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Matthew 13:10-17; Luke 15:1, 3:12, 13; 15:1,2; Matthew 9:10-13; Luke 18:9-17; 15:3-32

In a careful review of the parable of the Forgiving Father in Luke 15, we will be looking at figures of speech and Orientalisms (the manners and times of the people of the Bible). This allows us to gain an understanding from God regarding the one great lesson the parable is teaching.

Our first point of study involves the purpose of parables. In Matthew 13:13, Jesus told his disciples that the purpose of parables was that “seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Those whose hearts were not humble to hear the Word of God, what little understanding they had would be gone. God had Jesus Christ speak in parables to separate those who wanted to learn from those who did not. The understanding of the parables would come from God.

In E.W. Bullinger’s book entitled, Figures of Speech, pages 751-753, he speaks of parables. He says that often people think parables are the simplest things in the world. They were spoken so the truth might be veiled from those who “seeing, see not: and hearing, hear not.” He further states the are among the most difficult portions of God’s Word. There are a number of points and details to springboard off in a parable. Yet, there is always ONE great truth in each parable.

In Luke 15, Jesus Christ speaks three parables. His audience consists of two groups — (1) the publicans and sinners and (2) the scribes and Pharisees. Understanding the two groups helps us to get to the one great point we are looking for. Publicans were tax collectors. Tax collecting in the East, was considered a disreputable occupation because often the tax collectors would take extra money from people beyond what they were required to exact. The Pharisees were the legalists of Jesus Christ’s time. They prided themselves with doing everything exactly according to the law. If someone else did not do so, the Pharisees would get very upset and even vindictive. The scribes were the great interpreters of the scriptures. The were supposed to be the educated scholars and great instructors of the scriptures, yet their goal was to find fault with what Jesus was teaching.

In Luke 15, the first parable speaks of a man who lost one sheep and left 99 in the wilderness to find it. In the times of the Bible, a person did not have a flock of sheep unless they had 100 sheep. The reputation of a man was based on the number of flocks he owned. The one sheep would be significant in light of this. Those hearing the parable would understand it. The one great lesson of the parable of the man with the sheep was the man’s rejoicing over finding the sheep. God rejoices in heaven over one sinner that repents.

The second parable regarding the woman with the ten pieces of silver also requires understanding of the cultures of the time. When a woman was married, the one wedding gift that did not belong to her was the 10 pieces of silver given to her by the groom. The 10 pieces of silver had the groom’s family crest on them and remained the property of the husband and his family. The stewardship of them was given to the bride. If the husband died, she would have to return them to the husband’s family. The great value of the 10 pieces of silver was in their sentimental value. If any of them were lost, it would signify to the people of the East that God’s blessings were withdrawn from that family. The woman’s husband would be disgraced and she would be in jeopardy of being cast out of the house. When she finds the “lost piece of silver,” she calls in all the people to rejoice with her. Again, the one great point of the parable is the rejoicing over having found the piece of silver which is similar to the rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents. Again, these parables were being spoken to the publicans and sinners and to the Pharisees and scribes.

The third parable in Luke 15 could be called the parable of the Forgiving Father. The one great point of this parable is not that the son was prodigal, but that the father was forgiving. According to the culture of the time, the father would divide the inheritance between both sons. The younger son received his portion and left. The older son received his portion and stayed. The younger son wasted his portion and became destitute to the point that he was living among the pigs and eating the food of the pigs. When he “came to himself,” he realized the servant’s in his father’s house had more than him. He would beg his father’s forgiveness and ask to be treated as one of the hired servants.

Yet when the younger son returned, the father was watching for him and brought out the best to indicate his status as a son. There was much rejoicing at the son’s return. Yet when the elder son saw the celebration of his brother’s return, he was indignant and complained to his father. The father was forgiving of him as well. The father told his son they should rejoice because his brother who was dead is alive again, was lost and is found. Again, the audience Jesus was speaking to was significant. The younger son was representative of the publicans and sinners. The elder son represented the scribes and Pharisees. Both needed forgiveness.

Jesus Christ tried to communicate over and over that God is a God of love, light and forgiveness. Remembering this helps us put our best foot forward, asking God’s help to walk uprightly so we can enjoy a life of Godliness with Him. The benefits of fellowship with God cannot be compared. He is a forgiving Father and loves us.