Lost Things3

15:21 But (de) the (ho) son (huios) enunciated (eipen) to him (autō), "Father (pater), I have sinned (hēmarton) into (eis) the (ton) heaven (ouranon) and (kai) in sight (enōpion) of you (sou). I am (eimi) absolutely no longer yet (ouketi) of equal value (axios) to be called (klēthēnai) ‘Son (huios)’ of you (sou)!"

15:22 But (de) the (ho) father (patēr) enunciated (eipen) toward (pros) the (tous) slaves (doulous) of him (autou), ‘Quickly (tachu) carry out (exenegkate) the (tēn) first (protēn) stole (stolēn) and (kai) clothe (endusate) him (auton), and (kai) give (dote) a finger ring (daktulion) into (eis) the (tēn) hand (cheira) of him (autou), and (kai) underbindings (hupodēmata) into (eis) the (tous) feet (podas).

"carry out the first stole and clothe him" – Jesus makes a reference to what at that time was still a future event, the receiving of the new birth above as he taught to Nicodemus (John 3), the baptism in the gift of holy sprit, power from on high, as he taught to his disciples (Luke 24:49). This is that which was prophesied by part of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21) prophecy, specifically verses 28-29.

"Both sandals and ring are marks of the freeman, as slaves were barefooted" (¹⁴Robertson). The young son had no shoes on his feet, which indicates he was coming out of a condition of poverty and/or slavery.

15:23 And (kai) bring (pherete) the (ton) young offspring (moschon), the (ton) grain-fed (siteuton) [one]. Sacrifice (thusate) [it]. And (kai) being ones having eaten (phagontes) may we be well-minded (euphranthōmen),

"Sacrifice the fatted one" – This is a reference to Jesus Christ who was the final sacrifice for all mortalkind (Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:26, 10:12).

"Calf" doesn’t appear in the original language source texts, and is added by the imagination of translators, in verses 23, 27 and 30. Verse 29 clearly states that the animal sacrificed was a goat (eriphon). A calf is not a goat, but an entirely different genus!

"having eaten" – Having repented, believed and confessed with his mouth the Lord Jesus Christ.

"may be well-minded" – Another cultural idiom. Through the sacrifice (Jesus Christ) the unrest between the father and his young son is resolved, and there is now peace between the young son and the father. The mental rift between them is now well, it is healed.

15:24 because (hoti) this one (houtos), the (ho) son (huios) of me (mou), was being (ēn) a dead one (nekros) and (kai) he was made up alive (anezēsen);

he was being (ēn) one having been lost (apolōlōs), and (kai) he was found (eurethē).’

And (kai) they began (ērxanto) to be well-minded (euphrainesthai).

"was dead and was made up alive" – In the parable, the young son never died, but was as good as dead. This is a reference to the default state of mortalkind who are without God and without hope (Eph. 2:1-7).

15:25 But (de) the (ho) son (huios) of him (autou), the (ho) elder one (presbuteros), was being (ēn) in (en) a field (agrō). And (kai) as (hōs) [he was] causing himself to come (erchomenos) he came near (ēggisen) to the (tē) house (oikia). He heard (ēkousen) [sounds] of a symphony (sumphōnias), and (kai) of round dancing (chorōn).

15:26 And (kai) having called toward (proskalesamenos) one (hena) of the (tōn) children (paidōn), he was asking (epunthaneto), 'What (ti) perhaps (an) may possibly be (eiē) these things (tauta)?'

15:27 But (de) the (ho) [child] enunciated (eipen) to him (autō) that (hoti), "The (ho) brother (adelphos) of you (sou) has come (hēkei), and (kai) the (ho) father (patēr) of you (sou) sacrificed (ethusen) the (ton) young offspring (moschon), the (ton) grain-fed (siteuton) [one], because (hoti) [the father of you] received (apelaben) him (auton) [back], he being wholesome (hugianonta)!"

15:28 But (de) he was caused to become angry (ōrgisthē), and (kai) he was absolutely not desiring (ouk ēthelen) to enter in (eiselthein)! But (de) the (ho) father (patēr) of him (autou) having come out (exelthōn), he was calling him alongside (parekalei auton).

The older son demonstrated his own jealousy toward the younger son who has returned. According to worldly values people are not equally valuable. In God’s eyes all His children are of equal value to Him. There’s no place for jealousy in the body of Christ from more mature believers over new, young believers. After all, they’re newborn babes in Christ, and need much attention now to help bring them up, to help them start walking spiritually. A baby born physically isn’t born walking, and so is not a spiritually newborn babe in Christ born walking spiritually. It has to be learned.

15:29 But (de) the one (ho) having been caused to make a decision (apokritheis), he enunciated (eipen) to the (tō) father (patri) of him (autou), "Behold (idou), so many (tosauta) years (etē) I am slaving (douleuō) for you (soi), and (kai) absolutely not at any time (oudepote) have I gone aside (parēlthon) a commandment (entolēn) of you (sou)! And (kai) to me (emoi) absolutely not at any time (oudepote) did you give (edōkas) a goat (eriphon) in order that (hina) I may be well-minded (euphranthō) with (meta) the (tōn) loved ones (philōn) of me (mou)!"

15:30 But (de) when (hote) the (ho) son (huis) of you (sou) came (ēlthen), this (houtos), the one (ho) having eaten down (kataphagōn) the (ton) living (bion) of you (sou) with (meta) fornicators (pornōn), you sacrificed (ethusas) to him (autō) the (ton) grain-fed (siteuton) young offspring (moschon)!"

15:31 But (de) he (ho) enunciated (eipen) to him (autō), "One born (teknon) [of me], you (su) are (ei) always (pantote) with (met) me (emou), and (kai) all (panta) the (ta) [property] mine (ema) is (estin) your’s (sa).

"and all the [property] mine is yours" – Those who have been born of God’s seed, who have received the new birth from above, baptism in the gift of holy Spirit from Jesus Christ, have become heirs of God the Father, and heirs together with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 3:26-29). Apostle Paul in his letter to the believing disciples in Ephesus, declares the gift of holy Spirit of promise given to them from God the Father, is a pledge, a down payment of the full inheritance they/we are to receive (Eph. 1:7-14)!

15:32 But (de) it is being necessary (edei) to be well-minded (euphranthēnai), and (kai) to rejoice (charēnai), because (hoti) the (ho) brother (adelphos) of you (sou), this one (houtos), was being (ēn) a dead one (nekros) and (kai) lived (ezēsen), one having been lost (apolōlōs), and (kai) he was found (eurethē)!"

In the first two parts of Jesus’ parable, parables in and of themselves, he concluded the parables with an explanation of the things lost as being in each case, a lost sinner in need of repentance. We can see, hear and put it together here, that this wonderful parable is about repentance as well. The Pharisees and writers, which had very little knowledge of God’s Word, and no understanding of it because they had no spiritual ability from God, and couldn’t understand this parable at all. As commonly misbelieved, this parable wasn’t given for the sake of the Pharisees and writers who had no "ears to hear", but was given for the sake of Jesus’ disciples, to whom the Father was beginning to give "eyes to see" and "ears to hear". This was a teaching lesson for them, and anyone else who perhaps had "ears to hear".

I believe Jesus had to be very careful when speaking these parables, that he didn’t disclose too much revelation about the coming fulfillment of the outpouring of the Father’s Spirit, which was prophesied by Joel in his great mystery prophecy (2:28-32). Jesus Christ had to complete his mission to shed his precious blood and die for all mortalkind, in order to pay the penalty for our sin. If he would have disclosed too much information in parables about the outpouring of the Father’s gift of holy Spirit, the adversary, Satan never would have played into God’s hand, and allowed God’s son Jesus to be put to death (1 Cor. 2:7-8).

Jesus said, "The one having ears, hear (imperative mood)!" (Mat. 11:15, 13:9, 43) If we have "ears to hear", Jesus commands us to hear his Word!

REFERENCES

1. A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament

Ethelbert W. Bullinger

Copyright 1978, Samuel Bagster & Sons Limited

London, England

and

Copyright 1978, Zondervan Publishing House

Grand Rapids, MI

2. Believer’s Bible Commentary

William MacDonald

Copyright 1995, Thomas Nelson Publishing

Nashville, TN

3. Berry's Interlinear Greek-English New Testament

George Ricker Berry

Copyright 1976, Guardian Press

Grand Rapids, MI

4. Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

W. E. Vine

Copyright 1966, Fleming H. Revell Company

Old Tappan, New Jersey

5. Figures of Speech Used in the Bible

Ethelbert W. Bullinger

Copyright 1975, Baker Book House

Grand Rapids, MI 49506

6. Gospel Light, and New Testament Commentary

George M. Lamsa

Copyright 1936 and 1945, A. J. Holman Company

Philadelphia, PA

7. Manners and Customs of the Bible

James M. Freeman

Copyright 1972, Logos International

Plainfield, NJ

8. Strange Scriptures That Perplex The Western Mind

Barbara M. Bowman

Copyright 1944, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, MI

9. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised

Harold K. Moulton

Copyright 1978, The Zondervan Corporation

Grand Rapids, MI

10. The Companion Bible

The Authorized version of 1611

With Notes And Appendices by E. W, Bullinger

Copyright 1990, Kregel Publications

Grand Rapids, MI

11. The Illustrated Bible Handbook

Edward P. Blair

Copyright 1987, Abingdon Press

Nashville, TN

12. The New Bible Dictionary

J. D. Douglas

Copyright 1962, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Grand Rapids, MI

R. V. G. Tasker, M.A., D.D., Emeritus Professor of New Testament Exegesis, University of London

13. The Parables and Metaphors of OUR LORD

G. Campbell Morgan

Copyright MCMXLIII by Fleming H. Revell Company

Old Tappan, New Jersey

14. Word Pictures In The New Testament

Archibald Thomas Robertson A.M., D.D., LL.D., Litt.D.

Volumes Copyrighted 1930, 1932, 1933, Baker Book House

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And

Renewal Copyright 1960, Broadman Press