Table of Contents
Commentary
Luke (15:11 – 32) Have you experienced this trial? Sunday of the Prodigal Son bears one of our most favorite and beloved stories in history and in the Holy Scriptures. It is known for all that the holy Lent’s two starting weeks are: “the week of preparation, and the week of temptation”; and the two final ones are: the week of Palms, and the week of the resurrection”. As for Sundays included in between the beginning and the end, they are called: “The core of the Lent”. These are four Sundays or Weeks; which are: “The Prodigal Son – the Samaritan – the Paralyzed – and the Blind from Birth”. These we call “The heart of the Lent”; because the four narratives are all connected together: – The story of the prodigal son represents choice; despite its being wrong. Then that of the Samaritan shows the repetition of committing sin. Also, the narrative of the Paralyzed, who had so lived for 38 years, is a symbol of the continual committing of sin – according to the Old Testament concept; for diseases were viewed as punishments for sins. So he has remained sick for 38 years. Then came Sunday of the blind from birth, which is regarded as the last line of sin (in other words, blindness). It is not that physical blindness which is meant, but spiritual blindness; or what may be named as “the story of bitterness”. The story of the prodigal son tells of a family similar to all those of ours; a settled family. It was a Jewish family, having two sons: one was young and the other older. All that was in the house was their own. But by tradition, the older son was to be given an inheritance of two thirds of the possessions, while the remnant one was to go to the younger. Also it was accustomed that the oldest son would be the first to get married. So the father had used to breed and nourish a calf until it grows big. Then on the day of the wedding, it was to be slaughtered, as a sign of great joy. All these things were plainly apparent in this family. Very nice had this family been before the germ of sin penetrated into them through some wicked friends, who went on exploiting the younger son and urging him to believe a strange thought. They said to him, your house is nothing but a prison; if you go out of it you will enjoy freedom. I ask you to be careful: for such words are dangerous as they may cause many problems to Man. Then the son continued in persistence, till he took his share and went away for the freedom he had been longing to. But, and on the contrary, he turned to be in a condition of degradation. So he remained up to the day when he lost the last of all money and friends he had been having. Now after he had been living happily, safely and securely, he sought and resorted to a non-Jewish person, a swine merchant, whom he asked to work for. His state turned to be increasingly worse. The significance of the parable is that he looked at the pigs, and inside himself; his soundness and past status, how he had been living in his father’s house! At last he realized that the prison is that where he went, while the true freedom is not found but in the house of his father’s. Since then he decided to return to his father’s house: “’I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants’.’” (Luke 15:18 – 19). Here is a question I would love to set before you: Have you ever experienced the sweetness of this trial? One might be taken by this world, having no other business but worldly matters; consequently, he would lose the right and true way. Now, have you experienced that moment? What a wonderful moment! “’He came to himself’” (Luke 15:19): as if sin were a departure from the soul, and no return would be made but by repentance. Have you tasted the sweetness of coming to the soul? Have you ever tried turning away from a certain sin, bad relationship, or evil thought – and come to yourself? I want to tell you a very important thing: this son, before leaving his father’s house; what had he been thinking of?
*Thought and sin: –
*Past: dignified and honored at home he had been. Even though, he forgot that! That all he forsook; rather, the house turned to be as a prison for him.
*Present: this was the only matter occupying his mind.
*Future: it is that which he imagined as fruitful and flourishing before his eyes, framed in the word “freedom”!
Such is the case of whoever commits sin; that it makes him forget all about the past and think of the present only; then the near future would seem to be widely open before him. This is the thought of sin. This son fell by sin, and drank of it. He had been desiring if he would have eaten of the food of the swine! Yet he could not find anyone to give it to him. Nevertheless when he stood before his own soul and came to himself, we found him thinking about three matters: –
*The sinful deed: the past is shameful. He was living with a non-Jewish person, a shepherd of swine; a sign of an entire abomination in the Jewish belief.
*The present is so much painful: for in spite of all his past dignity and riches, he turned to be sitting on the dust; even his clothes, countenance and whole life – were all hideous.
*The future is not seen: so he decided to go back to his father – even if he were to work as a hired servant of his; for at last he knew that the borders of the house are those giving freedom, and what is outside is prison. Such is the human tragedy of any sin commitment. However, I want you to well understand that your house is the best place in the world, even if you have nothing to eat there but bread and salt… and even if you have nothing to lie on for sleeping but the ground! One’s house is the best for him. That is why we bless the familial community; as it is a holy communication of all the family members together, in which the whole church has joy. We therefore celebrate the family day so as to hint at the power of love giving, in which the family, even humanity as a whole, would be included.
*Characteristics of sonship: as turning back to his father’s bosom, the son said, “’Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” (Luke 15:21). Manifest here is the sweetness of the heavenly Father, so receiving the repentant. There is a beautiful saying of Saint John Chrysostom: “How beautiful is the icon of Christ, drawn in a tear shed of a repentant!” The son was expecting that his return would be encountered by some rejection of his father because of what had happened. But with the love of the heavenly Father and His open arms – he said to him, “’Do not say anything.’” And he did him what was unexpected: for he offered him the best robe, raised him up in honor, gave him the ring of authority, and restored him his place in the house; this is the confirmation of sonship. He said to his servants ‘Put on his feet the landlord’s shoes.’ Thus he broke the traditional system: the calf that he had been growing to be fatted for the wedding of his older son he commanded his servants to kill, for joy for his younger son’s return. It is a great joy, which may even be greater than that of the marriage of the older son. So the fatted calf was slain; a matter that was unfamiliar in the Jewish community. More important than that all is that he took him in his arms. About him the Scripture says, he “’Had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.’” (Luke 15:20). It is the overflowing love of God to the repentant. This story really brings forth joy. It is said that the narrative of the prodigal son was the best literary work written in Greek language. Yet and unfortunately there came that who caused discomfort inside the house, where the older son came and got astonished at that which was happening; he asked: ‘What happened?’ They said to him, “’Your brother has come, and… your father has killed the fatted calf.’” The expected behavior would have been his entering the house to welcome his brother back. But, see how he behaved: who had claimed that he would never leave his father’s house whatever could have happened! Thus says the scripture: “’But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’” (Luke 15:28 – 30). Here the difference is shown: the son insults his father, and is harsh in speaking to him; then he accuses his brother of committing sin, unknowing that it is he who commits sin against them both. Yet with all humility and compassion the father says to him: “’Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad’” (Luke 15:31 – 32). This is the pleasing image. However, the coming of the older son brings forth discomfort to the house. Now the narrative comes to conclusion whereas it is unknown to us whether that older son left the house, or stayed. Here is a strange question: who would be much cleverer? The older son, or the younger? And who is the prodigal? The young son, or the old? We notice that this young has come back home, thus becoming the clever son; while the older one was still living inside his father’s house; but his heart was not set therein. We find out that the repentant is the young son; while the older one did not repent. Now have you ever tasted this state, “The state of repentance”? If we consider the young son, we see that he got gain. As for the old one, he did not get anything; he did not lose his opportunity only, but made his father sad as well. Moreover, it is unknown if his sin made him attentive to himself, or he went on committing sin and insisted on keeping far away from his father’s house. One might suppose that he is fine, doing well; that he has no fault. But as soon as he is put in a situation which may not be so bad, the dirt of his heart will be shown. Please, as you study the parable of the prodigal son, ask yourself who you are! Are you the younger son, the older one, or the loving father? So ask yourself, then answer honestly. Learn that there is a fine state and sweet taste called, “The sweetness of coming to oneself.” There is also a true and confirmed principle, that “Freedom is found at home; but what is outside the house is prison, which takes Man away from god.”