The Strand Study Bible

LUKE

LUKE

1669

her women friends for a celebration. Luke 15:11 Subject Head Although this parable is aimed at the unsaved ( the lost son ), it gives both the saved and the unsaved an unmistakable look at how the greatest parent the world has ever known (the Heavenly Father) does His parenting.

According to the parable, there are seven characteristics of a good father: 1. A good father will accept the responsibility of raising the children (vs 11)

It says in verse 11, “ A certain man (father) had two sons .” The entire parable is based upon the relationship between a father and a son. According to the Bible, raising children has always been the responsibility of the father (Gen 18:19, Deut 6:1-9 & 8:5, Josh 24:15, I Sam 3:12-13, I Ki 1:5-6, Job 1:5, Prov 1:8,10,15 & 2:1 & 3:1,11-12 & 4:1,10,20 & 5:1, Isa 38:19 and Heb 12:9). Ephesians 6:4 says: And ye fathers , provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord . 2. A good father refuses to enable his children (vs 12-13) A good father knows the importance of allowing a wayward child to hit bottom before rescuing him, for enabling someone in his or her failure only prolongs the inevitable ( I Sam 15:31 ). NOTE – Whenever a prodigal child decides he/she has had enough of what this life offers and decides to return home to the father, he/she will: 1. admit their sin and confess it (vs 18,21) 2. be willing to accept the consequences of their actions (vs 19a) 3. return home without expecting any handouts (vs 19b) Then, and only then, is the parent to aid the prodigal (vs 22-24). 3. A good father will teach his children to think and make decisions for themselves (vs 14-17) God knows that if you never think for yourself, you can never “ come to yourself ” (vs 17). Parents, who think brainwashing their children by doing all the thinking for them, do their children no favors. God said to His people in Isaiah 1:18: Come now, and let us reason together , saith the LORD : God created us all with a free will and, along with it, the freedom to think for ourselves. If you’ll notice, the son who was allowed to leave was of age to leave, so we’re not talking about allowing young children to do whatever they want, even if they think it. We’re talking about young children who were raised to think for themselves, and then allowed to go and do so. 4. A good father never acts surprised concerning his children’s decisions, even when they are bad (vs 18-19) This son knew he could come home and never have to hear the words, “ I told you so ” by his father. He knew his father would never act surprised concerning his decisions, for he was taught of his father to think for himself, even if his decisions were wrong ones. 5. A good father always shows compassion toward a child that has failed (vs 20) 6. A good father will recognize spiritual changes in the life of his children (vs 21) 7. A good father will show his children what it means to forgive (vs 21-24) To forgive is to forget, and a good father will remind his children that he won’t bring their past up if they won’t. 15:13 Interestingly enough, while the prodigal son was out "wasting his inheritance," his father’s farm was still running. God’s work doesn’t stop just because someone leaves it. People who choose to leave the farm do so at great expense. The fact is that God’s work will continue to go on with or without us. The sad reality is that those who leave God and His work usually end up returning to God down the road… empty (vs 14-17) and with great regret (vs 18-21). 15:14 The pleasures of sin are but for a season (Heb 11:25), and are always followed by famine ( and he began to be in want ). 15:19 The prodigal son’s "petition" ( make me ) indicated a complete change of mind. When the prodigal son left home, he said, “ Give me …” (vs 12). After truly repenting, he said, “ make me .” Whereas he left with a selfish demand, he returned with a subservient desire. He had experienced true repentance. 15:25 The Pharisees, represented here by the elder son, resented Jesus' acceptance of those they rejected. In the two previous parables (Parables 24 and 25) Jesus explained how the Pharisees should have acted when lost sinners are found. In this parable (Parable 26) He explains how they did act. * The Pharisees should have had a “heart” for lost sinners (Lk 15:1-7). They did not. They should have known the heart of their God (Ezk 18:20-23,32 & 33:11 and Lam 3:31-36). They did not. * The Pharisees should have seen the “worth” of every sinner (Lk 15:8-10). They did not. They should have known how much their God really cared (I Jn 2:1-2, I Tim 2:1-6 & 4:10, Titus 2:11, II Pet 3:9, II Cor 5:14-15,19, Lk 2:8-11, Jn 3:16 and Mt 13:44 & 14:20 & 28:19). They did not. Parable #26 is aimed at unbelievers who resent the way God saves . The character flaw – assuming their sin is less sinful than those they resent . It is not (Lk 13:1-5).

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