Luke 15:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.

NIV: Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.

NASB: and bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let’s eat and celebrate;

CSB: Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast,

NLT: And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,

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

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

The lost son has been found (Luke 15:11–22). Like the parable characters of a shepherd (Luke 15:4) and a woman (Luke 15:8), the father invites others to celebrate (Luke 15:6, 9). The man celebrates with his servants as God celebrates with the angels when someone confesses and turns to Him (Luke 15:7, 10).

This is the final parable about lost things which Jesus teaches to Pharisees and scribes. The religious leaders don't like that Jesus eats with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 15:1–2). The wayward Jews would invite Jesus to dine at their homes at formal banquets. They would invite their friends—equally sinful—to hear Jesus teach. Jesus went willingly, and when the Pharisees objected, He would say, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:31–32).

In the parable of the prodigal son, the father does not accept his wayward son's invitation to a dinner; the father plans the celebration. The idea of the celebration parallels the Jewish understanding of the great feast God will provide when His people are resurrected. The Pharisees can't help but see the connection: these tax collectors and sinners will be with them in the presence of God. If they've been listening, they would know that the repentant sinners may well enjoy the banquet without the Pharisees (Luke 14:24).

Jesus knows the Pharisees can't easily accept this, so He gives them a representative: an older brother who never disobeyed and never thought of taking advantage of his father. They need to understand that the celebration is for the Father and for them. If they truly follow the Father, the sinners are reconciled to them, as well (Luke 15:25–32).

Meat was a luxury in the culture. The "fattened calf" was kept on hand for a special occasion. The father shares it as he shares his joy that his family is restored.

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.