The Parable of the Prodigal Son 

‘Lost and found’

The parable of the prodigal son is one of those bible stories that is familiar (at least to some degree) to the general population. Perhaps we, as believers, have become overfamiliar with the story and may assume that there is only one ‘correct’ interpretation – the Father is our all-loving God, we are the wayward son, squandering our relationship with God by our sinfulness. When we repent we are welcomed back with open arms by a God who readily forgives.

But parables are meant to be challenging, and there is no one ‘right’ way of reading this one or of ‘hearing’ it.  I recently read Mark Powell’s account of reading the parable with three different groups, one American, one from Russia and the third from Tanzania.[1] When the American group heard about the younger son’s desperate hunger, they presumed that he had brought it upon himself by wasting his money. The Russian group attributed his hunger to the severe famine in the land (and he was therefore the victim of unforeseen circumstances). The Tanzanian group noticed that no one in this new land helped him. What is fascinating about this is that ALL THREE are in the text – had you noticed that?

However, let us start with a little context. Luke puts this parable with two other stories – the lost sheep, and the lost coin, making three stories to do with loss and finding. Hence my title for this piece.

Next, is it correct to think of the father as representing God? If so, he acted in some very dubious ways – it seems his agreeing to the younger son’s request for his inheritance was in many ways indulgent, rather than wise or loving. Rabbinic literature regards it as wrong for a parent to transfer property to their children during their lifetime, and a matter of shame within the family – which it risked dividing. We may think his actions imprudent at least.

The younger son’s demanding of his entitlement (which would have been one third of his father’s estate – the older son being entitled to two-thirds) would have been viewed as appalling at the time, because it implied that the son wished his father already dead.

The younger son does get his inheritance and as we know he wasted it, and found himself totally impoverished, longing to share the pigs’ food – unclean animals that they were. He eventually ‘comes to his senses’ and determines to return to his father and throw himself on his mercy. I see this as  an important strand in the reflection on losing and finding. When we are in difficulties and feeling lost sometimes we need someone else to come to our aid, but at least as often it is we and we alone that can help ourselves. Perhaps the best analogy I can offer is that of addiction – until the addict is able to face their problems no one else can do it for them.

There are many other points that could be raised for reflection and I leave you to find your own. But I wish to end on a note – an uncomfortable one at that – to do with the older son. We will never know whether he was ever reconciled with his father or his brother. His self-righteous anger leads him to bitterness and his claims of loyalty and piety lead him to resentment– and it appears that he becomes the lost son in his younger brother’s place, simply because he could not bring himself to celebrate his brother’s return. Resentment can be much more difficult to recover from than dissipation.

So we have a father who Is shamed by the actions of his youngest son, but is willing to sacrifice his dignity (all that running!) and his honour to welcome home the son whom he had lost. The young son has learned important lessons, has recognised that only he can come back to his senses, and so the lost is found. And the elder son – it is he who becomes the lost one. What do you think?

For us today – a family member leaving home to seek his fame and fortune elsewhere is not at all uncommon nowadays. What does honour and shame look like in our society? Do I have characteristics of the younger son; of the older son or even of the Father?

Tony White

[1] Powell, M.A., What do they hear?, (Nashville TN, Abingdon Press, 2007)