NOTES for Luk 15:11-32
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. |
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After all, it is good to be the prodigal son returned to his father. Everyone is glad to see you, except the older brother, of course, and the father arranges a festive banquet in honor of your return, one that at another time you would never have seen. The older brother is not upset by accident, and he complains: such merriment has never once fallen to him in his whole life, even though he was always faithful to his father and devoted to the house.
But really, why is that? Why not let the older son rejoice? Is the calf too precious? The calf is not the issue. It is simply the time - one could say wartime. After all, this is about our times, the times when the Kingdom is only just entering the world, and the triumph still lies ahead: that real triumph when the Kingdom will unfold in all its fullness. That fullness will surely be the feast of all feasts, and the triumph will be for the whole world. But for now, it is too early.
The younger son is another matter: he "was lost and is found," and here the joy is not about the triumph of the Kingdom but about the salvation of one particular soul. And such salvation is worth the triumph of the Kingdom. At least because every saved soul brings that triumph closer. But here too everyone in the household can take part. Only desire is needed. And if you are not the main person at the feast, in the Kingdom that is not so important.
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Readings for 7 March 2026
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