Luke 15:31-32 is today’s BDBD

Jesus concluded “The Parable of the Prodical Son” by revealing God’s love for both sons. Perhaps a better title would be “The Father’s Love for Sons Who Reject Him.” Yet, that is too long. How about simply “The Father’s Love”?

When the Father addresses the older son, Jesus does not say that the older son repented. We are left wondering. This seems to indicate that the parable and the former two address the Pharisees and teachers of the law more than those they labeled as tax collectors and sinners. They are given the choice to accept the Father’s love for their younger son or reject it.

The father explained his actions toward the younger brother to the older brother. I paraphrase here, “You have not lost anything upon his return. You sill have all that is mine. However, he did gain something. You gained younger son who has changed. He was dead when he left here. No love. No life. He was lost to the truth. He has returned full of life and love. He has repented.”

The father’s love is a beautiful picture of the return of the younger son, which also pictures Christian conversion (Romans 6:13; Ephesians 2:1,5) The words “lost and is found” are often used to mean “perished and saved” (19:10; Matthew 10:6, 18:10-14)