The Real Point of The Prodigal Son Parable

In this conversation, Kevin explores the parable of the Prodigal Son, emphasizing that the story is not just about the son but primarily about the father's grace and compassion. He discusses the cultural context of the parable, and how the father's response to the son's return illustrates divine grace.

Transcript

Kevin Toomer (00:01.966)
One of the most famous parables in the Bible, one of my favorites is the parable of the prodigal son or in some translations, the lost son. But what if I told you that the story is really not about the son at all? It's really about the father. So now let me break this down for you really quickly. So of course, this story is in Luke chapter 15. Now we ought to go into context where we're talking about this particular passage because Jesus was talking to the Pharisees. We know the Pharisees were the

bad guys pretty much of the scripture. And basically the Pharisees were complaining that Jesus was eating and fellowshipping with sinners as they put it. So, and then in this same particular passage, he had three other parables before we get to the two other parables. But there were two other parables before we get to the parable of the lost son. The first was the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. So you see a trend here of all three of these people.

something or someone was lost. So we got to keep that in mind when we read this parable. So now as we go through the parable, those of us who know the story, father was, the son went to the father and said, give me my inheritance now, even though the father hadn't died yet. Now that's the, that's a scandal even of itself. So of course, you know the story, the father grants him the inheritance and he goes out and the scripture makes it clear. He wastes his money on women and partying and he just

waste the money totally and he ends up broke penniless and he ends up feeding pigs with for a Jew, which was the lowest thing a Jew could do. But now what we miss sometimes, we got to remember when this story is written in Luke, they were still living under the law. So that son, when he did what he did, he disrespected his dad, basically telling his dad he wishes father had died. And then secondly,

Did you know that by Jewish law, the son was supposed to have been killed for that? Let me give you a scripture. Deuteronomy 21 verses 18 and 21. This is what it says. Supposing man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. In such a case.

Kevin Toomer (02:24.238)
It's a scripture, Deuteronomy 21 verses 18 and 21. And it says, Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as the whole court at the town gate. Verse 20, Parents must say to the elders, the son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey.

He is a, here it is, a glutton and a drunkard, just like the prodigal son. Verse 21, this is what it says. Then all the men of the town must stone him to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid. So in this particular passage, like I just said, the son was supposed to have been stoned, but look at what the father does. First of all, the father doesn't stone him when he asks for the inheritance, right?

But then we know the story. So after he wastes all the money, he comes back, he comes to his senses and says, wait a minute, my father has food. He has servants. I'm out here feeding these pigs. I can have a better life. Let me humble myself and go to him. So now keep in mind, the son left and he could have been killed. The son is coming back. He could still be killed. So he was taking a chance to come back, but let me show you why.

It's still not about the son. The same scripture, the same passion. Let's go to verse 20. Look at how the father responds. It says, so he returned home to his father and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming filled with love and compassion. He ran to his son, embraced and kissed him. His son said to him, father, I have sinned against both heaven and you.

and are no longer worthy of being called your son." Like the verse 22. But the father sets his service. Quick, bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet and kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.

Kevin Toomer (04:46.158)
So look at that. Look at how the father reacts. Again, the father was in a position where, now you coming back to me? you gonna learn today. But no, the father goes against what these Pharisees thought that they were supposed to do. They were trying to see what actually Jesus was showing them. You don't want to give grace. You are trying to stick by the little of the law. I'm coming to tell you that my grace is better than your grace.

that our Father, the Heavenly Father, is different than the fathers on earth. Because all of those parables talk about someone lost and becoming found. The Pharisees had an issue with him eating and commiserated with sinners. Guess what? Jesus commiserates with us as sinners. And just as that prodigal son was supposed to die because he defied his father, we're supposed to die. Because we defied our father.

And same way as their father ran and embraced his prodigal son, the father runs and embraces us. And look at the word choices. It says the son was dead. Now, obviously this had to be something different because he wasn't literally dead physically, but in all other intents and purposes, he was. Sounds like people today. There are people

walking around and those who don't know Christ and the forgiveness of their sins, they also are walking around and dead. But the scripture says that he was lost and now he's found. The prodigal son story is about the father's grace, about Jesus commiserates with sinners in hopes of saving sinners because he's not deterred by sinners. He's coming to welcome them in. So maybe now the next time you read the parable of the prodigal son,

You don't see it as the parable of the son. You see it as the parable of the grace of the father. Hope that gave you a different view of it. And now you can appreciate the grace that God gives us. How much we don't deserve it. And like the story of the prodigal son, how much we don't deserve it, but he gives it to us. Anyway, hope that blessed you. We'll see you next time.