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What is this parable about? Who does the father represent in the parable? Who does the younger son represent ? How does the older son play out in this parable? How does the older son feel towards his younger brother's return ?
I take it within the context of the whole 15th chapter. The shephard rejoicing over finding one sheep The joy in all of Heaven among the angels over one sinner repenting (v.10) The father represents the Lord and his love towards us when we stray (or are lost). The older brother is that of the Pharisees who were so judgemental of sinners.
It is a beautiful example of how our Heavenly Father welcomes us back home when we drift away because we can sometimes be stubborn and rebellious. It often takes great sorrow and tragedy to cause people to look to the only one who can help them, Jesus. God's love is constant, patient and welcoming. He does not force us to come to Him, like the father in the parable, God waits patiently for us to come to our senses. The older brother had a hard time accepting his brother when he returned, sometimes when people repent after leading sinful lives we can be too suspicious and unwilling to accept them. But we should rejoice like the angels in Heaven when an unbeliever repents and give them support and encouragement.
Or it could mean something simple like an ordinary father rejoiced because his son came back and the other son was a little ticked off about it.
This sort of thing happens in real life, in real families. We need to remember that we need to have the same understanding in our own families.
When we try to put a religious meaning to everything in the bible, we sometimes lose sight that it often serves as a guide for meaningful behavior in the present time.
Or it could mean something simple like an ordinary father rejoiced because his son came back and the other son was a little ticked off about it.
This sort of thing happens in real life, in real families. We need to remember that we need to have the same understanding in our own families.
When we try to put a religious meaning to everything in the bible, we sometimes lose sight that it often serves as a guide for meaningful behavior in the present time.
That is sometimes true however, in this case you will see at the beginning of the chapter how Jesus choose to use 3 parables when speaking to the Pharisees regarding sinners. This being one. That's why I said you have to keep it in context of the entire chapter. It helps if you have a study Bible, too.
That is sometimes true however, in this case you will see at the beginning of the chapter how Jesus choose to use 3 parables when speaking to the Pharisees regarding sinners. This being one. That's why I said you have to keep it in context of the entire chapter. It helps if you have a study Bible, too.
I agree NJTina, in verse seven, at the end of the first parable (Lost Sheep) Jesus says this:
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
He also ends the Parable of the Lost Coin with a similar statement in verse ten.
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
These verses leave little doubt as to the intent of the parable.
It is a beautiful example of how our Heavenly Father welcomes us back home when we drift away because we can sometimes be stubborn and rebellious. It often takes great sorrow and tragedy to cause people to look to the only one who can help them, Jesus. God's love is constant, patient and welcoming. He does not force us to come to Him, like the father in the parable, God waits patiently for us to come to our senses. The older brother had a hard time accepting his brother when he returned, sometimes when people repent after leading sinful lives we can be too suspicious and unwilling to accept them. But we should rejoice like the angels in Heaven when an unbeliever repents and give them support and encouragement.
I agree with this!! Look at verse 20. and he arose and came to his father. But when he was a great way off,his father saw him and had compassion and
RAN----When we turn from sin and go back to our Father He has compassion
and He RUNS to greet us and recieve us and takes us back in to His loving arms! Whew!! I could just shout! ( and I don't shout, I cry) God is so good! Do you know what glory bumps are? Here in the south it is a saying when something really speaks to your heart you sometimes get cold chills. This gives me glory bumps!
I know yall think I'm nuts. But I really needed to read this scripture today.
It blessed my soul.
I agree with this!! Look at verse 20. and he arose and came to his father. But when he was a great way off,his father saw him and had compassion and
RAN----When we turn from sin and go back to our Father He has compassion
and He RUNS to greet us and recieve us and takes us back in to His loving arms! Whew!! I could just shout! ( and I don't shout, I cry) God is so good! Do you know what glory bumps are? Here in the south it is a saying when something really speaks to your heart you sometimes get cold chills. This gives me glory bumps!
I know yall think I'm nuts. But I really needed to read this scripture today.
It blessed my soul.
YES! I know what you mean about the cold chills, I agree, I know God ran to greet me several years ago. God is good ALL the time!
QUOTE & QUESTION: "What is this parable about? Who does the father represent in the parable? Who does the younger son represent ? How does the older son play out in this parable? How does the older son feel towards his younger brother's return ?"
what I have to say about it:
the father represents: our heavenly Father's everlasting love, patience, and watchfulness towards his own children reguardless of why they left his well provided haven of safety.
the prodigal son represents: those of us who really believe we know how to make it without the daily routine, and boring comforts of home. those of us who have grown restless with the same old rules you gotta obey living here in father's house, and have decided that there is just too much world left undiscovered by us. those of us who thinks that longevity in the family just makes getting our inheritance more riskyer to obtain while we are still young. those of us who are desperate to spread our wings in all the things we were told NOT TO DO, because we have a thirsty need to know for ourselves if it's really that way for everyone, or was it just my Father's experience. those of us who brake the rules because curiosity won't let us alone, or we are the daring type, or we are rash and headstrong and out to try and prove Father is wrong, aaaand we are right. those of us who are inconsolable groaners who despair until we get the chance to......
the brother who was angry with everything the father did when his brother returned represents: our other siblings in the Family of God who are jealous because we were so well recieved when we got back. siblings who feel that they should be celebrated for following all the rules without question and to the letter. siblings who have no courage to test what they believe. siblings who are angry because we risked everything including our father's love to KNOW THE WAY for ourselves. siblings who lived in father's house obeying all the rules in hopes of gaining more of father's favor because they never made noise about anything. siblings who don't have a testimony because they hide out in father's house from the sinful world, and are never truly tested in life. siblings who are angry with Father/God because we gambled and lost everything only to gain WISDOM, REASON, BALANCE, KNOWLEDGE, SAVVY, PRUDENCE, ENLIGHTMENT, UNDERSTANDING, INSIGHT, REAL RESPECT FOR FATHER, AND EXPERIENCE that you can't get clinging to father's teachings. at some point or another you gotta excercise those teachings so you'll be more than just a rambling dictator screaming about the rule book. the sibling thought he was doing his father a favor by not spending any money, being a tight wallet, hanging around the house doing the dishes without a single notion in his entire head about anything else. fronzen in the house by the fear of displeasing the father and not having enough understanding of the father to know that his love would always be there no matter what and that the Father's love had the power to pull him through anything. the sibling was angry because the one who left home in such pride had the humility to come back dispite the shame. he by right is now QUALIFIED to be honored, in charge of things, and given the ring and robe that other's may know that he left his Father as a BOY, but returned as the Father's SON, and surly the man for whatever job appointed.
I love this testimony because it shows us that our heavenly Father is not interested with what he has taught us, but he want's to see what is it that we have LEARNED. yes the prodigal son wasted his all on riotous living, but the bible says he who trys to save his life will loose it, and he who looses his life for rightOUSNESS sake shall gain it. what is it anyway to gain the whole world and LOOSE your soul?
if you're hidding out in the church building, then get out of the church building, and live your faith and give God something to be invoved with. we are his Sons because we have walked the way, and can identify with his sufferings and we have something to commune with our Father about. the other who never left the house has nothing but himself to blame for his coward way of living that he would rather call SERVING GOD/THE FATHER.
Last edited by crystal-sea; 02-29-2008 at 12:41 PM..
I just had to search to see if this parable had been discussed here and it has and the discussion is very uplifting and really reduced me to tears. Thank you.
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