The Prodigal Son

Level 3
Instructions

Let's look at how the literary form of the story.  See what new meanings may jump out about the point of the story.

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Story Outline

Let's look at an outline of Luke 15

  • Intro: Pharisees criticize Jesus for talking with sinners and tax collectors
  • Parable 1: The Lost Sheep
  • Parable 2: The Lost Coin
  • Parable 3: The Lost Son

Exercise

A parable is a short story that tells a moral lesson. In the first two parables, Jesus explains the point of the story. In the third parable, he let's you decide what the point is. Write down what you think the point of the third parable is in one sentence.

Repeated Words

Sometimes words that get repeated a lot have an important meaning in Bible stories.  Look at how the word "lost" (the Greek word apollymi, which can also mean perish) gets repeated:

Context in the story (Luke 15:4): "“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?"

Context in the story (Luke 15:6): "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’

Context in the story (Luke 15:8-9): “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she lose one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’"

 Context in the story (Luke 15:17) [Prodigal realizes he is starving]: "But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

Context in the story (Luke 15:24): "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

Context in the story (Luke 15:32): "It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Discussion Questions

Jesus is being criticized by the pharisees for hanging out with people who are lost, in other words, sinners.  How does Jesus weave the word "lost" through all the stories?  What point is he trying to tell the pharisees about being lost and being found?  

Story Outline

Let's look deeper at the organization of the prodigal son.  Let's look at the younger son first:

  • Younger son gets lost (in the world)
    • Son lacks food and possessions
      • Works for citizen
        • Has moment of realization
      • Will go work for father
    • Father gives food and possessions
  • Younger son was lost and is found

Then look at the older son:

  • Older son learns of celebration and will not go in to celebrate
  • Father comes out to comfort him
  • Son tells Father he did not get celebration
    • Son tells Father he did not lose possessions
    • Father tells son he has all his possessions
  • Father tells son he should celebrate

Discussion Questions

Let's look at the outline for the younger son first.  The key moment for the character is between deciding to work for the citizen and deciding to work for the father.  What does he realize in that key moment?  How does he see a contrast between working for these two individuals?

How is the younger son's lack of food and possessions immediately supplied by the father?

Does anything else about the organization of the story of the first son strike you?

Look at the organization of the story of the older son.  What parts of the story are similar or contrast each other?

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