The Prodigal Son

[Dennis1209]

I have been studying the parable of the Prodigal Son lately, both its meaning and application. Does anyone see the Gospel written in this parable and want to compare notes?

[Vine Abider]

Some have said that the focus of this parable is more about the love of the father, rather than the errancy of the son.  So maybe we should call it something like "The Lavish Love of The Father" parable . . .

[missmuffet]

The major theme of this parable is not so much the conversion

of the sinner but restoration of a believer into fellowship

with God. The Parable of the Son is one of Scripture's most

beautiful pictures of God's grace.

[Your closest friendnt]

9 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I have been studying the parable of the Prodigal Son lately, both its meaning and application. Does anyone see the Gospel written in this parable and want to compare notes?

This is contrary to Jewish customs according to the customs of the Law. Contrary to the Bone.

The elder son is a presentation of the customs of the law in the Covenant of Sinai. But now he is portrait as a believer in Jesus Christ because Jesus said this parable to the Jews to show the change that will come in the New Covenant. 

The prophetic it was that the Messiah the Christ of God will bring with Him a new law. 

Just like Moses he will be a law Giver, he will bring a  new law with him.

Moses brought a law with him when he came down from the mountain of God and Jesus Christ brought a new Law with him when he was ascended from the place of the dead. 

Moses was descended from God and brought the Law to the people of God and Jesus was descended from the Cross and he brought the new Law to the children of God in Abraham's Bosom first. As Moses brought the Law to the children of God in the dessert first. 

The New Covenant in Jesus Christ includes all people of the world and Jesus did not stopped to the children of Abraham but he continued to include all the children of Adam from the beginning as Peter had understood that Jesus Christ died for the people before the flood because he was appointed by God to judge all the people of the world because he died for all and the Gospel had to be preached to them to where they were. Jesus as the Priest in the order of Melchizedek had to go to every one to offer them the bread and wine forgiveness of sins in his name. After his death so they can eat from the Passover Lamb of God as God first asked the people in the dessert outside of the Law, before the Law was given to eat from the Passover Lamb. One time offering and they became the people of God in the Passover lamb of God. They were clean and perfect as the Passover lamb they had just eaten. The light of God was in their home and the Angel of death did not enter the homes with the light of God. God gave them life and they own their life to God. They were the harvest of their God. God gave Life to their first born and he constitute the Priesthood of Aaron and his sons from the Livites as God redeemed their first born for the Levites.

As he made them Priests to have life to minister before him in the Temple  

The prodigal son is the story of Jesus Christ.

It is the type of Jesus Christ.

Whom God welcome after his death on the Cross when Jesus was counted amongst the sinners while he lived as he gave his ministry to them and at his death he was counted amongs the Law breakers those cut off from God this is how he was portrait perceived as a law breaker himself and the time came for his resurrection from the dead and the Heavenly Father was waiting for him and he found no sin in him and he bestowed great Glory, Greater glory that he had before that it was to be given only to Christ and after his obedience to die on the Cross. 

This great Robe it could not be given to those to anyone who work the Law not under the law but it was waiting for the Christ of God and after his obedience to die on the Cross to Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ is the one who was glorified with all the Glory God had, who was given the kingdom of God the Kingdom of the whole world to include all clans and all people of the world. Jesus died to open the way to the Heavenly Father for all people of the world as they are. Nothing to do with Abraham and the Circumcision and by extension the law of Moses because the Circumcision of Abraham was codified in the Law. This is why the children of the Law of Moses were the children of Abraham. 

The Father gave him the Glory of the Ruler in his house that it was apointed to him only and couldn't come through the works of the Law.

And the Father welcones every one in the name of his Glorious Son. Because his Glorious Son opened the way to the Heavenly Father by making those who believe in him righteous by forgiving their sins and not holding their sins against them because he was also made the Propritiation for their sins  

Righteous in his blood and without punishment for their sins. Their sins are taken away in his name.  Imputed righteousness. We stand on the Rock of Imputed righteousness who is the Giver Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God had to die. 

 

Edited Sunday at 09:49 PM by Your closest friendnt

[Your closest friendnt]

1 hour ago, Vine Abider said:

Some have said that the focus of this parable is more about the love of the father, rather than the errancy of the son.  So maybe we should call it something like "The Lavish Love of The Father" parable . . .

The Father loved the world that he sent his only Son to the world, he gave his Son to the world to die on the Cross and The Father received him back from the place of the dead after his death on the Cross as His son was counted amongs the sinners and law breakers and He received him back and bestowed upon him the Robe of the chosen of God the heir of the Kingdom of God, and made him the Judge of all the people of the world, the King of Kings. 

Who opened the way to the Heavenly Father for everyone who believes in him who is welcome by the Heavenly Father in him in his death on the Cross, in his name.

God gave him a name above every other name. 

That in the name of Jesus Christ every knee shall bow down and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

 

Edited Sunday at 10:02 PM by Your closest friendnt

[Dennis1209]

1 hour ago, missmuffet said:

The major theme of this parable is not so much the conversion

of the sinner but restoration of a believer into fellowship

with God. The Parable of the Son is one of Scripture's most

beautiful pictures of God's grace.

Exactly!

[AdHoc]

9 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

I have been studying the parable of the Prodigal Son lately, both its meaning and application. Does anyone see the Gospel written in this parable and want to compare notes?

The prodigal son sits in the following context.

1. There is great rejoicing when a"son" goes astray and returns.
2. The prodigal is a "son" before he went astray. That means that the gospel is already implied
3. The prodigal is still a "son" after wasting his Father's goods
4. The prodigal asks for his inheritance BEFORE the Father dies. They thus remain "His Father's goods"
5. The prodigal exposes the other brother's true heart
6. Though exposed, the self centered son is still to Inherit "ALL that I have"
7. The parable addresses the "gospel of the KINGDOM" as INHERITANCE is at stake
8. The grammar of Chapter 16 verse 1 makes the prodigal son the unfaithful steward. This is consistent with the gospel of the kingdom where there are consequences for failure. The SON is accepted back with rejoicing at no cost. The steward who "also" (v.1) "wasted his Master's goods" will be ejected from the Master's service.
9. The sonship ends in GRACE. But the stewardship ends in REWARD

[Dennis1209]

I composed and made it legible from my notes and a little long.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32)

The following is a  view of the parable of the prodigal son:

PROD´IGAL, n. One that expends money extravagantly or without necessity; one that is profuse or lavish; a waster; a spendthrift.

PAR´ABLE, A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction.

Summary: There are five characters in this parable: the father, the older son, the younger son, the servants, and the swineherd. The protagonist of the story is the younger son, an archetype of Adam, who squanders the co-inheritance of his father’s estate which he shares with his elder brother. The squalor that befalls the younger son is symbolic of the wages of sin and the consequence of estrangement from the family. Due to his impoverishment, the prodigal son becomes subject to a swineherd, the archetype of Satan.¹

¹Alberino, Timothy. Birthright: The Coming Posthuman Apocalypse and the Usurpation of Adam's Dominion on Planet Earth (p. 15). Alberino Publishing. Kindle Edition. 

Historical background: Jesus is speaking to all the hated tax collectors and sinners within the border if Israel, the message is spoken in Israel. The prodigal son joined himself with someone in a far away land raising pigs. This identifies the land as Gentile territory, as with the Gergesene territory in Matthew chapter eight.

Thoughts: According to Deuteronomy 21:17, the older of two sons was entitled to a double portion of a father’s estate. Here the younger son would have received one-third. He was probably under a moral obligation to use the inheritance in a way pleasing to the father, but he ignores this.

Recognizing the depravity of his condition, he repents of his folly and decides to return to his father’s house in the hope that he might be received back, if only as a lowly servant. (Note that not all those who are in the Father’s house are sons). The servants, though employed in the house, are not members of the family.

The angels of heaven (elohim) are called the sons of God. Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

The term "sons of God" is indeed used in some biblical contexts to refer to angels, particularly in reference to heavenly beings who are part of God's divine court or army. These celestial beings are described as attending God's throne, praising Him, and carrying out His will. However, it's important to note that angels are more commonly referred to by other terms in scripture, such as "angels," "holy ones," "heavenly host," or specific ranks like cherubim and seraphim. The phrase "sons of God" appears in Genesis in a context that some traditions have interpreted as referring to angels.

The only human created as the son of God was Adam. Because sin entered the world, we are sons and daughters of Adam through procreation.

Luke 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

The biblical story of the Gospel is restoring the sons and daughters of Adam back to the family of God; that is the heart of the Gospel. The parable of the prodigal son is a beautiful and heart-warming story reflecting the Gospel and God’s immeasurable grace. It is so well pictured and depicted in the story of the prodigal son. We are not only going to heaven; it is about us going back into the family of God, having an inheritance, and having positional authority as sons, a son in the Father’s house once again.

We have the power to become the sons (and daughters) of God. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Angels (spiritual) and humanity (flesh and blood) are part of God’s family. Christ did not die for the fallen angels. He died and sacrificed Himself for us. We can think about our spiritual family as older siblings created as sons of God created before us. In the parable of the prodigal son, we have an older and younger brother in the father's house. Remember, we have older siblings, and we are the younger siblings.

A picture of the prodigal son and an older brother, the youngest brother goes and wastes his inheritance. It is the most beautiful presentation of the Gospel in the Bible in my opinion, the parable of the Gospel, and many overlook it.

Some think this parable is about the Gentiles being brought into the fold (grafted in), and it is, but that is only the surface area. Analyzing the message, the parable begins where? At the father’s house (a father figure). He has two sons, an elder and a younger sibling, and they are in the same house together. This house is not a shack or mud hut; it is a magnificent estate because there are servants and banquets.

The younger sibling asks his father for his inheritance now because he wants to spend it on living wild in the world. The father gave his son what he requested: his inheritance. He blows his inheritance wastefully in the wild living in the world and becomes indentured to a swine herd. Who represents the swine heard? Satan and his minions.

Famine hits the land, and he becomes destitute, living in squalor and abject poverty-feeding pigs. He went from being a “son” in his father’s house with all its splendors, a son of the estate, to being indentured, a slave of a swineherd, feeding pigs, eating the filth of the pigs. Covered in mud and pig feces, and worse, there is famine, and he is starving.

Being indentured, he has a debt to pay. One day he realizes and says to himself, even the servants in my father’s house are living better than me. He hatches a plan: I will return to my father’s house, who will be exceedingly angry with me and not take me back as a son but maybe a servant. He forfeited being a son and blew it, and his inheritance ended. I will beg my father to take me in as one of his servants. I am no longer worthy to be counted as a son.

He sets off to see his father, ragged, filthy, haggard, hungry, and in dire straits. Expecting his father to be exceedingly angry with him, what did his father do? His father was waiting at the door, looking for his son to return, and the prodigal son saw his father waiting at the door. The father does not wait and runs out the door to meet him; when he sees his son approaching, the father embraces him. The son was probably thinking his father would slap him, run him off, sending him away because he wasted his inheritance and left his father. Instead, his father falls on his youngest son, who embraces, kisses, and welcomes him. Are we starting to get a picture of the Gospel of Christ yet?

The father calls for a servant to bring his youngest son clean clothes (symbolic of the resurrection) and shod his feet with sandals because he was barefoot. In the ancient Roman world, one identifying thing that marked servants was that they were prohibited from wearing shoes.

The father puts a ring on his son’s finger, the seal of his father’s house. This is a picture of Christ’s love and forgiveness. Notice the verse that directly precedes the parable of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. malʾāk, angels, our older siblings.

The younger son says he is no longer worthy to be his father’s son, so I beg you to take me in as your servant. The father says NO, I will take you back as my son, reinstating him. The prodigal son is brought back with great joy and celebration. The father slaughtered the fatted calf, the best he has to offer. They have a huge celebration, a feast of his return; he is no longer dead but alive. Do we see the Gospel in this?

The older sibling, probably out in the field working for his father, hears the celebration happening. The eldest goes to his father and says, I have been with you all this time, never leaving you or squandering my inheritance, and yet, you never threw a banquet for me and my friends. You have never celebrated me in this fashion; why are you doing this for your irresponsible, disobedient son who left you? 

To paraphrase, the father says, you have always been with me. Your younger sibling was lost, and now he is found, he was dead and is now alive.

Matthew 18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

They are celebrating the reinstitution of the son back into the family, that is, the Gospel of Christ. We are all the prodigal sons and daughters, and this is us. The message should rock us to the core: God's love, grace, and mercy. Do we realize what it cost Jesus, the Son of God, to pardon us for what we deserve? Did the prodigal son deserve a pardon, and was extreme loving grace shown?

I present this as a legitimate question: In addition to pride and being created in the image of God, could this teaching by Jesus be associated with why Satan and his minions hate and despise the human family so much? It is a thought that has crossed my mind.

 

 

[Dennis1209]

12 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

The prodigal son sits in the following context.

1. There is great rejoicing when a"son" goes astray and returns.
2. The prodigal is a "son" before he went astray. That means that the gospel is already implied
3. The prodigal is still a "son" after wasting his Father's goods
4. The prodigal asks for his inheritance BEFORE the Father dies. They thus remain "His Father's goods"
5. The prodigal exposes the other brother's true heart
6. Though exposed, the self centered son is still to Inherit "ALL that I have"
7. The parable addresses the "gospel of the KINGDOM" as INHERITANCE is at stake
8. The grammar of Chapter 16 verse 1 makes the prodigal son the unfaithful steward. This is consistent with the gospel of the kingdom where there are consequences for failure. The SON is accepted back with rejoicing at no cost. The steward who "also" (v.1) "wasted his Master's goods" will be ejected from the Master's service.
9. The sonship ends in GRACE. But the stewardship ends in REWARD

It is close to what I posted a few minutes ago, and I have not read your post until now.

[AdHoc]

26 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

It is close to what I posted a few minutes ago, and I have not read your post until now.

Yes. Your research was fruitful. I could differ in a couple of points but that is moot. Well done!