The word ‘prodigal’ may not be the proper word to use in all circumstances, so I did a word study and found some worthwhile things to share. My comments are in ‘bold‘.
Webster’s 1828
Prodigal – from Latin prodigus, prodigo to draw out, to lavish
1. Given to extravagant expenditures; expending money or other things without necessity; profuse; lavish; wasteful; not frugal or economical; as a prodigal man; the prodigal son. A man may be prodigal of his strength, of his health, of his life or blood, as well as of his money.
Webster’s New World
Prodigal
1. Exceedingly or recklessly wasteful
2. Extremely generous, lavish
3. Extremely abundant, profuse
Prodigal son (Bible) – son who was welcomed back warmly on his homecoming in repentance.
From here I went to Barnes’ Commentary and gleaned some interesting information. In this first comment on riotous living we find the definition of prodigal played out:
Luke 15:13
[In riotous living] Literally, “Living without saving anything.” He lived extravagantly, and in the most dissolute company. See Luke 15:30. By his wandering away we may understand that sinners wander far away from God; that they fall into dissolute and wicked company; and that their wandering so far off is the reason why they fall into such company, and are so soon and so easily destroyed.
So, this is why this young man is called a prodigal. Some of our wayward sons and daughters are not necessarily spending their money lavishly, but they do give away their valuable knowledge of God that their parents have given them. We also see where this leads the young man and how he wandered away from God. The story goes on to say that after he lost everything he had, he ended up feeding the swine…
Luke 15:15
[To feed swine] This was a very low employment, and particularly so to a “Jew.” It was forbidden to the Jews to eat swine, and of course it was unlawful to keep them. To be compelled, therefore, to engage in such an employment was the deepest conceivable degradation. The “object” of this image, as used by the Saviour in the parable, is to show the loathsome employments and the deep degradation to which sin leads people, and no circumstance could possibly illustrate it in a more striking manner than he has done here.
I have taken a few more commentaries out of Barnes’ Notes that I found interesting. The prodigal son went to work in a degrading employment and his master fed him husks.
Luke 15:16
[The husks] The word “husks” with us denotes the outward covering of grain. In this there is little nourishment,
[No man gave unto him] His master was bound to provide for his wants; but the provision which he made for him was so poor that he would have preferred the food of the swine. He desired a portion of “their food,” but that was not given him. Nothing could more strikingly show the evil of his condition, or the deep degradation, and pollution, and wretchedness of sin.
It is interesting to note here the “husks without nourishment” and compare it to the spiritual nourishment of our daily bread the Word of God. There is no good spiritual nourishment in the ‘world’.
Luke 15:17
[He came to himself] This is a very expressive phrase. It is commonly applied to one who has been “deranged,” and when he recovers we say he has “come to himself.” In this place it denotes that the folly of the young man was a kind of derangement-that he was insane. So it is of every sinner. Madness is in their hearts (Eccl 9:3); they are estranged from God, and led, by the influence of evil passions, contrary to their better judgment and the decisions of a sound mind.
I love this definition of the phrase ‘He came to himself’. Not only does it describe the state of one that is wayward, but gives the miracle of hope that they will come to themselves and see their wrong doing.
Luke 15:18
[I will arise] This is a common expression among the Hebrews to denote “entering on a piece of business.” It does not imply that he was “sitting,” but that he meant immediately to return. This should be the feeling of every sinner who is conscious of his guilt and danger.
[To My father] To his father, although he had offended him, and treated him unkindly, and had provoked him, and dishonored him by his course of conduct. So the sinner. He has nowhere else to go but to “God.” He has offended him, but he may trust in his kindness. If “God” does not save him he cannot be saved. There is no other being that has an arm strong enough to deliver from sin; and though it is painful for a man to go to one whom he has offended-though he cannot go but with shame and confusion of face-yet, unless the sinner is willing to go to “God” and confess his faults, he can never be saved.
[I have sinned] I have been wicked, dissipated, ungrateful, and rebellious.
How important it is to admit to your sin and not blame your actions on others. Here he is taking total responsibility for his choices.
[Against heaven] The word “heaven” here, as it is often elsewhere, is put for God. I have sinned against “God.” See Matt 21:25. It is also to be observed that one evidence of the genuineness of repentance is the feeling that our sins have been committed chiefly against “God.” Commonly we think most of our offences as committed against “man;” but when the sinner sees the true character of his sins, he sees that they have been aimed chiefly against “God,” and that the sins against “man” are of little consequence compared with those against God. So David, even after committing the crimes of adultery and murder after having inflicted the deepest injury on “man” – yet felt that the sin as committed against “God” shut every other consideration out of view:
“Against Thee, Thee ONLY, have I sinned,” Ps 2:4.
[Before thee] This means the same as “against” thee. The offences had been committed mainly against God, but they were to be regarded, also, as sins against his “father,” in wasting property which he had given him, in neglecting his counsels, and in plunging himself into ruin. He felt that he had “disgraced” such a father. A sinner will be sensible of his sins against his relatives and friends as well as against God. A true penitent will be as ready to “acknowledge” his offences against his fellow-men as those against his Maker.
Luke 15:19
[No more worthy …] “Such has been my conduct that I have been a disgrace to my father. I am not fit to be honored by being called the son of a man so kind and virtuous.”
[Make me as one …] “Treat me as a servant. Let me come again into your family, but I do not ask to be treated as a son. I am willing to come in if you will give me only the support that you give to a servant.”
This evinced,
1. Deep humility-such as a sinner should have.
2. Love for his father’s house-such as all penitents should have toward God’s dwelling-place in heaven.
3. Confidence in his father that he would treat him kindly, even if he treated him as a servant. Such confidence all returning penitents feel in God. They are assured that God will treat them kindly that whatever he gives them will be more than they deserve, and they are, therefore, willing to be in his hands. Yet,
4. He had no adequate sense of his father’s kindness. He did not fully appreciate his character. He was far more kind than he had dared to hope he would be; just as all sinners undervalue the character of God, and find him always more kind than they had supposed. No sinner comes to God with a just and adequate view of his character, but “always” finds him more merciful than he had dared to hope.
Hopefully every prodigal, wayward son and or daughter will come to the knowledge of the Truth and see their sin against God and repent. This is our continual prayer.
Luke 15:20; Luke 15:21
[He arose, and came] Was coming. But here is no indication of “haste.” He did not “run,” but came driven by his wants, and, as we may suppose, filled with shame, and even with some doubts whether his father would receive him.
[A great way off] This is a beautiful description-the image of his father’s happening to see him clad in rags, poor, and emaciated, and yet he recognized “his son,” and all the feelings of a father prompted him to go and embrace him.
[Had compassion] Pitied him. Saw his condition-his poverty and his wretched appearance-and was moved with compassion and love.
[And ran] This is opposed to the manner in which the son came. The beauty of the picture is greatly heightened by these circumstances. The son came slowly-the father “ran.” The love and joy of the old man were so great that he hastened to meet him and welcome him to his home.
[Fell on his neck] Threw his arms around his neck and embraced him.
[And kissed him] This was a sign at once of affection and reconciliation. This must at once have dissipated every doubt of the son about the willingness of his father to forgive and receive him. A kiss is a sign of affection, 1 Sam 10:1; Gen 29:13. This is evidently designed to denote the “readiness of God” to pity and pardon returning sinners. In this verse of inimitable beauty is contained the point of the parable, which was uttered by the Saviour to vindicate “his own conduct” in receiving sinners kindly. Who could “blame” this father for thus receiving his repenting son? Not even a Pharisee could blame him; and our Saviour thus showed them, so that “they” could not resist it, that “God” received returning sinners, and that it was right for “him” also to receive them and treat them with attention.
This is the wonderful happy ending of the story, but what stands out to me is that the Father never interferes; never goes looking for his son prematurely. But waits until the perfect time when the son has truly come to himself and repented.
Helping Hurting Parents of Prodigals 