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Luke 15:17–24
“‘Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate” (vv. 23–24).
In the parable of the prodigal son, the younger son who takes his inheritance early and squanders it represents a sinner who has fallen as far as possible into sin and has made himself unworthy to be in God’s family. We can see this in that when the younger son becomes destitute, he hires himself out to feed the pigs, longing to eat the pods that the pigs consumed (Luke 15:11–16). Pigs were unclean to the Jews, who were forbidden not only to eat pig flesh but also to even touch their carcasses (Lev. 11:7–8). No self-respecting Jew would want to be caught dead among the pigs, let alone alive. That the younger son was forced to tend pigs communicates the kind of sinners whom God wants to forgive—those who have fallen the furthest, into the deepest trouble. Our Creator willingly pardons those who have sinned gravely when they repent and turn to Him in faith through Christ. His forgiveness is not reserved only for those who commit what we might consider light sins.
After spending some time caring for pigs, the son “came to himself,” realizing that he would find a better life in his father’s household even if he were only a hired servant (Luke 15:17). This pictures a sinner’s coming to a realization of his sin and understanding that it is better to be the lowliest servant of God than to remain in one’s transgressions. The hired servant whom the younger son thinks about is a day laborer, who in the first century received the least care and attention from the master of a house. In expressing his willingness to receive such treatment (vv. 18–19), the younger son illustrates true repentance. He resolves to go to his father, making no demand of his place back in the home but rather casting himself on the father’s mercy, being content to receive the lowest place. When we repent, we should approach our heavenly Father in like manner.
When the son comes back home, however, the unexpected happens. The father does not give him the lowest place but, seeing the son far off, runs out to greet him, embracing him heartily and throwing a feast in his honor (vv. 20–24). He does not wait for his son to clean himself up before he receives him but loves him while he is yet dirty. Dr. R.C. Sproul writes in his commentary on Luke: “The son who had disgraced the father coming home in filthy rags was greeted by his father, who fell upon his neck and kissed him. That’s what God does for every sinner who repents. He runs to you and He hugs you and He kisses you in your filth. That’s the way God works.”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
John Calvin comments, “If men, who are by nature prone to revenge, and too tenacious of their own rights, are moved by fatherly love kindly to forgive their children, and freely to bring them back, when they are sunk in wretchedness, God, whose boundless goodness exceeds all the affection of parents, will not treat us more harshly.” No matter what we have done, God will unhesitatingly receive and forgive us if we turn to Him in faith, repenting of our sin.
for further study
- Deuteronomy 30:1–10
- Isaiah 55:6–7
- Ezekiel 18:23
- 2 Peter 3:9
the bible in a year
- Psalms 77–79
- Romans 7