📖 Biblical Definition
The third of three lost-found parables in Luke 15 (lost sheep, lost coin, lost sons). A younger son demands his inheritance, squanders it in a far country, comes to himself in a pigsty, returns, is met while still afar off by a running-and-embracing father. The elder brother refuses to celebrate. The father appeals to the elder. Two sons, two ways of being lost: rebellious distance and resentful proximity. The father runs after both.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Luke 15's parable: two sons, two ways of being lost; running father.
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The third of three lost-found parables in Luke 15 (lost sheep, lost coin, lost sons). The story (Luke 15:11-32): younger son demands his inheritance early (functionally wishing his father dead), takes it to a far country, wastes it in riotous living, ends up in a pigsty (dietary-defilement-maximum for a Jewish hearer), "comes to himself," rehearses a confession-speech, returns home. The father, while the son is yet a great way off, sees him, has compassion, RUNS (Eastern dignified men did not run; this is a deliberate breach of social-honor in pursuit of mercy), falls on his neck, kisses him, calls for the best robe, the ring, the shoes, the fatted calf. The elder brother, returning from the field, refuses to come in. The father goes out to him also, appeals, ends with: "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." The parable closes without the elder brother's response. Two sons; two ways of being lost (rebellious distance / resentful proximity); a father who runs after both.
📖 Key Scripture
Luke 15:20 — "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."
Luke 15:24 — "For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."
Luke 15:31-32 — "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."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Often read as just younger-brother-redemption; the elder brother is essential to Christ's actual point about religious-elder failure.
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Sunday-school prodigal is younger-brother coming home. Christ's parable in Luke 15 was given to Pharisees (Luke 15:2 — "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them") — the elder-brother audience. The elder brother is the Pharisee's mirror: outwardly faithful, inwardly resentful, refusing to celebrate the rescue of the lost. Christ ends without the elder brother's response — leaving the question hanging over his original audience.
Recover the elder brother: he is the religious-establishment Christ was actually addressing. The parable's open ending is a question to him — will you come in?
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek asōtōs (riotously, wastefully).
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['Greek', 'G811', 'asōtōs', 'wastefully, prodigally']
['Greek', 'G3962', 'patēr', 'father']
Usage
"Two sons; two ways of being lost."
"Running father; refused honor in pursuit of mercy."
"Open ending toward elder brother's response."