Commentary on the Prodigal Son

The following is based on a commentary i heard on the Parable of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15:11-32. The parable itself was tied to a study of the Tenth commandment, found Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21.



The Tenth commandment is based on coveting what does not belong to you, in particular those things that are your neighbours, such as their spouse, house, property and so forth. It is interesting as the 8th commandment already tells you not to steal, here even desiring things you have no right to is wrong. This is certainly at clash with a modern society that tells you that nothing should be denied to you, and that all your desires are legitimate. The issue is not that having desires is bad per say, for certainly we need food and shelter and relationships, all being good things to desire. But when we desire things that are contrary to God's will and plan is where we run into trouble. 


Now before speaking about the Parable itself, it is important to set the context of the talk for those that don't know or remember. Jesus is speaking the Pharisees, a legalistic Jewish sect at the time of Jesus that strictly followed Mosaic Law and looked down upon Jesus for being among the prostitutes and tax collectors and other "undesirables". 


The parable very briefly is about a wealthy landowner with two sons, with the young son rash and disobedient, asking for his inheritance before his father died and the older, loyal, dutiful son. The father gives the younger son his money, the son goes off, loses it all and is quite poor. wishing he were back home, he plans to go back and ask for forgiveness. But as he approaches home, his father runs to him instead, throwing his arms around him and forgiving him and giving his lost son his best robe and the fatten calf. As this is happening, the older son finds all this out and is angry at the father for wastening the fatten calf and his wealth on the "unworthy" younger son, when he, the older, responsible son has not received such love. The father replies "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:31-32)


The parable does a good job of highlighting different ways we can allow our sinful nature to disobey the tenth commandment. It also does a great  job of illustrating the depth of God's love for His people. When you see God as the father of the story, you see someone giving unconditionally of his land and pride, even when the son is disrespectful and desires only for the father's goods and not the father himself. He rejects the love of the father for material pursuits. Not only does the father tolerate this horrendous behaviour, he holds no debt upon the son when he comes back with nothing but instead showers him with love and gifts. The father would be forgiven for not receiving the son at all or unleashing anger and harm upon the son's return, as we so often do when those we care about reject us. The father is forever waiting with open arms and receives the son with love and rewards undeserved, especially when the son thought he would have to work off his debt to be accepted.


The more interesting case is the older son. He has followed all the rules the father has laid down, but in this moment shows his actions were a facade for any empty heart. He does not rejoice at the return of his brother but admonishes his father for the extravagant meal and treatment the "undeserving" son has received, desiring these things upon himself instead.  He does not appreciate that he would have nothing without the father and  that he desires and cares more for the father's goods than the father as the younger son once had. His belief that merely following the rules was sufficient should be a lesson to us all in relation to how we live our lives before God. 


Perhaps the main point is that each son in their own way believed in their own goodness, which in turn separated them from the father, as they tried to control and demand of the father to fulfill their own ends. Rather than being grateful for what the father had provided them, they desired more and desired things that were not theirs. 


I think that this is an important lesson for all Christians, for we all are tempted to be one son or the other. It is essential we grow a content and charitable nature towards our neighbour and God, so that we always appreciate what we do have and trust The Lord will provide for us all that we need.