THE SIX (6) WONDERFUL GIFTS THE FATHER GAVE TO THE PRODIGAL SON

A Study on Luke 15:11-32

[Robert Arthur]

A Bible Class Booklet No. 11

Luke the Physician, the writer of the fourth book of the gospels of the Bible, Luke,  and as well as the Book of Acts recorded an intrigue story of the Prodigal son and the Compassionate father. Luke 1:1-4, Acts 1:1, Col 4:14

After the return of the prodigal son, we noticed the father had compassion over his son and gave him certain wonderful gifts. Those gifts from the father should behooves on us a desire to relinquish and count all things lose and unprofitable to gain Christ Jesus.

Let us read the full story of the Prodigal Son and his father to know exactly what transpired.  “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found”. Lk 15:11-32

After a careful scrutiny of this account we realized the father gave this boy six wonderful gifts. And the father couldn’t have given those gifts to his lost and found son for nothing. The gifts however have a heavy spiritual interpretations to us.

So let us narrow our biblical lenses into it to pick and explain them one by one.

1. He "FELL ON HIS NECK OR EMBRACED" him Vs 20: This is a representation of the father’s compassionate heart to accept his once lost and dead son as a found and alive again. Sin can actually separates and sends us away from a blissful home. We saw this happened to our early first parent Adam and Eve, when they were separated both physically and spiritually from God, immediately they ate the forbidden fruit. “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden….So he drove out the man from the Garden of Eden….” Gen 3:8-24

Much in the same vein we are alienated from the loving Father if we likewise sin against Him. But the compassionate father accepts us again if we journey back home.

When the prodigal son wasted his substance in riotous living and began to be in want he was snubbed and rejected by the citizens of that country. Vs 14-16.  But the interesting part of the story was that when the prodigal son came to himself and returned home the father embraced him though he was in filthy rags. Vs 17-18. The phrase “came to himself” indicates to us how sin has the power to “darken ones understanding” Eph 4:17

The mental plate of the son was darkened with pride, the mind was seared with hot iron, and his only focus was to live a presumptuous life. He was not in his right frame of senses, hence the phrase “came to himself” was applied to him. But this prodigal son took a total 180° turnaround, a sober reflection on his father’s house of joy and peace he considered. Henceforth he returned home!

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God” Eph 2:19

2. He "KISSED" him Vs 20: This represents the father's love of parenting, and instructing his son to be obedience and submit himself to the stern training in his house. The kiss from the father was so deep that the son realized that his unfortunate misery could have been averted and prevented. The son accepted his fate and realized that he should not have journeyed on such a suicidal adventure. “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” Vs. 17 

From the text we could see the son was tired and uncomfortable of the frequent restrains and training from his father. He wanted an easy and independent life. Thus, the royal son went into exile.  “And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that fall to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living”. Vs 12-13.

We are not rebuked because our fathers hate us. But they do train and nurture us for our own good "...My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, not faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he received...Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby". Heb 12:5-11.

Apostle Paul admonished the Christians at Corinth in this vein as a father: “And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction” 1 Cor 7:35

The return of the prodigal son was welcomed with a kiss from the father.        

Psalm 2:12 says “Kiss the Son, lest he is angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him”.

3. He gave him the "BEST ROBE" Vs 22: Here the father thought of good things for his son and bring out the best cloth for him. This is representing the father's desire to sanctify and make him righteous again. The nature of sin is such that it exposes our nakedness and renders us dirty before the Lord. Sin dents our cloths of character and turns it into a filthy rag. The state of the son was so poor that he was sent out into the fields to feed swine Vs 15.

The son’s acknowledgement of his mistakes from afar country that he was unworthy before his father to call him son again but as a hired servant was very touchy and shows his remorsefulness. Vs 18-19

The point is that the thought of the son was not the father’s thought. The father had a different and perfect plan for his son. He gave him the best outfits from his own wardrobe.

The same is true with our Heavenly Father who says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end”. Jer 29:11

Prophet Isaiah once said “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decked himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorned herself with her jewels” Isa 61:10

4. He put "RING" on his hand. Vs 22: Another brilliant and excellent gift was given to this boy by the compassionate father. A priceless ring made of gold. This represents the father’s renewal, reinstatement and resealing of his son’s position and opportunities. The father made him not as one of his hired servants but a royal son again.

Most marriage customs and traditions demand the husband to put ring on the wife’s hand to indicate a seal, a stamp, genuineness and a sign of commitment to the marriage.

Thus the father deemed it necessary to put ring on his son’s hand.

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” Gal 4:7

John 15:15 says: “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth”

Compare John 1:12: “But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”

5. He gave him "SHOES" for his feet Vs 22: Representing the father's wish to obtain inner peace for his son to avoid a similar future mess. It was a total protection the father sought for his son, so he may never again “walk in the counsel of ungodly”. Ps 1:1

“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” Eph 6:15, Ps 18:36

6. He killed a "FATTETH CALF" for him Vs 23: Representing the father's wonderful sacrifice he made on behalf of his prodigal son to propitiate his death penalty. He cleanses, justifies and sanctifies him as a rightful heir. Lev 17:11, Eph 1:7.

This sacrifice was a necessity to be made on behalf of the son as his sins (an act of disobedience) atonement. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” Heb 9:22                                               

The son who was dying of hunger and desperately wanted to fill his stomach with husks the swine had left and was denied, remembered those plenty leftover bread in his father’s house decided to come home with a cry of confessions. Vs 17-18.

Indeed, sin makes one wretched. Jeremiah cried out to the people of Israel: “Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholding good things from you” Jer 5:25.

But the son who was one time at eased and enjoying his independent life and never did he consider these unforeseen circumstances into the equation of life. Vs. 14 now enjoys the fattest calf from the compassionate father. 

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 says we should “purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”.

“Now be merry and feast my son: you were dead but alive again, you were lost but now found” Vs. 24

Those merry making and feast at this home which was organized as homecoming ceremony to this prodigal son reminds us of what Jesus said: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” Lk 15:7.

The climax of this text was a mix-feeling one. When the elder son came home from his normal routine work “he was angry, and would not go in” Vs. 28. His complaint was a genuine one. “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.” Vs 29-30

This father was a compassionate father indeed; he took his time to explain what having back his younger son mean to him, and assures his eldest son of much privileges: “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is yours. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” Vs. 31-32

Yeah, for those of such faithful children of this kind father who endure to the end receive:                                             

1. “An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven” 1 Pet 1:4.                                                                

2. “Exceeding great and precious promises” 2 Pet 1:4

What a colorful epic story that would be for those who are willing to change their ways and return to the father's house.

For we have the assurance that He is ever ready to accept and forgive us: “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls”. 1 Pet 2:25

I sincerely present this lesson to motivate and rekindle our faith as Christians to have an absolute hope and willing heart to journey home to the compassionate father, and to faithfully serve as laborers in the father’s vineyard. 1 Cor 15:58 

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