Luke 15:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

NIV: "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

NASB: And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate in wild living.

CSB: Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.

NLT: A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

The parables in this passage are delivered in front of a crowd, but their lessons are aimed at religious leaders. Jesus is correcting the attitudes of scribes and Pharisees who condemn Him for associating with sinners. Jesus is trying to explain that when He looks at these "sinners," He sees lost souls who need to be found. The Pharisees should join in the work, or at least celebrate when the lost people repent and return to God (Luke 15:1–10). Jesus has spoken about those who fall away from God through their own foolishness or because they weren't paying attention. In both cases, the Lord seeks the lost and restores them to safety.

In the parable of the prodigal son, He explains God's attitude toward those who intentionally rebel against Him. The younger son of a wealthy father requests the money he would receive if his father died. He would rather live as if his father were already dead than maintain the relationship. And he would rather live a life of depravity than respect the honor of his family. Unlike the prior two examples, this son intentionally goes astray. He rebels against his father, disrespects him, and leaves. The father does not follow. Rebellion is not conquered by physical restraint or control but by teaching the truth which often comes through suffering consequences.

The son thinks he's escaped a rigid life and goes to a "far country" where he can be free. The son doesn't understand he is replacing a loving father with a cruel master. Nor does he understand that by spending all his money on prostitutes (Luke 15:30), he is buying fake love and a poor substitution for life. But like many, he would rather be a slave to sin because it feels freer than being a child of a loving father (Romans 6:16). The Greek term describing his lifestyle is a-sōtōs: the opposite of preserving, saving, or rescuing. The term is translated in Scripture as "reckless," "loose," or even "riotous." The English term "prodigal," the traditional term applied to this story, literally means to spend money wastefully and extravagantly.

Luke 15:11–32 records the famous parable of the prodigal son. To be "prodigal" is to be wastefully extravagant. Jesus is speaking to Pharisees who condemn His association with sinners. His point is that God seeks sinners so they can be saved (Luke 15:1–10). In this parable, Jesus presses others to join God's celebration over the return of repentant sinners. This is one of the most detailed and developed parables in the Bible, almost on the level of allegory, and is unique to Luke. Next, Jesus teaches how the lives of Christ-followers should differ from those in the world (Luke 16:1—17:10).

To answer criticisms that He associates with sinners, Jesus tells three parables. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to rescue a single lost member. A woman searches diligently to locate a lost coin. A father eagerly forgives his wayward son when the young man returns in humility and repentance. All these lead to celebration. In the same way, Jesus teaches that God cares about restoring those who have fallen, and we should mirror His joy whenever that happens.

Luke 15 contains three parables with the theme of something "lost." The lost sheep, coin, and son represent sinners who leave God foolishly, unknowingly, or rebelliously. God seeks the foolish and the ignorant and waits patiently for the rebel to return to Him in humble repentance. Next is a collection of teachings on the differences between worldly and kingdom living (Luke 16:1—17:10). After two more groups of a miracle, teachings on the kingdom, and teachings on salvation (Luke 17:11—19:27), Jesus will enter Jerusalem and prepare for the crucifixion.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.