The Meaning of Luke 15:23 Explained

Luke 15:23

KJV: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

YLT: and having brought the fatted calf, kill it, and having eaten, we may be merry,

Darby: and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:

ASV: and bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  bring hither  the fatted  calf,  and kill  [it]; and  let us eat,  and be merry: 

What does Luke 15:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 15:11-24 - The Son Who "came To Himself" And To His Father
The pearl of parables! Too often we desire God's gifts apart from Himself. The far country is not far in actual distance, but in the alienation of the heart. You may be living in a pious home and yet be in the far country. Sin is waste. The far country is always swept by famine, because our soul was made for God and cannot live on husks. Neither things nor people can really appease our awful hunger if we are away from God.
Sin is temporary madness. The first step to God is to come to ourselves. The prodigal's real nature stood face to face with the ruin and havoc of his sin. Never, for a moment, had the Father ceased to love and yearn. There was an instant response to the slightest indication of repentance. Love was quicker than words, to understand what the prodigal meant. The confession was therefore cut short. Note the profuse welcome, meeting every need-the robe of righteousness, the ring of reconciliation, the kiss of love, the shoes of a holy walk, the feast of fellowship. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 15

1  The parable of the lost sheep;
8  of the piece of silver;
11  of the prodigal son

Greek Commentary for Luke 15:23

The fatted calf [τον μοσχον τον σιτευτον]
The calf the fatted one. Σιτευτον — Siteuton is the verbal adjective of σιλευω — sileuō to feed with wheat The calf was kept fat for festive occasions, possibly in the hope of the son‘s return. [source]
Kill [τυσατε]
Not as a sacrifice, but for the feast. Make merry (ευπραντωμεν — euphranthōmen). First aorist passive subjunctive (volitive). From ευπραινω — euphrainō an old verb from ευ — eu (well) and πρην — phrēn (mind). [source]
Make merry [ευπραντωμεν]
First aorist passive subjunctive (volitive). From ευπραινω — euphrainō an old verb from ευ — eu (well) and πρην — phrēn (mind). [source]
The fatted calf []
The article denoting one set apart for a festive occasion. Tynd., “that fatted calf.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 15:23

Luke 16:19 Fine linen [βύσσον]
ByssusA yellowish flax, and the linen made from it. Herodotus says it was used for enveloping mummies (ii., 86), a statement confirmed by microscopic examinations. He also speaks of it as a bandage for a wound (vii., 181). It is the word used by the Septuagint for linen (Luke 15:23, Luke 15:24, Luke 15:29, Luke 15:32. Wyc., he ate, each day, shiningly. [source]
Luke 15:29 Transgressed [παρηλτον]
Second aorist active indicative of παρερχομαι — parerchomai to pass by. Not even once (aorist) in contrast with so many years of service (linear present).A kid (εριπον — eriphon). Some MSS. have εριπιον — eriphion diminutive, a little kid. So margin of Westcott and Hort. B has it also in Matthew 25:32, the only other N.T. passage where the word occurs.That I might make merry Final clause, first aorist passive subjunctive of the same verb used in Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25. [source]
Luke 15:29 That I might make merry [ινα ευπραντω]
Final clause, first aorist passive subjunctive of the same verb used in Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25. [source]
Luke 16:19 Purple [πορπυραν]
This purple dye was obtained from the purple fish, a species of mussel or μυρεχ — murex (1 Maccabees 4:23). It was very costly and was used for the upper garment by the wealthy and princes (royal purple). They had three shades of purple (deep violet, deep scarlet or crimson, deep blue). See also Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20; Revelation 18:12.Fine linen (βυσσον — busson).Byssus or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. “Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called woven air” (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective βυσσινος — bussinos occurs in Revelation 18:12; Revelation 19:8, Revelation 19:14.Faring sumptuously (ευπραινομενος λαμπρως — euphrainomenos lamprōs).Making merry brilliantly. The verb ευπραινομαι — euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25, Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως — Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος — lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
Luke 16:19 Byssus []
or Egyptian flax (India and Achaia also). It is a yellowed flax from which fine linen was made for undergarments. It was used for wrapping mummies. “Some of the Egyptian linen was so fine that it was called woven air” (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective βυσσινος — bussinos occurs in Revelation 18:12; Revelation 19:8, Revelation 19:14.Faring sumptuously (ευπραινομενος λαμπρως — euphrainomenos lamprōs).Making merry brilliantly. The verb ευπραινομαι — euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25, Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως — Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος — lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
Luke 16:19 woven air []
” (Vincent). Here only in the N.T. for the adjective βυσσινος — bussinos occurs in Revelation 18:12; Revelation 19:8, Revelation 19:14.Faring sumptuously (ευπραινομενος λαμπρως — euphrainomenos lamprōs).Making merry brilliantly. The verb ευπραινομαι — euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25, Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως — Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος — lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
Luke 16:19 Making merry brilliantly []
. The verb ευπραινομαι — euphrainomai we have already had in Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:25, Luke 15:32. Λαμπρως — Lamprōs is an old adverb from λαμπρος — lampros brilliant, shining, splendid, magnificent. It occurs here only in the N.T. This parable apparently was meant for the Pharisees (Luke 16:14) who were lovers of money. It shows the wrong use of money and opportunity. [source]
Romans 15:10 Rejoice [εὐφράνθητε]
Frequently in the New Testament of merry-making. Luke 12:19; Luke 15:23, Luke 15:24. See on fared sumptuously, Luke 16:19. [source]
Revelation 4:7 Calf [μόσχῳ]
Compare Luke 15:23. In the Septuagint for an ox or steer. Exodus 22:1; Ezekiel 1:10. [source]
Revelation 4:7 Like a lion [ομοιον λεοντι]
Associative-instrumental case again. In Ezek (Revelation 1:6, Revelation 1:10) each ζωον — zōon has four faces, but here each has a different face. “The four forms represent whatever is noblest, strongest, wisest, and swiftest in nature” (Swete). But it is not necessary to try to find a symbolism in each face here like the early baseless identification with the Four Evangelists (the lion for Mark, the man for Matthew, the calf for Luke, the eagle for John). Μοσχος — Moschos is first a sprout, then the young of animals, then a calf (bullock or heifer) as in Luke 15:23, Luke 15:27, Luke 15:30, or a full-grown ox (Ezekiel 1:10). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 15:23 mean?

and having brought the calf - fattened kill [it] having eaten let us be merry
καὶ φέρετε τὸν μόσχον τὸν σιτευτόν θύσατε φαγόντες εὐφρανθῶμεν

φέρετε  having  brought 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: φέρω  
Sense: to carry.
μόσχον  calf 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: μόσχος  
Sense: a tender juicy shoot.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σιτευτόν  fattened 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: σιτευτός  
Sense: fattened, fatted.
θύσατε  kill  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: θύω 
Sense: to sacrifice, immolate.
φαγόντες  having  eaten 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐσθίω  
Sense: to eat.
εὐφρανθῶμεν  let  us  be  merry 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 1st Person Plural
Root: εὐφραίνω  
Sense: to gladden, make joyful.