Evidently the father cut his son"s confession short because he knew what was in his heart (cf. 1 John 4:18). Rather than simply accepting his son back, much less making him a servant, the father bestowed the symbols of honor, authority, and freedom on him (cf. Genesis 41:42; Esther 3:10; Esther 8:8). [1] Then he prepared a banquet for him that probably represents the messianic banquet ( Luke 13:29; Luke 14:15-24). People in Jesus" day ate far less meat than modern westerners do, so eating meat indicates a very special occasion. [source][source][source]
"Everything the younger son had hoped to find in the far country, he discovered back home: clothes, jewelry, friends, joyful celebration, love, and assurance for the future. What made the difference? Instead of saying, "Father, give me!" he said, "Father, make me!" He was willing to be a servant!" [2][source]
The son had determined to leave the father permanently and so was dead and lost to his father. He now had new life and was found (cf. Ephesians 2:1-5). If the sheep was lost through foolishness and the coin through carelessness, the son was lost through willfulness. [3] The son"s return was just the beginning of rejoicing, the implication being that it would continue through the messianic kingdom (i.e, the Millennium). Jesus" hearers would have understood Him to teach that sinners would enter the kingdom because they came to God by believing in Jesus. [source][source][source]
"There is a Buddhist story that provides a fascinating contrast to the Lord"s story. It also tells of a son who left home and returned years later in rags and misery. His degradation was so profound that he did not recognize his own father. But his father recognized him and told the servants to take him into the mansion and to clean him up. The father, his identity unrevealed, watched his son"s response. Gradually, time wrought changes, and the son became dutiful, considerate, and moral. Satisfied, the father finally revealed his identity and formally accepted his son as his heir. [source][source][source]
"The Pharisees would have understood and approved of such a story. It makes sense to wait for a son to achieve worthiness. It is reasonable to treat a repentant person according to the stage of penance achieved. But that is not the Father our Lord describes. It is not a parable of merits. Here is a picture of grace." [4][source]
"Here it deserves special notice, as marking the absolute contrast between the teaching of Christ and Rabbinism, that we have in one of the oldest Rabbinic works a Parable exactly the reverse of this, when the son of a friend is redeemed from bondage, not as a Song of Solomon , but to be a slave, that so obedience might be demanded of him." [5][source]
"To an alarming degree it [6] has lost touch with the unconditional love of God." [7][source]