Parable on the Prodigal Son.

(Luke 15:11-32).

This parable, which is brought by Evangelist Luke only, is prefixed by two short parables on the lost sheep (15:1-7) and on the lost coin (15:8-10). The Pharisees condemned Jesus Christ because He “receives sinners and eats with them.” In response, the Lord relates these parables, which present the great joy that occurs in the heavens when a sinner, that appears to have been destroyed and lost to the Kingdom of Heaven, repents. Interpreters of the Gospel, regard the 99 sheep as either God’s Angels or the righteous — living and those that have already departed and have become deserving of bliss — that have no need of repentance. Drachma is a small silver coin, worth about 25 cents. In these parables, the Lord utilizes the natural attribute of the human heart, which rejoices over finding a lost item, even though it’s value is far less than of those that hadn’t been lost.

Further on, in the parable of the prodigal son, the Lord likens God’s joy over the repentance of a sinner to that of the loving father, to whom the prodigal son returned (11-32).

A man had two sons: the man representing God; the two sons are sinners and self-styled righteous individuals — Scribes and Pharisees. The youngest, apparently having come of age, but of course being inexperienced and thoughtless, requests in accordance with the Law of Moses, his portion of the father’s property (Deu. 21:17). This was one third of the total, while the eldest son received the remaining two thirds. Having received his inheritance, the young son decided to live freely according to his will. With that, he left for a distant land where he squandered his possessions, living a debauched lifestyle. Likewise a person, endowed by God with spiritual and physical gifts, having felt an attraction toward sin, begins to feel burdened by God’s laws, then declines to live according to God’s will, submits to iniquity and through physical and spiritual dissoluteness, squanders all those gifts with which he was endued by God. “There arose a severe famine” — something that God often sends (as well as other misfortunes) to a sinner that is entrenched in his sinful life, so as to force him to come to his senses. These outer tribulations are the gist of God’s simultaneous punishment and call for repentance. “To feed swine” — the lowest form of activity, because the law detested swine as unclean animals. Likewise a sinner when he gets attached to some item, through which he satisfies his sinful passion, often sinks to the lowest demeaning position. “And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods the swine ate” — these pods were used to feed swine and was the fruit of a certain tree, found in Syria and Asia Minor. This indicates the desperate plight of the sinner. Then he “came to himself” — this is an extraordinarily expressive turn of the phrase. Just like an ill person that has recovered after a serious illness with an accompanying loss of memory, suddenly regains it, so can a sinner that is consumed with sin, be likened to such a sick person. Having lost his senses, because he is not aware of the demands of God’s law, it is as though his conscience dies.

Finally, the grave consequences of sin together with outward misfortunes, forces him to recover his senses: it is as though he awakens, emerges from his previously unconscious condition, and returns to his sober senses: he begins to see and understand his plight, and seeks to escape it. “I will arise and go to my father” — is the sinner’s decision to abandon his sinful ways and repent. “I have sinned against Heaven,” i.e. before the holy place where God and sinless spirits dwell, “and before you” through neglect to the loving father, “am no longer worthy to be called your son” — an expression of deep humility and realization of unworthiness, which always accompanies the genuinely penitent sinner. “Make me like one of your hired servants” — an expression of deep love for his father’s house and paternal roof, and agreeing even to the most arduous conditions in order to enter his father’s household. All the following illustrations carry a purpose to underline God’s limitless love toward a penitent sinner, God’s amnesty and that joy, which occurs in the Lord’s words: “there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 14:7).

The old man-father, having sighted his returning son from afar, without knowing anything about his inner feelings, runs towards him, embraces and kisses him without giving him a chance to finish his repentance. He orders him to be clothed — not in rags — but in the finest attire, and then holds a feast in his honor. Through His love for a contrite sinner, All these anthropomorphous features of the Lord, Who through His love for a contrite sinner, receives his repentance and generously endows him with new spiritual blessings — in place of those that were lost through sin. “Was dead and is alive again” — the sinner, estranged from God is like being dead, because a person’s true life depends solely on the source of life — God; that’s why the sinner’s return to God is akin to his resurrecting from the dead. The older brother, angry with his father for his clemency toward his younger brother, is a living image of the Scribes and Pharisees. Proud in the outward precise and exact fulfillment of the law, but cold and heartless in relation to their brothers, lauding their fulfillment of God’s will, but unwilling to associate with penitent tax collectors and sinners. Just as the older brother “was angry and would not go in,” so did the self-opinionated Pharisees, the precise fulfillers of the law, got angry with the Lord Jesus Christ, because hr entered into a close association with contrite sinners. Instead of showing compassion for his brother and father, the elder brother begins to flaunt his achievements, refuses to call his younger brother — “brother,” contemptuously saying: “this son of yours.” The father’s response: “You are always with me, and all that I have is yours” indicates that the Pharisees, in whose hands the law rested, can always have access to God and His spiritual gifts. However, they are unable to earn the Heavenly Father’s benevolence while being in such a distorted and bitter, spiritual-moral disposition.