Luke 15
Summary. In this chapter, all readers can see that God the Father Himself has shown mercy to all humans by the work of the beloved Son of God on earth in showing love and mercy towards all sinners. The beloved Son of God starts calling all sinners back to Him by teaching them and showing them the way to be saved. Luke 15:1-2. The purpose of the beloved Son of God coming to earth. He came to speak the Living Word and to save all sinners. Luke 15:3-7. The parable of the lost sheep. The Lord Himself will go and look for all His lost children, and when a sinner has repented, the Lord’s heart rejoices, and when His heart is rejoicing, the whole heaven will rejoice with Him. Luke 15:8-10. The parable of the lost coin. The woman in this parable as human delights in finding her lost coin, which is of lesser value. This parable is a comparison to show how much more the Lord rejoices when one of His lost children repents and comes back home. Luke 15:11-32. The parable of the father and two sons. The father in this parable has two sons that are different from each other. He shows mercy and love to both of them, and he divides to them the property according to his judgment. He receives with joy and celebration the one that was lost and came back, and with love, he entreats the other to forgive his brother. Our heavenly Father is like this father in this parable, He shows mercy and love to all His children, and He rejoices with all the children that repent and ask forgiveness and come back to Him.
[1]
And all the publicans and the detestable were approaching near to hear Him .
Comments Luke 15:1
The verse tells the purpose of the beloved Son of God coming on the earth. As His Word comes out, He draws the sinners to come and be saved. The purpose of speaking the Living Word from His mouth is to save all sinners, come close to Him and hear His voice, and all of you will be saved.
[2]
And both the Pharisees and the scribes complained throughout the crowd, saying, He receives sinners, and eats with them.
Comments Luke 15:2
The sinners among sinners complained against the will of God. If God receives sinners and they themselves are sinners, they all should come as well to repent.
[3]
And He spoke to them this parable, saying,
[4]
What man of you, possessing one hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and goes after that which has been lost, until he finds it?
Comments Luke 15:3-4
For verses 4 to 7, see also Comments Matthew 18:12-14.
We should notice that there are some differences between the parable in this gospel and the parable in the Gospel of Matthew. In this verse, the Lord gives a different degree of going astray; lost is straying out and not finding the way back unless the owner goes and leads it back; that is the lost sheep. But when the sheep goes astray, it is not far from the flock itself, just being further ahead or behind, a little bit far off from the flock, but it did not get lost.
The lost sheep here in this parable means a Christian that has been led astray by another person who claims to be a believer as well but teaches someone else the wrong way and makes that true believer get lost spiritually.
In the real world, you as the owner of something; if you lose it, you will have a bad feeling of ownership, and you yourself will try to find it back; it is the same way as the verse has told.
But when the Lord speaks out this parable, His meaning is not only for this earth alone but for the world to come as well. So, therefore, the lost sheep that belongs to Him, that has been lost in this world, the Lord Himself will go out and look for it, and He will not give up until He gathers them all back to His barn.
We should notice that there are some differences between the parable in this gospel and the parable in the Gospel of Matthew. In this verse, the Lord gives a different degree of going astray; lost is straying out and not finding the way back unless the owner goes and leads it back; that is the lost sheep. But when the sheep goes astray, it is not far from the flock itself, just being further ahead or behind, a little bit far off from the flock, but it did not get lost.
The lost sheep here in this parable means a Christian that has been led astray by another person who claims to be a believer as well but teaches someone else the wrong way and makes that true believer get lost spiritually.
In the real world, you as the owner of something; if you lose it, you will have a bad feeling of ownership, and you yourself will try to find it back; it is the same way as the verse has told.
But when the Lord speaks out this parable, His meaning is not only for this earth alone but for the world to come as well. So, therefore, the lost sheep that belongs to Him, that has been lost in this world, the Lord Himself will go out and look for it, and He will not give up until He gathers them all back to His barn.
[5]
And having found, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Comments Luke 15:5
As the verse tells, the Lord will go and look for all the lost sheep. When the Lord has found them, even as the verse says, He puts them on His shoulders, but in the spiritual world, the Lord will put them into His bosom. This is the way the Lord shows love towards His lost children, the width of His breast receives them all. When they wander off to the wrong way, He will always go after them.
[6]
And when he comes home, he calls together the friends and the neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was perishing.
Comments Luke 15:6
Home in this place is heaven; His friends and His neighbors are angels and all the servants of the Lord. The beloved Son of God will announce to all the hosts of heaven, I have brought back My lost sheep, come and rejoice with Me, because I have found My lost child.
[7]
I say to you that even so, there will be delight in heaven on one sinner repenting, more than over ninety-nine righteous, who have no need of repentance.
Comments Luke 15:6-7
The righteous ones have already been saved, the celebration for those has been done already. But when a sinner has repented, the lost sheep, the Lord’s heart rejoices, and when His heart is rejoicing the whole heaven will rejoice with Him, that why the verse has told “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was perishing.”
[8]
Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, and sweeps the house, and searches diligently until she finds it?
Comments Luke 15:8
This parable has a similar meaning to the parable above, but the Lord wants to provide a comparison for all readers. In this parable, the Lord uses this woman, a human, as an example of searching for her lost coin that is of lesser value. With the love the Lord has for all His children, think of how much more the Lord will search for His lost children, He will search for them, and when He finds them, He will rejoice more than this woman does when she finds her lost coin.
[9]
And having found it, she calls together the friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I lost.
Comments Luke 15:9
This verse has the same meaning as verse 6 above. This woman, as a human, rejoices in finding the lost coin and calls her friends and neighbors to celebrate. But, for the Lord of heaven, who are His neighbors? All heavenly hosts in heaven are His neighbors. They will all know when His lost children have been found, and all will realize how much the beloved Son of God rejoices in finding His children; it is a clear comparison for all.
[10]
Even so, I say to you; there is delight in the eyes of the angels of God on one sinner repenting.
[11]
And He said, A certain man had two sons.
[12]
And the younger of them said to the father, Father, give the part of your substance falling to me. And he divided between them the substance.
Comments Luke 15:11-12
A certain man in this place represents the Lord Himself; the two sons have different meanings. As the verse has told, the younger one is asking for his inheritance from the father, and the earthly father has given the inheritance according to what he has. But the Lord Himself has all this earth as His inheritance, and when one of His children asks for an inheritance, with love, the Lord Himself will give him a portion. Therefore, there are two ways of inheritance from the Lord, inheritance of this earth, that is one thing the Lord will provide, but also, He has a spiritual inheritance to give as well. But these children ask for the inheritance of this earth, and the father of this earth will give according to what he has. But you as a believer, when asking gifts from the Lord, do not ask gifts of this earth but of the earth that will come, which will be the real inheritance for you.
The young man asks the part of the inheritance that falls to him, and his father gives him the part that falls to him; another son did not ask his part yet; but notice that the father has already prepared a spare portion for the one that did not ask inheritance yet. The verse does not tell how much he gave away, but the verse tells he gave away the portion that the young son was asking, which he thinks the son deserves, and the father gives according to his judgment.
The young man asks the part of the inheritance that falls to him, and his father gives him the part that falls to him; another son did not ask his part yet; but notice that the father has already prepared a spare portion for the one that did not ask inheritance yet. The verse does not tell how much he gave away, but the verse tells he gave away the portion that the young son was asking, which he thinks the son deserves, and the father gives according to his judgment.
[13]
And not many days after, the younger son, having gathered together all that he had, took his journey into a far country; and there dissipated his wealth with riotous living.
Comments Luke 15:13
As the verse tells, the wealth he has spent was not his from the beginning; the way he used his wealth is the same as many Christians nowadays. They do not use the gift the Lord has given them in a proper way. Look at this young man, spending all the inheritance, but he did not spend time thinking of his father who gave him the inheritance; this is the same way as many Christians do with the gifts that the Lord has given them. The gift of the Lord is not a treasure of this earth; love reading the Word, try to understand the Word, meditate and think about the beloved Son of God; before you follow the world, think of the One that shed His blood for you, and cleansed you until you are fit to meet with the Father.
[14]
And having spent all, there arose a severe famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
Comments Luke 15:14
The severe famine here does not relate only to weather conditions but also to the Holy Spirit's gift from the Father. When not many have received this gift, they will begin to think what happened to the Father Himself, why does He withhold this gift from humans. Still, they do not think about what humans have been doing with His gifts. When the end time comes, the gift of the Holy Spirit will cease to be poured down, and everyone will be in need of it because they will expect help from the Lord.
[15]
And having made his way, he kept company to one of the citizens of that country; and he permitted him to go into his property to feed swine.
Comments Luke 15:15
“he kept company” or gave himself is the correct meaning in this verse.
Pay attention to what the verse has told; the term kept company also includes that what the town was doing he has joined with it as well. And, with mercy, one of the town's people sent him to feed the pigs. The pig is an unclean animal and whoever is involved with them becomes unclean as well, but this person has no choice; he must take this job.
Pay attention to what the verse has told; the term kept company also includes that what the town was doing he has joined with it as well. And, with mercy, one of the town's people sent him to feed the pigs. The pig is an unclean animal and whoever is involved with them becomes unclean as well, but this person has no choice; he must take this job.
[16]
And he would gladly have filled his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one gave to him.
Comments Luke 15:16
Pay attention to “filled his belly from the husks that the swine were eating.” As a human, what the pig will eat, you will not eat even you are hungry, but this man came to the point of wishing to eat what the pigs were eating because no one had mercy on him.
“and no one gave to him.” We can notice from the verse, if he has been hired, he would get the payment and would not have to wish to eat the animal’s food. But he gave himself for their mercy, he went to work for them, and upon the mercy of people, he will get food to eat, that what the verse tells. He joined with them and did according to what they were doing to get their mercy, but no one had compassion for him.
“and no one gave to him.” We can notice from the verse, if he has been hired, he would get the payment and would not have to wish to eat the animal’s food. But he gave himself for their mercy, he went to work for them, and upon the mercy of people, he will get food to eat, that what the verse tells. He joined with them and did according to what they were doing to get their mercy, but no one had compassion for him.
[17]
But having come to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have an abundance of bread, but I am perishing here with hunger!
Comments Luke 15:17
“But having come to himself.” The Lord wants to tell everyone that when you come to yourself is when you realize that you by yourself can’t make it alone. But you have someone that loves you and will give you according to your needs, regardless earthly or spiritual; come to that One, God Almighty is the merciful One that will help you when you repent and come to ask His mercy.
“How many hired servants of my father …” As this portion of the verse has told, all Christians should think again, when you come to the Lord with faith, do not look what someone else has, but go back to your God who has all of your needs, and you will have leftover, don’t be proud of yourself, come back home to the Lord your true Father.
“How many hired servants of my father …” As this portion of the verse has told, all Christians should think again, when you come to the Lord with faith, do not look what someone else has, but go back to your God who has all of your needs, and you will have leftover, don’t be proud of yourself, come back home to the Lord your true Father.
[18]
I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, Father, I have sinned to heaven, and before you;
Comments Luke 15:18
This verse tells clearly that this son came to himself now and admitted his sin against his father as all humans should do; confess your sins and ask forgiveness, and believe that your God is merciful and He will forgive you all your sins if you repent.
“sinned to heaven.” In this place, saying, “sinned to heaven” means sinned against the will of the Father; when God created humans, the children must obey the parents, and here in this parable, the son did not obey the father. So, here it talks about children and parents that are believers.
When saying, "sinned against heaven," the person fights with God; when the person sinned against heaven, that person intends to fight against the Father Himself.
“sinned to heaven.” In this place, saying, “sinned to heaven” means sinned against the will of the Father; when God created humans, the children must obey the parents, and here in this parable, the son did not obey the father. So, here it talks about children and parents that are believers.
When saying, "sinned against heaven," the person fights with God; when the person sinned against heaven, that person intends to fight against the Father Himself.
[19]
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your servants.
Comments Luke 15:19
This verse is the heart of this parable, to see yourself not worthy but still wanting to serve the Lord God Almighty. To be as "a servant of the Lord" is what the heart of all believers should be, not just enjoying God’s creation. So, feel like God’s servant and do according to His will. A servant will wait for the master’s order; you, as Christians as well, wait upon the Lord’s mercy and wishes.
[20]
And having risen up, he came to his father. But while he was yet far off, his father perceived him, and had pity, and having run fell upon his neck, and kissed him.
Comments Luke 15:20
“And having risen up, he came to his father.” The verse tells that he came to his father, the repenting child has come home. The Lord wants every child of His to see this as an example as well, and when you need help, come home.
“But while he was yet afar off … had pity.” This is an example of how the heavenly Father feels when a child repents and comes home, His heart is filled with pity for that child.
“and having run fell upon his neck, and kissed him.” So, you, as a Christian, imagine the picture when your time comes to meet the Father, you will see His arms wide open, and He will embrace you to His bosom; this is the Father’s feeling.
“But while he was yet afar off … had pity.” This is an example of how the heavenly Father feels when a child repents and comes home, His heart is filled with pity for that child.
“and having run fell upon his neck, and kissed him.” So, you, as a Christian, imagine the picture when your time comes to meet the Father, you will see His arms wide open, and He will embrace you to His bosom; this is the Father’s feeling.
[21]
Now the son said to him, Father, I have sinned to heaven, and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Comments Luke 15:21
Now the son is humble in the heart; all believers should take this as an example. This son has realized he is not worthy. You as a Christian, if you don’t meditate in the Word enough, when you are face to face with the God Almighty, then you will feel yourself not worthy enough because He has given you the Holy Word, but you did not meditate and use it; not only reading, meditate and follow as well.
[22]
Now the father said to his servants, Bring out quickly the best apparel, and clothe him; and put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet;
Comments Luke 15:22
“Bring out quickly the best apparel, and clothe him.” When you come to heaven, the Lord Himself will clothe you with the cloth that humans cannot explain; the material that will cling to the body and the person will feel it fits on as becoming part of the body; this cloth no one else can take it away from you, this is the cloth of heaven that belongs to you.
“and put a ring on his hand.” This part shows ownership; you become a servant of the Lord God Most High.
“and sandals on his feet.” These sandals are not the same as human sandals are on earth, but these sandals will carry you beyond what regular sandals can do; the sandals will fit on your feet, and you will take off your sandals only when you are face to face with your Lord.
Having sandals and cloth is one of the regulations that the Lord requires. The sandals that you can use for eternity and never get old or look worn out are the sandals we all will have. The body shape that we will have cannot be exposed to everyone to see, so it must be clothed. The body itself will show the level that you are in heaven; that body will also have light in itself.
“and put a ring on his hand.” This part shows ownership; you become a servant of the Lord God Most High.
“and sandals on his feet.” These sandals are not the same as human sandals are on earth, but these sandals will carry you beyond what regular sandals can do; the sandals will fit on your feet, and you will take off your sandals only when you are face to face with your Lord.
Having sandals and cloth is one of the regulations that the Lord requires. The sandals that you can use for eternity and never get old or look worn out are the sandals we all will have. The body shape that we will have cannot be exposed to everyone to see, so it must be clothed. The body itself will show the level that you are in heaven; that body will also have light in itself.
[23]
and bring and kill the fattened calf, and let us eat, and make merry.
Comments Luke 15:23
Pay attention, fattened calf, the best of the best, is brought to celebrate. In this place, it tells all readers how much happy the Lord is to see all the lost children coming home to Him. He will bring the best He has to celebrate receiving the lost children.
Q: What this would mean in heaven, the fattened calf? A: In heaven, there are no calves, but here the Lord wants to give a comparison that shows His love for the lost sheep and the blessings that He has prepared for all as well; that is why the verse tells that the Lord uses the fatten one, which has been fed very well, has been fed with all the blessings of the Lord to make the celebration.
Q: What this would mean in heaven, the fattened calf? A: In heaven, there are no calves, but here the Lord wants to give a comparison that shows His love for the lost sheep and the blessings that He has prepared for all as well; that is why the verse tells that the Lord uses the fatten one, which has been fed very well, has been fed with all the blessings of the Lord to make the celebration.
[24]
For this my son was dead and is alive again; was lost, and is found. And they began to make merry.
Comments Luke 15:24
The verse tells clearly, the lost child that was dead in the eyes of the heavenly hosts has become alive with all the blessings from the Father Himself. This child was lost and now came home, and all the heavenly hosts will come and rejoice in this child. So likewise, all the children of humans that go astray and repent will come home to the Lord.
“was dead.” Dead here is in the state of stopping meditating in the Holy Word and following the Word; their path has been blocked (is not lit anymore), but the Lord Himself will help them. Some may go over the blockage, some go under, and some go around, but all that repent will find the way back. The path that has been blocked relates to the blockage of the light; when you lack in meditating in the Word, the light for the way to walk has been blocked; it is dark, not bright anymore.
“alive again.” Those that have repented and have invited the Holy Spirit to live in their hearts will return to life back again, for the kingdom of heaven they must be alive with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
“was dead.” Dead here is in the state of stopping meditating in the Holy Word and following the Word; their path has been blocked (is not lit anymore), but the Lord Himself will help them. Some may go over the blockage, some go under, and some go around, but all that repent will find the way back. The path that has been blocked relates to the blockage of the light; when you lack in meditating in the Word, the light for the way to walk has been blocked; it is dark, not bright anymore.
“alive again.” Those that have repented and have invited the Holy Spirit to live in their hearts will return to life back again, for the kingdom of heaven they must be alive with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
[25]
Now, his older son was in the field, and as he drew near coming to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Comments Luke 15:25
“Now, his older son was in the field.” The older son here relates to all the believers that have gone astray into the world of living but did not deny the Lord; they just tangled themselves with pleasures of the world, wasting time and lacking meditation. The field here is the world of living that this believer went to tangle with. World of living here means as the Lord created the world, He gives the life for living to all creatures; that is why we use the term the world of living. But, when they go out into the world of living, the world of living has power as a magnet to pull them in; that is why they tangle with the world of living.
“and as he drew near coming to the house.” As he is wandering into the world of living, sometimes he comes close to the place where true believers are worshiping the Lord. When he comes close by, his heart will be stirred; that is what happens with all the lost children that come close to the rest of the true believers worshiping the Lord, the sense of worshiping will touch the heart of the lost one again.
“he heard music and dancing.” The sound of worship that he hears becomes a joyful noise for his soul, and the joy has returned to his heart.
Note. The younger son also did not deny the Lord (he sinned to heaven, not against haven), but he made more terrible sins in his living.
“and as he drew near coming to the house.” As he is wandering into the world of living, sometimes he comes close to the place where true believers are worshiping the Lord. When he comes close by, his heart will be stirred; that is what happens with all the lost children that come close to the rest of the true believers worshiping the Lord, the sense of worshiping will touch the heart of the lost one again.
“he heard music and dancing.” The sound of worship that he hears becomes a joyful noise for his soul, and the joy has returned to his heart.
Note. The younger son also did not deny the Lord (he sinned to heaven, not against haven), but he made more terrible sins in his living.
[26]
And he called to him one of the servants and inquired what these might be.
Comments Luke 15:26
When this brother came and heard the music, curiosity overpowered him; he wanted to know from the deep of his soul, I am not there, but what this sound is for? So, this servant of his household will know all that happens and all the activity details; that is why he called him and inquired of him.
[27]
And he said to him, Your brother has come; and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him safe and sound.
Comments Luke 15:27
All readers can notice, in this verse, when he hears what the father has prepared for his brother, his heart itself starts to fight back inside him, and all his mind can think only about what had happened in the past. He has learned all the teachings of forgiveness, but he cannot forgive his own brother; we notice this because he is repeating the sins of the younger brother that he has done to the family (see verse 30). Even the family wants to forget, but he cannot let it happen and wants to point out to his father not to forget what he has done, and now you killed the fattened calf for him, the one who harmed you. He repeated his brother's sins in these verses, but that is against the Lord’s teaching. The Lord teaches us to forgive and forget when someone does wrong to us, and this is your own brother; forgive him as well. All readers should bring this teaching and apply it to their life.
[28]
But he was angry and would not go in. And his father, having come out, encouraged him.
Comments Luke 15:28
“But he was angry and would not go in.” Here, we can see the result of anger. When you do not forgive, that thing becomes a sin in your heart. The verse has clearly shown that he cannot forgive his brother by not going in to join; it shows his anger in him. All readers should pay attention to this and watch about anger.
“And his father, having come out, encouraged him.” The father here in this place is the Lord. When conflict happens, the Lord Himself will be the one who tries to bend it and bring the love back to one another; and if both listen, the peace will come upon both of them.
[29]
But answering, he said to his father, Behold, so many years I served you, and I never neglected your order; and you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
Comments Luke 15:29
“Behold, so many years I served you, and I never neglected your order.” As the verse tells, you have been serving the Lord for so long, and you always think you have never neglected the Lord in any way. But you do things expecting a reward, but with the Lord God Almighty, when you do something, do it to please Him, not expecting payment; all Christians should think this way.
“and you never gave me a young goat ….” The goat here is not just the money; he also wants the position of this earth as someone important. All have complained the same way as this one has done, and when you do things, you expect more rewards for showing off to someone else. But with the Lord God Almighty, from above, He sees what your life will end, and at the right moment, He will interfere and help you and make all things according to His will; just believe and have faith in His mercy, and keep the faith until the end.
“and you never gave me a young goat ….” The goat here is not just the money; he also wants the position of this earth as someone important. All have complained the same way as this one has done, and when you do things, you expect more rewards for showing off to someone else. But with the Lord God Almighty, from above, He sees what your life will end, and at the right moment, He will interfere and help you and make all things according to His will; just believe and have faith in His mercy, and keep the faith until the end.
[30]
But when this your son came, who squandered your living with prostitutes, you killed for him the fattened calf.
Comments Luke 15:30
As the verse tells, this son was not angry alone but also wants to blame God that He is unfair because the Lord of mercy has blessed the sinner who did wrong to all. So, in this verse, he pointed out to the Lord what this person's sin is, but he forgot entirely that the Lord had seen both of their sins, and He has shown mercy to both by giving them life until this day.
[31]
And he said to him, Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
Comments Luke 15:31
“All that is mine is yours” does not relate to riches but to the fact that the Lord allowed everyone to use all His created things without payment. Everyone is using and benefits from all His created things, but no one thinks of the One who has created all things, even though all can feel the presence of the Lord around them.
[32]
And it was proper to make merry and rejoice, because this your brother was dead, and is alive again; and was perishing, and is found.
Comments Luke 15:32
Take notice of the answer; God the Father rejoices with all the children that repent and ask forgiveness and come back to Him; He Himself will make a celebration to show the gladness from His heart when He receives one sinner that has turned back to Him.
Q: Why has the Lord given us this parable of the father and two sons? A: In this parable, the Lord has pointed to all plainly, two children from the same parents but have nothing alike. Everyone can use this parable to compare it with their own life. If you have a sibling and your sibling is opposite to you, read this parable and think which one of these brothers resembles you and learn from it what it should be. All could learn from this parable.
Q: Why has the Lord given us this parable of the father and two sons? A: In this parable, the Lord has pointed to all plainly, two children from the same parents but have nothing alike. Everyone can use this parable to compare it with their own life. If you have a sibling and your sibling is opposite to you, read this parable and think which one of these brothers resembles you and learn from it what it should be. All could learn from this parable.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) Throughout our comments, we often emphasize the need for meditation on the Word of God. If you meditate on the Word of God, then the Word sticks to your heart, and you can practice what it should be. Meditation is essential for being close to the Lord and practicing what the Word teaches. 2) If you find yourself in a lost spiritual state, repent and come back home to the Lord, and the Lord will receive you back with joy, and the whole heaven will celebrate. 3) If you have siblings and your siblings are different from you, read the parable of the father and two sons and think which one of these siblings you are and learn what you should do from it.