The Prodigal's Son - Part 2

 Luke 15:20

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him. 

Is this the reaction of the God?

#Isa 53:10 

Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.

Mat 3:17

and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Mat 17:5

While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Luk 9:35 

And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye him.

2Pe 1:17 

For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:

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Luke 15:21

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son. 

Remeber, Jesus was made sin for us yet without sinning.

1. I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. Did Jesus struggle with feeling worthless?

Psa 22:1-3, 6-7, 11-12

1 For the Chief Musician; set to Aijeleth hash-Shahar. A Psalm of David.  My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou answerest not;  And in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy,  O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 

6 But I am a worm, and no man;  A reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn:  They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near;  For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me;  Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

***Despite being the Son of God, Jesus struggled at times during his earthly period.***

2. Here is another example. Isaiah 53

1. Vs2b …he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

2. Vs3 He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.

3. Vs5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

4. Vs7a He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth;

5. Vs8a By oppression and judgment he was taken away; 

6. Vs11a He (God) shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:

***Jesus must have wondered if He was worthy. If He genuinely felt the emotion and pain, he must have really experienced the grief if He had to pour out His soul unto death.***

Luke 15:22-

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 

1. Vs22 "Bring forth the best robe" 

Best

-first in time or place in any succession of things or persons

-first in rank influence, honour

-chief, principal

Should the wayward son receive the best?

2. Vs22 Robe 

-remember those in Rev who were clothed in bright white lyoo-cos garments?

Who else received a robe in the OT?

Gen 37:3 

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat (robe) of many colors.

Was Joseph like Jesus? 

Yes, how?

https://www.onepagebiblesummary.com/pad/pad_17.php

1. The favored son

2. Was a shepherd

3. Hated by brothers

4. Sold into slavery

5. He had promises of divine exaltation.

6. He was mocked by his brethren.

7. Falsely accused.

8. Imprisoned 

9. Raised to second place of authority behind Pharoah.

10. Saves his people

3. Vs22 "Put ring on his hand"

Who else received a ring on his hand in the OT? Joseph again

Gen 41:42-43 

42 And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he set him over all the land of Egypt.

So in this part of Joseph's story, Joseph is second only to Pharoah. 

What would Pharaoh represent? God, Joseph is second representing Jesus

Notice, Pharaoh (God) gives Joseph:

1. a ring for hand 

2. vestures of fine linen. 

***Just like the Father gives the younger son in Like 15***

4. Vs22 Shoes on his feet

Not sure who else was given shoes but John the Baptist stated this:

Act 13:25 

And as John was fulfilling his course, he said, What suppose ye that I am? I am not he. But behold, there cometh one after me the shoes of whose feet I am not worthy to unloose.

Who came after John the Baptist who seemed to be wearing shoes? Jesus

5. Vs23 "bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry" 

This wasn't a calf offering for sin. In other words, the father wasn't sacrificing a calf for a sin offering for his son. This was a celebration for the son's return.

The son's trip to the far away land, dispersing the Father's substance unto death was already the needed sin offering.

The celebration is more like this:

Mat 22:2-4 

2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.

6. Vs23 "for this my son was dead, and is alive again"

Jesus died and was made alive again.

7. Vs24 he was lost, and is found. 

Lost 

- to destroy, to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin

-render useless, to kill

to declare that one must be put to death

metaphorically to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell

-to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed

-to destroy, to lose

Found

-find, get, obtain, perceive, see, recognized

8. And they began to be merry. 

-rejoice

Luke 15:25-28

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.  26 And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be.  27  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.  28 But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him.  

Elder son (Natural man)

1. Luke 15:28 

But he was angry, and would not go in…

2. 1Co 2:14 

Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.

Natural man (older brother) - who doesn't get, understand or receive the spiritual man

Nor does the older brother understand the purpose/point of the younger brothers mission.

3. Mat 22:4-5 

4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise;

4. Joseph's brothers

Gen 37:4 

And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

5. How bout Cain and Abel? Who was older?

Cain was older (Gen 4:1). Cain killed Abel because of anger and jealousy

6. Jacob and Esau

Gen 27:41 

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Luke 15:28-30

28 But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  30 but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.  

1. The Father comes out and talks to the elder son

2. The older son says "‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never transgressed a commandment of yours."

I've never transgressed a commandment of yours? What does this mean? 

Transgress (G3928) To go beyond or neglect

Read slowly…

2Co 5:16-17 

16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 

Paul is saying "From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer." 

17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away (G3928); behold, they are become new.

If the old things of the flesh (or natural man) are passed away, what has taken it's place?

The spiritual man. Jesus came to usher in the spiritual man.

Re-read Luke 15:29

"‘Look! All these years I’ve been serving you and never transgressed a commandment of yours."

For this older son, the old things of the flesh HAVE NOT PASSED AWAY. And should have. And have NOT BECOME NEW. 

Therefore the older son has just condemned himself and declared himself as natural man, who is unregenerate and fleshly. Just like the Jews were.

Does this make sense?

3. The older son continues "yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends"

1. Why does the natural man want a kid? Or a young goat?

In Genesis 27. Isaac is on his deathbed and his wife Rebecca schemes with Jacob (their younger son) to get the blessing of Esau (the older son) for Jacob. 

(The older son Esau represents the natural man who had sold his birthright indiscriminately years before.)

(The younger son Jacob represents the spiritual man who now owns the birthright)

She tells Jacob to kill two kids (young goats) so she can cook Isaac a meal and use the skin of the goats around Jacob's hands and neck to deceive Isaac into thinking Jacob is really Esau. 

Hence the kids (young goat) represent Esau, the fleshly, natural man. 

So the blessing or inheritance of the Father is given to Jacob, spiritual younger son.

2. Back in Luke 15: Why didn't the Father give him a kid that he might enjoy with his friends?

Because the old things have passed away and have become new…

2Co 5:18a But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ (or the younger brother)…

***No goat (or kid) for you because you represent the fleshly/natural man that I have moved beyond.

4. "but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf." 

Who are the harlots?

1. The Religious harlot that Jesus encountered

2. Certainly harlots represent those who do not view themselves as righteous. And they recognize their "need" of a savior.

3. Jesus did encounter real harlots. But did not commit any form of sin with them. They were among those who saw themselves as unrighteous.

Luke 15:31-32

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.  32  But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

1. Vs22 "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine." Anyone have anything different?

1. And he said to him, Child, THOU art ever with me, and all: mine are thine.

Father speaks to him using the word "child" despite this being the elder son.

2. In contrast, notice the word "son" is used in vs 11,13,19,21,24,25,30. Yet in vs 31, when the Father references the elder son, he uses the word 'child' (g5043). Why?

1. Son (g5207) huios

-stresses the dignity and character of the relationship. 

2. Child (g5043) teknon

-gives prominence to the fact of birth,

"a child"  is used in both the natural and the figurative senses and can be good or bad.

3. Here is another example of the way "child" or in this example "children" is used in a positive and negative way in the same verse.

1Jn 3:10 

In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Who is he that loved not his brother? 

The elder brother hated his younger brother. The natural man hates the things of the spirit.

4. Vs32 But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Jesus is the younger brother who was dead and is alive again. Who seemed to be rendered useless and is now discovered!!!

Summary

The original murmuring by the Pharisees was this:

Vs2 "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

Jesus answers them in this parable by saying what?

1. I am distributing my Father's substance by being here.

2. In the same way he is saying "I am doing my Father's will"

3. My father desires to seek and save sinners.

4. You don't understand the Father's will.

5. The Father's will doesn't make natural sense.

6. You can only see naturally, not spiritually.

7. You accuse me of receiving and eating with harlots and sinners because you don't realize that YOU are the spiritual harlot that I am eating with. Therefore you are accusing yourself!

8. My words (which are spiritual) are relegated to feed the natural man. Hence the spiritual man is starving.

9. You accuse me of sinning when in reality, not only haven't I sinned but I am being made sin on your behalf.

10. The Father (whom you don't really know) will elevate me to the chief seat with the highest honor while you sit here and criticize me out of ignorance.