Parables

1. Redemption/apolutrósis

Perhaps there is no greater parable for young men in the Bible than that of The Prodigal Son. Its illustration of a father's uncompromising love for his son is powerful enough to provide comfort to even the most doubtful of readers.

At some point in our lives, most of us experience periods of guilt, regret, shame, and failure. When this occurs, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that we are unworthy of redemption and undeserving of love.

Fortunately, the Bible gifts its readers with the promise of salvation. The story of Prodigal Son is a timeless reminder that God's love is available to everyone regardless of past sins.

In the Bible, Jesus would use parables to illuminate lessons to the masses. On this page, readers will encounter dramatic retellings of some of these parables.

We begin this series with the story of a lost son.

The Return of The Prodigal Son, Ossip Zadkine

1964

"For this my son was dead and is alive again"

1. A Lost Son isWelcomed Home

(Retold and Read by Ryan Williams French)

00:00 / 02:24

In the Bible,
Jesus of Nazareth tells the parable of the Prodigal son.

There was once a wealthy man who had two sons. His youngest son, whom we will call P, demanded that he receive his inheritance at once.

Although P was not of age,
the father acquiesced and divided his sons' portions.

Shortly after,

P departed from his family and went off to live in a distant town.

Blinded by selfish gain and childlike compulsiveness, P lacked awareness of his value and intrinsic worth,

and he entertained a life of riotous living.

Sadly, P squandered all of his inheritance, time, talent, and substance on prostitutes and ‘friends’ who were only interested in his money.

P was not aware that he sought validation from people who could not realize his potential.

This period of debauchery and lecherous living lasted a short time. And it was not long before he was destitute and out of money.

A famine soon struck the town, and P had no choice but to sell himself into servitude.
He was now at the mercy of another man, who employed him to feed pigs.

Feeding swine was a demeaning task.

Day after day, P lived amongst pigs feeding them when they were hungry

and desiring the very food they ate.

This life of degradation continued for some time.

But, one day

P "came to himself."

For the first time,

P was conscious of his condition.

For the first time,

P could sense the dirt, filth, and stench that surrounded him.

Now fully aware of his worth, P arose from the sty and returned home, seeking his father's forgiveness.

Upon his return, P was surprised to discover that his father was not angry. Instead, his father was delighted to see him and welcomed the young man home with open arms.