[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons:[12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.[13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.[14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.[15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.[16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.[17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger![18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,[19] And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.[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.[21] And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.[22] But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:[23] And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:[24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.[25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.[26] And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.[27] And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.[28] And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.[29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:[30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.[31] And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.[32] 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. **

[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons:[12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.[13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

This parable of the “Prodigal Son” by Jesus has multiple meanings. On the “surface” it speaks of two “physical brothers” who are divided with respect to serving their physical father. The younger brother is only interested in serving himself. The older brother is interested in serving his father. Their physical father allows each brother the choice as to what they want to do. Below the “surface”, this parable speaks of division between “spiritual brothers” or division between churches. One church is interested in “serving itself” instead of serving the “spiritual father,” God. The other church is interested in serving the “spiritual father,” God.

[14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.[15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

On the surface, the physical brother that “served himself,” wasted the physical riches that his physical father had given him and he began to suffer from physical hunger. He physically joined himself to serve someone who sent him into physical fields to feed physical swine.
Below the surface, this parable speaks of the “spiritual brother” or church that “served itself” instead of God and wasted the “spiritual riches” that had been given by the spiritual father, God. After awhile the “spiritual brother” or church began to suffer from “spiritual hunger” because of the spiritual famine or hunger for Bible Study in the land. The “Church” tried to provide for itself by joining together with someone as his “hired servant” and was sent by him into his “spiritual field” to feed his “spiritual swine.” Spiritual “swine” are spiritually unclean or willfully sinful people who are in the church. “Spiritual swine,” (spiritually unclean) are people who do not appreciate holy things (Matt 7:6). They are people who have “known the way of righteousness” and have turned back to their sins like a “sow who was washed returns to wallow in the mire.” The “fields” represent opportunities where people are ready to make a decision for or against Jesus (John 4:35-36). The “joining together” in this parable represent the apostate or unfaithful Protestant Churches, joining together in union with the Catholic Church to evangelize the world or “harvest” their “fields” to bring people into their churches.

[16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

The people in the “unfaithful churches” are “spiritually hungry,” but “man” cannot satisfy their spiritual hunger.

[17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

At some point in time, the people in the “unfaithful churches” will “come to themself” or realize that those who are “serving the father” (God) faithfully are being “spiritually fed” and have an abundance of Bible understanding (bread). They realize they are spiritually perishing for Bible truth (bread).

![18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,[19] And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

There will be some people in the “unfaithful churches” that confess their sins to God (the father) and ask Him to allow them to join with those who are faithfully serving Him.

[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.

Even though they are spiritually a “great distance” from being where they should be in spiritual knowledge, the father, God has compassion on them and welcomes them “home.”

[21] And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.[22] But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

In response to the confession of sin and the repentance shown by them, the father, God shows His acceptance of them by “covering them with His Robe of Righteousness,” and signifying that He is giving them authority to do “His Business” with the signet ring, and providing “shoes for their feet,” signifying that they are to prepare to “share the Gospel,” with others (Eph 6:15 feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace).

[23] And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:[24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The calf that was killed in the parable most likely was for a “sin offering” and not just for eating. Verse 23 does not say let us eat IT and be merry. It just says let us eat and be merry. After the “sin offering” they probably had a celebration dinner (Lev. 9:2 And he said to Aaron, take thee a young calf for a sin offering . . .Luke 15:27 and he said unto him thy brother is come: and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound . . . Luke 15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: Luke 15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf) Both the kid and the calf were used as “sin offerings.” Lev. 9:3 Take a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf). The “faithful son” had not “transgressed” the father’s commandment or “sinned” and so did not need a kid or calf to be offered. On the other hand the “unfaithful son” had transgressed the father’s commandment and needed the “sin offering” to be made for him. He had been spiritually dead in sin and now he is spiritually alive! He had wasted the father’s living with “harlots.” His physical union with harlot women was symbolic of the spiritual union made with the “harlot” or unfaithful churches, and now he was free and it was time to be merry.

[25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.[26] And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.[27] And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.[28] And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.[29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:[30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.[31] And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.[32] 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.

On the surface of this parable, it appears that “unfaithfulness” is being rewarded and “faithfulness” is not. However, in reality the “prodigal son” had “nothing” and the faithful son had “all” or “everything.” The “faithful son” was jealous of his brother but he had no right to be that way. The Father’s love was great enough for “both sons.” Similarly when those who have been part of “unfaithful churches” come out of those churches and join the “faithful church,” sometimes there is jealousy on the part of the faithful church members who observe the “new members” being accepted so willingly by God, when their lives have been so out of harmony with the will of God. The “faithful brother” or “faithful church member” felt he should have received “more” because of his “faithful works.” Jesus is teaching in this parable the same as He taught in the parable of the vineyard, where the 11^th hour workers received the same pay or reward as the 12^th hour workers for their “work.” The reward of eternal life is not based on our “works,” but on our relationship with the “Father” God.