and served, not as an excluded party treated unfavorably. Jesus allows the Father here to bring the Pharisee around to understanding why he Received and Ate with publicans and sinners. And he did this through the very words he shared with His elder faithful son:

32 It was meet (important) that we should make merry, and be glad: for this “thy brother” was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

And at this point we move into chapter 16 and this presents us to a really curious parable from the Lord. Let's read it together:

1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.
3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.
4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
7 Then

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

Wow. So, let’s get into this really unique teaching which is considered as the most difficult parable to decipher. So going back to verse 1

The Rich Man and His Steward

16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. Because the verse starts off with and, and because we know that there were no chapter breaks in the original mss, it seems pretty clear that after Jesus addressed the Pharisees and scribes in chapter 15 he turned to his disciples. We can’t tell if this was his apostles alone or those publicans and sinners he was accused of receiving and eating with.

On the one hand, Jesus was always teaching his twelve in the face of situations and I can’t help but naturally think that this was to them. Because of this I am going to stick with this view as His special instructions to them make explaining this difficult parable easier than if he was saying it to a mass of people. However, the fact that publicans were involved in gathering money there are a number of commentators who are convinced that Jesus teaching was to the mass of people there. So, he says

There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

The Greek term for wasted DEE-AZ-KOR-PIDZO means scattered, squandered, or dispersed and the steward (or manager) for this rich man, who had his trust and confidence to manage his financial empire heard through some means that the manager had scattered his wealth improperly rather than prudently saving or investing it. 2 And he (the rich man) called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

When Jesus says, “give an account of thy stewardship for thou mayest no longer be steward,” the meaning sounds like he is saying explain your actions but I think it better means, “turn in your books, give up you passwords and access to everything online, for you may no longer be my manager.” (verse 3)

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. In other words, I am out of a job and am not qualified to do anything else to make ends meet – I cannot dig, which seems to mean, I can’t engage in agriculture – perhaps he was too old or inexperienced to the point that nobody would hire him, and then he adds, “to beg I am ashamed,”

The Steward's Plan

The parable could not possibly present all the ways for the man to consider so Jesus boiled the labors down to laboring or begging. And the reason the man gave for not being able to beg was he was too ashamed – meaning too proud for that. At (verse 4) he makes a decision, saying:

4 I am resolved what to do, that (or in order that), when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. The chronology of this story is a bit wonky but in the end, he was called out by his employer, and told to make an account of his bad dealings and his authority to do them, while he was still in power, he made a decision on the course of action he would take. In other words, when I am put out and lose my

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

The ability to provide a home for myself or a means of support, this is what I will do, “so that THEY may receive me.” Now, it is obvious that the man was doing something worthy of being fired in the first place, and then as a means to secure a place for himself in the future as an unemployed person he was willing to do something more – as a means to save himself from destitution.

He injured his master once and what he is about to do will injure the master again. (in verse 5 Jesus says)

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? As the manager of the Lords accounts he still had access and or familiarity with those who were in His debt. So he contacted every one of those who owed the master money and said to the first: “How much do you owe to my Lord?” (verse 6)
6 And the first debtor said, “An hundred measures of oil.” And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Because the steward had control of the accounts, he was able to make this decision as a means to benefit himself and his coming destitution – and we note that he told the debtor to act quickly, presumably because he did not want the master to catch him doing it or before he was removed.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. Fourscore or eighty. So far, this type of thing is common in this world. What is not so common is what the Lord says next (verse 8 and 9)

Wisdom in Unrighteousness

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

Now, there are a whole bunch of interpretations on this – and none are really satisfying. One point is that Jesus is not commending the dishonestly of the character in the parable, the rich man is the one Jesus uses to commend him. Secondly, the Lord does not have the rich man commend the manager for his dishonesty but for His wisdom. And this may be the saving grace to the whole thing – that it is a parable about being wise as His disciples, relative to the affairs of the world.

Earthly Example for a Heavenly Lesson

The parable SEEMS to have Jesus commending dishonest behaviors on the part of the unjust steward but, again, the master is commending the steward, who has no other skills to survive by, for his wise shrewdness and forethought – and perhaps this is the meaning and message of it all. . . and the lord (the rich lord) commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for (Jesus says) “the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” In other words, this is a parable that taps into unbelievers ways to set the principle up that is going to be given in verse 9 to the believers.

And tapping into the ways of the unbelievers, who Jesus calls the “the children of this world” and says that they “are in their generation are wiser than the children of light.” (and there is that word again, wiser.) So the rich man commends the unjust steward for his wisdom on how to have a home for himself in this world, and Jesus adds to the teaching that this is a good example to look to of wisdom because, “the children of that generation are WISER that the children of light. Okay. That is pretty reasonable. Jesus used an earthly example to teach the principle of wisdom.

But then verse nine – which is the application to His audience:

9 And I say unto you, “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” The first line is literally translated: “Make yourselves friends (philos) of wealthy wrongfulness.” The interpretations of what or who the friends are are all over the place. But in the parable, the wise unjust servant made friends with

Parable of the Unjust Steward

Those who owed the rich boss money. To me, Jesus is telling his disciples to make friends with the rich and wealthy of the world, those who are wise in the ways of the world, those who operate “by wealthy wrongfulness.” In fact, I cannot see this phrase any other way. But that does not lend to interpreting the rest of the verse an easier.

In the parable the steward had so managed his affairs as to secure future comfort for himself – and that was his intention of doing what he did. He made friends who had wealth so that they would help him in his approaching future of joblessness. The meaning seems to be, use money in a way that will bless your future.

In other words, Jesus is not telling us to do what the unjust steward did in terms of larceny but to approach our earthly use of money and wealth as a means to secure friends and associates that will remember us in the heavens above. To me that seems to mean, use your funds for the propagation of securing friends and relations, who will benefit your eternal life, once this life is over. In other words, let everything through wise use be made to contribute to their welfare in heaven.

Wise Use of Wealth

And when I say wealth, I mean whatever we are blessed with health, strength, wealth, talents, influence – use it, employ it as a means to make our future habitation better – as that was the aim of the unjust steward, as he:

Made himself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when he failed, they (the friends) might receive him into their earthly habitations. And then that they, as citizens of a future heavenly kingdom are told to:

Make themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when they fail (die), they (the friends they blessed with their talents and time and resources) may receive them into everlasting habitations. (meaning heaven.) Whew! I think we got it.

Faithfulness in Small and Great Matters

And then this leads us to verse 10 where Jesus adds:

10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

The point is a person that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in little things will also cheat in the things that involving more trust and responsibility. And then taking this bromide Jesus adds:

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

And this makes it clear that Jesus is not endorsing larceny of any kind but was speaking about general principles. Relative to the Kingdom, the point seems to be if a person is not wise and faithful in the administration of carnal mammon here (relative to how Jesus described above) there is nobody in heaven or earth that would commit to such a person the important matters of the Kingdom. Meaning bad choices of application with earthly riches indicate further bad choices in the administration of the kingdom or spiritual things.

Responsibility in Management

And then he adds the final verse for today:

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

The word “man’s” (as in another man's) is not in the original, but the point remains the same: If someone is unfaithful in the management of someone else's affairs who in heaven or earth would entitle them to the management of their own? This appears to speak to the disciples and their future management of the affairs of the Kingdom of GodGod’s spiritual reign—fulfilled and present, not political or future.. In other words, manage the affairs of the kingdom well and you will be given other things to manage for yourself – meaning the riches of heaven. And there does seem to be a lesson here – one of the few I have found in the New Testament, that says (at least to his disciples): Manage earthly things of another well, and you will be entrusted with the management of heavenly things that are your own.

And we are going to end here.