Luke 15 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

Jesus tells parables about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son (15:1–32)

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

The parable of the prodigal son

The story that Jesus tells in Luke 15:11–32 is known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son, although he does not give the story that title himself. Most interpreters understand the father in the story to represent God (the Father), the sinful younger son to represent those who repent and come to faith in Jesus, and the self-righteous older son to represent the Pharisees. In the story, the older son becomes angry at the father for forgiving the younger son’s sins. He will not even go in to the party that the father is giving to welcome the younger son home. Jesus knew that the Pharisees wanted God to think that only they were good and not forgive other people’s sins. Jesus was teaching them that they would never become part of God’s kingdom if they continued to think that way. (See: sin and forgive and figs-parables)

Sinners

When the people of Jesus’ time spoke of “sinners,” they were talking about people who did not obey the law of Moses and instead committed sins such as stealing or sexual sins. But Jesus told three parables (15:4–7, 15:8–10, and 15:11–32) to teach that the people who acknowledge that they are sinners and who repent are the people who truly please God. (See: sin and repent and figs-parables)