Meaning of The Prodigal Son

Luke 15: 11 – 12 The Prodigal Son

And he [Jesus] said, There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, “Father give me the share of the property that falls to me.” And he divided his living between them.

Younger Son=Sinners | Older Son=Pharisees | Father=Jesus

Jesus tells this parable in response to the Pharisees' contempt that he would eat with sinners—something the Pharisees would never do. These sinners neither knew nor followed the law which the Pharisees meticulously followed.

Dr. Ken Bailey who lived and taught in the Middle East for over 40 years has never found an example of of a son requesting and receiving inheritance prior to his father's death. For to do so, would be to WISH HIS FATHER DEAD. Middle Eastern parables are intentionally packed with emotion. So to leave out the intended, inherent emotion is to miss the rich Middle Eastern context. Further Middle Easterners would expect the father to EXPLODE with ANGER to the son's request. Unexpectedly, however, the father grants his son's request and divides his living—literally meaning that he DIVIDED HIS LIFE between them. In this decision, the father had two choices: (1) He could choose to protect himself by rejecting his son and banishing him from his thoughts, or (2) He could choose the way of suffering.

Jesus agrees with the Pharisees that the “sinners” are far from God. In fact, he paints a picture in which we wish God dead—preferring to live extravagantly with friends neither thinking of nor caring about God.

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