Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. 14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22 But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’”
Most of the pivotal events in God's plan of salvation are found in both the Old and the New Testaments, with their ultimate fulfillment in Christ. This is expressed through the concept of typology, where events, persons, and institutions in the Old Testament prefigure and find their ultimate realization in the New Testament.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son finds its Old Testament parallel in the story of Jacob and Esau, particularly in Genesis 27-33. Both stories highlight the themes of estrangement, repentance, and reconciliation. Jacob, later named Israel by God (Gen. 32:28-29; Gen. 35:10), plays a central role in salvation history as the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. His personal journey of exile, suffering, and reconciliation foreshadows not only the Prodigal Son’s return but also God’s redemptive plan for His chosen people, culminating in Christ the promised Messiah and a descendant of Jacob (Matt 1:1–16), who brings ultimate fulfillment to God’s covenant.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son presents a younger son who demands his inheritance, departs to a foreign land, and squanders it in reckless living. Reduced to feeding swine, he comes to his senses and returns home, intending to beg for a servant’s place. Instead, his father runs to embrace him, clothing him in a robe, placing a ring on his finger, and celebrating his return with a feast. The elder son, resentful of this mercy, refuses to join the celebration. The father explains that his younger son was "dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found" (Luke 15:32), emphasizing God’s boundless mercy.
In Luke 15, the younger son demands his inheritance while his father is still alive, effectively wishing him dead. Similarly, in Genesis, Jacob deceives his father Isaac and takes Esau’s blessing, which is akin to taking his “inheritance” (Gen 27:36). The Prodigal Son leaves home and squanders his wealth in a distant country (Luke 15:13). Likewise, Jacob flees to a foreign land, fearing Esau’s wrath, and lives with his uncle Laban in Haran (Gen 28:5).
The Prodigal Son experiences hardship, eventually working among swine, a sign of utter degradation for a Jew (Luke 15:14-16). Jacob, too, endures hardships under Laban, his uncle, working for years under deception before realizing the need to return home (Gen 31:38-42). The Prodigal Son comes to his senses and resolves to return to his father, confessing his sin and unworthiness (Luke 15:17-19). Similarly, Jacob, after wrestling with God (Gen 32:24-30), prepares to return home in humility and fear of Esau, showing a change in heart.
Just as the Prodigal Son is met by his father’s unexpected mercy (Luke 15:20-24), Esau surprisingly forgives Jacob, running to embrace him despite his past wrongdoing (Gen 33:4). However, Esau’s forgiveness, while generous, is still marked by human hesitation, as Jacob remains cautious and does not settle near him (Gen 33:12-17). In contrast, the father in the parable fully embodies the boundless mercy of God, who not only forgives but restores His children to their former dignity without reservation. This distinction emphasizes that divine mercy surpasses human forgiveness. This contrast is further illustrated in the reaction of the elder brother (Luke 15:25-32), who resents the father’s mercy, much like the lingering tension in Jacob and Esau’s reconciliation. Both cases reflect how human forgiveness is often limited, whereas God's mercy is complete and transformative.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates God's call for sinners to return to Him (Isa 55:7; Hos 14:1-2). It foreshadows Christ’s mission: to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), fulfilling God's mercy in the New Covenant (Heb 8:12). The father’s act of clothing his son (Luke 15:22) signifies restoration to dignity, similar to how believers are clothed in Christ (Gal 3:27; Rev 3:5). The elder son’s attitude warns against self-righteousness (Matt 20:1-16; Rom 2:1-5). Furthermore, the feast prepared by the father (Luke 15:23-24) can be seen as a foreshadowing of the eschatological banquet in God’s kingdom (Isa 25:6; Rev 19:9), signifying restored communion with God.
Ultimately, the parable reveals the heart of the Gospel: God, as the loving Father, rejoices over the repentant sinner (Luke 15:7; 2 Cor 5:17-21), prefiguring Christ’s ultimate act of reconciliation on the Cross (Col 1:19-22). While the parable does not explicitly mention Christ, it finds its fulfillment in Him as the one who reconciles sinners to the Father (2 Cor 5:18-19; John 14:6).
Almighty God, You are rich in mercy and abounding in steadfast love. Just as You welcomed the Prodigal Son with open arms and Jacob and Esau found reconciliation after years of estrangement, so too do You call us back to You with unfailing compassion. Teach us to trust in Your mercy, to repent with humble hearts, and to rejoice in the forgiveness You offer through Christ, the fulfillment of Your covenant. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
Comments