Luke 15 | Parables of Jesus: The Prodigal Son | The Bible

Summary

This script narrates the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son. A young man demands his inheritance, wastes it in reckless living, and faces hardship. He returns home in shame, expecting to be treated as a servant, but his father welcomes him with open arms, celebrating his return. Meanwhile, the older brother, who has remained dutiful, resents the father's generosity. The father explains that it is right to rejoice because the younger son, who was lost, has been found and brought back to life.

Takeaways

• 👨‍👦 The younger son asks his father for his inheritance and leaves to a distant country.
• 💸 The younger son wastes all his money on a lavish lifestyle.
• 🌾 After losing everything, a famine strikes the land, and the younger son is in need.
• 🐖 He ends up feeding pigs and wishes he could eat the food given to the pigs.
• 🤔 The younger son realizes his mistake and decides to return to his father, confessing his sins.
• 🏃‍♂️ The father sees his son from afar, runs to him, and embraces him with compassion.
• 👗 The father orders a robe, a ring, and shoes to be given to his son, celebrating his return.
• 🥳 A feast is held with the fatted calf, rejoicing that the lost son is found and alive again.
• 😡 The elder son becomes angry when he learns of the celebration for his brother's return.
• 👨‍👦 The father explains to the elder son that everything he has is also his, but it's fitting to celebrate the return of the younger son who was lost and is now found.

Q & A

What does the younger son request from his father at the beginning of the story?

The younger son asks his father to give him his portion of the inheritance.

What does the younger son do after receiving his inheritance?

The younger son gathers his belongings and travels to a far country, where he wastes his wealth on riotous living.

What event causes the younger son to realize his dire situation?

A mighty famine arises in the land, and the younger son runs out of resources, leading him to be in great need.

How does the younger son survive after spending all his money?

He joins himself to a citizen of the country, who sends him to feed swine. He is so desperate that he wishes to eat the husks that the swine are fed.

What prompts the younger son to decide to return to his father?

The younger son realizes that his father's hired servants have enough food, while he is starving, so he decides to return and ask for forgiveness, hoping to be treated as one of the servants.

How does the father react when he sees the younger son returning?

The father sees the younger son from afar, has compassion, runs to him, embraces him, and kisses him.

What does the younger son say to his father upon his return?

The younger son tells his father that he has sinned against Heaven and his father, and that he is no longer worthy to be called his son.

How does the father respond to the younger son's confession?

The father tells his servants to bring the best robe, a ring, and shoes for his son. He also orders them to prepare a feast by killing the fatted calf, celebrating that his son, who was lost, has been found.

How does the elder son react when he learns of the celebration for his younger brother?

The elder son becomes angry and refuses to join the celebration. He confronts his father, pointing out that he has been obedient for many years without ever receiving such a reward.

What is the father's response to the elder son's complaint?

The father reassures the elder son by saying that everything he has belongs to him. However, it is right to celebrate because the younger brother was lost and has now been found, and was dead but is alive again.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍👦 The Prodigal Son's Request and Downfall

A man had two sons, and the younger son asked his father for his share of the inheritance. The father divided his wealth between them. Shortly after, the younger son left for a distant country where he squandered all his wealth on reckless living. When a severe famine struck, he was left with nothing and took a job feeding pigs. He was so desperate that he longed to eat the food the pigs were fed. In his misery, he realized that his father's servants had plenty to eat while he was starving. He resolved to return home, confess his sins, and ask to be made a servant.

05:02

🤗 A Father’s Forgiveness and Celebration

The younger son returned to his father. While he was still far off, his father saw him, ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. The son confessed his sins and declared himself unworthy of being called his son. However, the father instructed his servants to bring the best robe, a ring, and shoes for him. He ordered the killing of the fatted calf for a celebration, declaring that his son was dead and is now alive, was lost and is now found. The festivities began as a celebration of the son's return.

😠 The Elder Son’s Anger

The elder son, working in the fields, heard music and dancing as he approached the house. He asked a servant what was happening and learned that his brother had returned, and his father had killed the fatted calf in celebration. Angry, the elder son refused to join the celebration.

😕 The Elder Son’s Complaint

The father came out and pleaded with his elder son. The son expressed his frustration, saying he had served faithfully for many years without receiving even a small reward to celebrate with his friends. Yet, the father had killed the fatted calf for his brother, who wasted his inheritance on immoral living.

🤝 A Father’s Response: The Importance of Forgiveness

The father explained to the elder son that everything he had was already the elder son's, but it was right to celebrate the return of the younger son. His brother was once dead but is now alive, was lost but is now found. The father's response emphasizes the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Keywords

💡Younger Son

The younger son is a central figure in the narrative, representing an individual who seeks independence and makes poor decisions. He asks for his inheritance early, symbolizing a desire to break away from his father's guidance. His actions of wasting his wealth through 'riotous living' illustrate the consequences of reckless behavior and eventual repentance.

💡Father

The father represents compassion, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Despite the younger son's mistakes, the father welcomes him back with open arms, showing the depth of his love and willingness to forgive. His role is a metaphor for divine forgiveness, as he embraces the son who 'was lost and is found.'

💡Inheritance

The inheritance refers to the portion of wealth that the younger son demands from his father. It symbolizes not just material wealth but also the son's desire for independence and freedom from family constraints. However, the squandering of this inheritance highlights the folly of seeking immediate gratification without foresight.

💡Riotous Living

Riotous living refers to the younger son's wasteful and immoral lifestyle after leaving home. This phrase signifies indulgence in reckless behavior and squandering of resources. It serves as a contrast to the responsible, disciplined life that the father and elder son maintain, reinforcing the theme of moral decay and eventual redemption.

💡Famine

The famine represents a turning point in the younger son's life. It serves as a metaphor for hardship and the consequences of poor choices. The famine forces the younger son into a state of desperation, leading him to reflect on his past actions and seek forgiveness, marking the beginning of his journey back to his father.

💡Repentance

Repentance is a key theme in the story, embodied by the younger son's realization of his mistakes. After experiencing hardship, he decides to return to his father and admit his sins, saying, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before thee.' This act of repentance is crucial in the story's message of forgiveness and redemption.

💡Compassion

Compassion is shown primarily through the father’s actions. When the father sees his son returning, he is moved with compassion and runs to greet him, symbolizing unconditional love and forgiveness. The father’s compassionate embrace shows that redemption is available regardless of past mistakes, reinforcing the parable’s moral lesson.

💡Fatted Calf

The fatted calf is a symbol of celebration and joy. When the younger son returns, the father orders the calf to be killed for a feast, signifying the son's restoration to the family. It represents the father’s joy at the return of his lost son and is a metaphor for the celebration of forgiveness and reconciliation.

💡Elder Son

The elder son represents those who feel entitled due to their righteousness and adherence to rules. His resentment at the celebration of his brother's return highlights the theme of jealousy and self-righteousness. The father’s response to him reminds the audience that grace is not earned through works but given freely to all.

💡Lost and Found

'Lost and found' is a central theme, symbolizing redemption and renewal. The younger son is described as 'lost' when he leaves and 'found' upon his return. This phrase encapsulates the moral of the story: no matter how far someone strays, they can always return to love and forgiveness.

Highlights

The younger son asks his father for his inheritance.

The father divides his living between his two sons.

The younger son takes his journey into a far country and wastes his inheritance on riotous living.

A mighty famine arises, and the younger son finds himself in want.

The younger son works for a citizen feeding swine but is still starving.

He reflects on how his father's servants have plenty to eat while he is starving.

The younger son decides to return to his father, repent, and ask to be made a servant.

The father sees his son from afar, runs to him, and shows great compassion.

The son confesses his sins to his father, feeling unworthy to be called his son.

The father orders his servants to dress his son in the best robe, put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

The father calls for a celebration, as his son was lost but is now found.

The older son, returning from the field, hears music and dancing and is confused.

The servant informs the older son that his brother has returned, and their father has killed the fatted calf.

The older son is angry and refuses to join the celebration.

The father explains to the older son that everything he has belongs to him, but it is fitting to celebrate the return of the younger brother, who was lost and is now found.

Transcripts

[MUSIC PLAYING]

A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said

to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that

falleth to me." And it divided unto them his living.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all

together and took his journey into a far country, and there

wasted his substance with riotous living.

[LAUGHTER]

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in

that land, and he began to be in want.

And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country,

and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that

the swine did eat, and no man gave to him.

And when he came to himself, he said, "How many hired

servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare?

I will go to my father, and will say unto him, 'Father, I

have sinned against Heaven and before thee, and am no more

worthy to be called thy son.

Make me as one of thy hired servants.'"

And he rose, and came unto his father.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,

and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and

kissed him.

And the sun said unto him, "Father, I have sinned against

Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called

thy son."

But the father said to his servants, "Bring forth the

best robe, and put it on him.

Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.

And bring hither the tatted calf and kill it, and let us

eat and be merry, for this my son was dead

and is alive again.

He was lost and is found." And they began to be merry.

Now his eldest son was in the field, and as he came and drew

nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he called one of the servants and asked him what

these things meant, and he said unto him, "Thy brother is

come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf because

he hath received him safe and sound."

And he was angry, and would not go in.

Therefore came his father out and entreated him.

And he, answering his father, said, "Lo, these many years do

I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy

commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I

might make merry with my friends.

But as soon as this, thy son, was come which hath devoured

thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted

calf."

And he said unto him, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all

that I have is thine.

It was meet that we should make merry and be glad, for

this, thy brother, was dead and is alive, and was lost,

and is found."