A Recklessly Extravagant LoveSample

The Younger Son

The Story Unpacked

When Jesus spoke this parable to the crowds, there would undoubtedly have been a strong reaction to the character of the younger son. In Jewish culture, sons had important roles and responsibilities in the family. The younger son would expect one third of all his father owned, but this would come to him as an inheritance when his father died. To ask his living father for his inheritance immediately would have been a tremendous insult to the father and would go against the values of the community.

After humiliating his family, the younger son lives a prodigal life- reckless and wasteful. He squanders all his wealth until he is left with nothing. He is desperate and realises that he has made an enormous mistake. He knows he can’t expect to be called a son any longer, but figures if he begs his father for forgiveness, perhaps he will think of him like one of his hired servants.

Upon his return, the younger son surely could not have believed the reception he received. His father was so pleased to see him that he ran to him, hugged and kissed him, and welcomed him back with open arms and joy. There was no anger, no punishment and no debt for him to pay.

This remarkable picture shows us how God responds to us when we return to Him and receive His love and forgiveness. No matter who we are or what we have done, God is always longing for us to turn to Him and He will always forgive and accept us with love and open arms, just as the father does in this parable. It is the heart of God and His desire for us to have a loving and personal relationship with Him.

Questions

1. Who do you think the younger son represents in this parable (both to the crowd who were listening and also today)?
2. How do you think the ‘younger sons’ who heard this parable would have responded?
3. It is hard to imagine a more insulting request then to ask your living father for your inheritance in that culture (verse 12). It is the equivalent of saying “Dad, you are dead to me”. Why do you think the younger son did this? What was his attitude towards the father?
4. Why is it so significant that the younger son had to feed pigs (verse 15)? What would this have meant to the original audience?
5. Why do you think it was so significant for the father to give the younger son a robe, a ring, sandals and have a calf prepared (verse 22-23)?
6. No matter who we are or what we have done in our life, we can return to God and ask for his love and forgiveness. How will God respond to you if you do that (verse 20)?