Jesus hardly takes a breath as he ends the LOST COIN parable. He launches into yet another parable to make the same point.

As a caution, we should note that while all of these parables in this three-chapter context are making the same point, each parable ADDS INSIGHTS. The Jewish Harvest was not nearly so complicated as the Gospel Harvest, but it wasn’t simple. There were many questions in Israel that needed answers — both for the chaff class and for the remnant who would be transferred into Christ. All of these parables answer different questions while they maintain the same subject: the Jewish Harvest.

15:11. The “man” of this parable might well be Moses. The covenant-descendants of Moses fall into two groups — wheat and chaff as John the Baptist characterized them. Here, however, the two might be better characterized as
(1) those who nominally remained faithful to the Law, and
(2) those who just gave up on self and the Law and decided to live profligate lives.

15:12. The Jewish Law always promised some advantage — even to those under it who were decidedly careless. The “younger” son represents those who, while yet under the Law Covenant, were basically indifferent to it. They are “younger” in the sense that all of Israel was initially vocal about their commitment saying, “All these things we will do.” It was later that this indifferent group developed. Hence they were “younger.” The Law discouraged and depressed them, and they simply decided to take from it what they could while they openly defied its rule over them. Thus we have the words, “Give me the share of the estate that falls to me.”

This group may be called “younger” in a more subtle reference because in prophecy it says that the “older shall serve the younger.” In this parable, it is the “younger” who becomes the remnant of Israel which is saved and transferred into Christ. Thus, in the end, the “older” (Fleshly Israel) will serve the “younger” (Spiritual Israel).

15:13. The phrase, “Not many days later,” is a likely reference to the fact that it was not long after Israel accepted the Law that this “younger” group developed — virtually ADAPTING the Law to its own liking. The “distant country” represents living far from God’s standards — distant from the restraints of the Law.

The squandering of “his estate” is the misuse of any advantage he had of being a Jew under the Law. This he did by “loose living.” This “loose living” is what irritated the Pharisees. This “younger” son was, in every sense of the word, a sinner, guilty of a wasteful life, and serving as a horrid example in the nation.

15:14. The parable follows Israel’s long history under the Law into the time of Jesus. This verse represents that “the publicans and sinners” — the prodigals of the nation — were, indeed, eventually deeply feeling their estrangement from God. Living out from under what they knew to be good was taking its collective toll. The Pharisee class, of course, was of no help to them; the Pharisees gave them only one thing: scorn.

15:15. The prodigal class, in its desperations, “attached” itself to anyone who might give it some sort of relief. Those of this class, like Mary Magdalene, could find little else to do but to try to profit from the illicit. But attachment to the illicit gave no relief — it only sent the sinner into situations which accentuated his religious poverty.

Jesus elsewhere uses “swine” to represent those without appreciation. The “swine” here thus represent all who were totally indifferent to religious matters. The prodigal son was made all-the-more isolated and “hungry” by only tending to those without appreciation.

15:16. The prodigal tried to be “satisfied with” (margin) the life of the non-religious who surrounded him because no one else could give him what he needed.

15:17, 18. But he “came to his senses.” John the Baptist helped this to happen. John preached repentance and its benefits — one of which was that Messiah was coming.

Jews did have slaves. The prodigal son realized that even slaves (if dealt with according to the Law) had better lives than his own.

At the time of Jesus when “all men were in expectation” of Messiah, John’s message became very attractive to the errant. They flocked to John in large numbers. And, hearing John, THEY REPENTED. (This, of course, is an echo of the previous two parables. See 15:7 and 10.)

They came back to their father’s (Moses’) house (covenant) in a repentant attitude, knowing that their sins were not only against the Law (their father’s “sight”), but also against heaven itself.

15:19. The attitude of the prodigal class is so very humble. “I am no longer worthy to be your son; make me as one of your hired men.” They were convinced in their own minds that the Law could not really justify them — they had strayed too far. But they just wanted to cooperate with anything that was God’s — just to be hired servants. They were finding the lost coin!

15:20. The father’s house (Moses’ Law) at this time was about to end. But it was to be replaced by something higher: THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW. That is what the “father” saw coming as the prodigal son approached. He saw “in the distance” (looking to the new age) that this attitude is what would succeed. The remnant class (nearly all long-time reprobates against the Law) were WELCOMED by a force (the SPIRIT OF THE LAW) so much greater than they had ever anticipated. The SPIRIT OF THE LAW “embraced him” and “kissed him” — it welcomed the “lost sheep” into the blessings of the new age. Jesus “came to his own, and his own received him not; but as many as did receive him gave he the power to become the sons of God.”

15:21. This verse repeats verse 18. Verse 18 had been what the son was planning. Verse 21 is the execution of that planning. This repetition is here because the son’s proposition, once presented, is REJECTED in verse 22. Verse 22 begins with “BUT THE FATHER SAID…” The son’s rejection of sonship was not allowed!

15:22. This is so powerful a verse. The repentant Jew, willing to do any menial task to serve God, is suddenly GLORIFIED with beauties and assured of his sonship. How better could John 1:11-13 find fulfillment than is here expressed?

The robe is possibly the justification that comes through Christ, rather than through the Law.

The ring possibly represents the circle of everlasting love which is promised to saints. It is on the hand because love will allow the Church to do the marvelous works of restoring. But it might also represent the signet of authority to rule. (See Genesis 41:42 where Joseph, a type of Christ, receives this symbol.)

The “sandals on his feet” seems easily a reference to Ephesians 6:15 where sandals represent the protection for our walk in His service. A good translation reads something like, “Put preparedness to preach the Gospel of Peace on as shoes.” This concept seems to refer to Isaiah 52:7.

15:23. The “fatted calf” may well represent the disciples’ age-long feasting on the benefits they have received from the ransom.

15:24. Jesus brought the ultimate joys to the Jewish remnant who were transferred from Moses into Christ. They were “dead” under the Law, but “found” in Christ.

This verse once more echoes the lessons of 15:6 and 9. It would be a nice end to this parable. The same sentiments did end the previous two parables. But this parable is extended in order for Jesus to teach an additional lesson about the Jewish Harvest.

15:25, 26. We know from the history of the period that the Jews who had nominally remained faithful under the Law despised the publicans and sinners. They constantly castigated Jesus for even eating with them.

The “older son” (the chaff element) was “in the field.” In 15:4, the ninety-nine were left in the field (in the wilderness) in order for the shepherd to seek the lost sheep. This verse parallels the thought. While the bulk of Israel thought they were basking in the favors of the Law arrangement, they were actually in the wilderness of confusion and rejection — and soon would be in the wilderness of the Jewish “double” of rejection.

This verse pictures the confusion of the leaders in Jesus’ day. They “heard music and dancing” coming from the wheat class who had found Messiah. But they comprehended it not. Their coin was still lost — and they didn’t seem to care much!

According to verse 26 they asked what was going on. We know, however, that all of their asking was tainted with pride, selfishness, superiority, and with the desire to deny, reject, and impugn any answers they received. They didn’t want to learn. They wanted to entrap!

15:27, 28. They were given the opportunity to understand and to enter in to the discoveries about Messiah. But “they became angry.” They were not willing “to go in.” (Compare 14:18-20.) Even though the Law “entreated them” by having prophecy after prophecy fulfilled in their sight, they were a hopeless lot.

15:29, 30. The prejudices and misunderstandings of the “older brother” class are here delineated. “I’ve kept the Law forever!” (Compare Matthew 19:20.) But it is the next sentence which is so revealing. “You have never given me a kid that I might be merry with my friends.” Clearly the “older brother” class had missed the point! If they had, indeed, been living faithfully under the Law, they would have had a perpetual merrymaking with their friends. The Law had promised that. The fact that these now say they hadn’t had that experience is the very same as if they were to say, “We’ve never been faithful to the Law.”

But instead of realizing their wretched condition, they play the blame game: “When this (abominable) son of yours comes to you after enjoying his profligacy, you give him the greatest favors!” Clearly, forgiveness was not on the mind of the older brother! The only thing on his mind was jealously — and even revenge!

15:31. But there stood the Mosaic Law — a stone wall of perfection. “My dear older son, you have for centuries been under my protection. You claim me. You will have to be satisfied with my demands. You want to retain the Law. Go ahead. It will give you everything it has — which from now on is NOTHING.”

15:32. This verse is very much a rebuke. The Jews had never learned mercy — the SPIRIT OF THE LAW. And that spirit says, “What else can we do but rejoice that a lost one is recovered? Are you insane, or are you merely blind, not to see the righteousness in this reaction of joy?”

Thus 15:6, 9 and 32 all teach the prevailing lesson of the Jewish Harvest. Rescue the faithful.