The Prodigal Son

In Luke 15 Jesus relates the parable of the prodigal son. As I have pondered this parable something has struck me as interesting. When we talk about the prodigal or hear sermons on it, it appears that the lost son has been completely restored into the family and that he again has all the perks of sonship. While this may be true on a personal and relationship level I don’t read it that way on an inheritance level.

It seems clear that the father has accepted his son back into the family and that he is to be treated as a member of the family. However, I think it is equally clear that the prodigal did not regain any inheritance in the process. The father clearly states to the older brother that “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” Luke 15:31. If this is true the father had only the status of a son to give to the prodigal and nothing more. For the remainder of his life he would either have to make it on his own or live off the grace of his father, and then his brother.

As Jesus gave us this parable I think we need to seriously think on it and on what it means to be a prodigal, one that has been a child and then leaves only to return later.

Does this mean that we are accepted as a son of God, as in regain our salvation, but have lost all of our inheritance in the kingdom? Can a prodigal ever regain his inheritance? Must he go from getting his spiritual possessions as a right of his sonship and now must earn them? What is our inheritance?

These are some of the things I ponder.

The story is as follows:

¹¹ And he said, A certain man had two sons:

¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

²⁰ And he arose, and came to 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.

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

²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

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 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

²⁹ And he answering said to his father, 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:

³⁰ But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

³¹ And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

³² It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.