The Symbolism of The Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son, told by Jesus Christ on His journey to Jerusalem and retold in the Gospel of Luke 15:11-32, is a timeless symbolic story that has taught many individuals about devotion and obedience. The term prodigal, is defined as a behavior associated with uncontrolled extravagance and recklessness. It is interesting to note that the actual word prodigal is not indicated in the 15th chapter of Luke, but has strongly identified this particular parable. This short story is about a father and his two sons, where each son portrays extreme or different behavior towards specific situations. The parable is symbolic because the father described in the story represents God and the two sons symbolize two major types of believers of God. The inheritance of the father may signify the position of a believer, as well as his privilege as a child of the Lord.
The main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of God. In telling the story, Jesus identifies Himself with God in His loving attitude to the lost. The younger son symbolizes the lost and the elder brother represents the self- righteous. The major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversation of the sinner, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the Father. The father waits and watches eagerly for his son’s return, demonstrating God’s love for each individual and His personal attentiveness towards all humanity. We see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to...