Talking about the second side of salvation about voluntary the return of a person to his Heavenly Father. The first parable speaks of the Savior seeking a sinful person in order to help him, in the second, the person's own effort, necessary to unite with God.

A certain man had two sons; And the younger of them said to his father: Father! give me the next to me part of the estate. AND father divided the estate to them. After a few days, the younger son, having collected everything, went to the far side and there he squandered his property, living dissolutely. When he had lived through everything, there came a great famine in that country, and he began to be in need; And he went and joined himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. and he was glad to fill his belly with the horns that the pigs ate, but no one gave him. When he came to himself, he said: How many of my father's mercenaries have enough bread, but I am dying of hunger; I will get up, go to my father and say to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son; accept me as your mercenary. He got up and went to his father. And while he was still far away, his father saw him and took pity; and running, fell on his neck and kissed him. The son said to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. And the father said to his servants: Bring the best clothes and clothe him, and give a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf, and kill; let's eat and have fun! for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to have fun. His eldest son was in the field; and returning, when he approached the house, he heard singing and exultation; and calling one of the servants, he asked: what is this? And he said to him, Thy brother has come, and thy father killed the fatted calf, because he received him safe. He got angry and did not want to enter. But his father went out and called him. But he answered his father: behold, I have served you for so many years and have never violated your command, but you have never given me a kid to have fun with my friends; but when this thy son, who squandered his property with harlots, came, you killed the fatted calf for him. But he said to him: My son! You are always with me, and all mine is yours, and about that it was necessary to rejoice and be merry, that your brother was dead and came to life, was lost and is found. (Luke ch. 15)

The text of the parable gives us a clear understanding of what Jesus wanted to say. Father is God, the younger son is a sinner, the elder righteous, who showed pride and lack of mercy to repentance.

The parable of the prodigal son describes the characteristics of the life of a sinner. The main and key phrase of the fall is: "Give me the next part of my estate." Selfishness is the cause of many spiritual troubles. Together with his companions, he quickly squandered his fortune and came to such an extreme degree of need that he was forced to graze pigs and get a job, which was considered reproachful and unworthy among the Jews. Working like this, starving, this young man was glad to eat the food that was given to the pigs. A person, carried away by earthly pleasures, after many mistakes and falls, finally "comes to his senses." Jesus believed that while a person lives without God, he has not yet come to his senses, has not yet found his true self, and gains it only when he again finds his way to his home. The prodigal son was only able to appreciate the happiness of being with his father when he suffered abundantly away from him. From this point of view, this parable very rightly shows the positive side of everyday sorrows and failures... The prodigal son would probably never have come to his senses if poverty and hunger had not sobered him.

The love of God for fallen people is figuratively told in this parable by the example of a suffering father who goes out on the road every day in the hope of seeing his returning son. Both parables, and the prodigal son, speak of how important and meaningful for God the salvation of man. This prodigal son decided to return home and ask his father to take him back, not as a son, but as a hired servant, a day laborer. An ordinary slave was, so to speak, a member of the family, and a hired servant could be thrown out any day: he had no rights in the family. Here the prodigal son approaches his father's house. And the father, an old man who suffered a lot, shed many tears after leaving the house of his youngest son, seeing him, runs out to meet him, hugs him and puts his head on his shoulder. He is ready not to hear anything that his son has prepared to tell him, for he has forgiven him. The father did not even allow to talk about hiring a job, interrupted him and took matters into his own hands. The clothes here symbolize honor and respect, the ring is power, and the shoes on his feet symbolize that he was given all the rights of a son, because the children of the family received shoes, but there was no servant. And a feast was arranged so that all might rejoice at the return of the prodigal son. God is merciful to us, and he is waiting for the opportunity to run out to us and once again prove his love.

But the eldest son does not share his father's jubilation, anger, indignation, resentment overwhelm him. How! after all, he never left his father's house, he worked in the sweat of his brow, and his father never arranged such a feast in his honor! His demeanor shows that he viewed the years of obedience as fulfilling an unforgiving duty rather than serving a beloved father. There is no joy in him from the return of his brother. Imaginary righteousness on the outside, but inside the sin is no less only condemnation of the brother, murmuring against the father, selfish pity for oneself and the absence of any kindred feelings. For him, the prodigal son is not "my brother", but "your son." He had bad thoughts. Before him, there was no mention of harlots; no doubt he blamed his brother for sins of which he himself secretly dreamed.

The eldest son never left his fatherly home, and was no less sinful than his younger brother. And the eldest, who does not want to enter his father's house, turns out to be the prodigal son too. Imaginary righteousness will not save us, formal attendance at the temple and only the outward fulfillment of the law, rules and traditions of Christianity will not save us. Are we born again of the Spirit, or do we continue to live according to the flesh? Are we changing for the better or are we staying in our sinful life, not wanting to notice the person next to him, his joy, his grief? Do we have love for the people around us?Unfortunately, although we are called Christians and are called by the Lord to love, in reality we are more like this elder son, hardened in his selfishness and imaginary righteousness. Outwardly, we seem to be with God, but at the same time we are often ready to say to Him: [Lord, yes I gave you my whole life, and what did You give me in return? Sickness, Misfortune, Loss, Trouble, Disorder! K How often do we murmur in this way against God

On the ground. In his parables, he reveals to us the secrets of the universe and teaches the main thing - the acquisition of spiritual wealth and faith in God. The Parable of the Prodigal Son depicts the ineffable mercy of the Lord towards all sinful people who sincerely and deeply repented of their sins and turned to him for help and protection. The Orthodox Church calendar specifically marks the Week of the Prodigal Son, which is one of the four preparatory periods for Great Lent.

The parable of the prodigal son. Text

The father had two sons. One day the youngest son asked him for a part of his estate. The father did not resist and gave everything that was due to him. A few days later, the younger son, taking his part of the inheritance, left for distant lands. Not caring at all about the future, he began to live dissolutely and, as the people say, "on a grand scale." Acting in such a foolish way, he very quickly squandered all his wealth, and when famine struck in the city, he became in dire need of food.

In order to somehow live, he got a job with one of the local residents and began to graze his pigs. This guy was happy to eat pig horns, but no one would let him. Completely exhausted by hunger and poverty, he suddenly remembered about his father and the fact that all his mercenaries eat bread, but his own son will soon simply die of hunger.

Meeting with father

Further, "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" says that when the son saw his father, he immediately fell on his neck and began to kiss him. And then he prayed that he was not worthy to be called his son and that he was sinful before him and Heaven. And then he asked to accept him as an employee. The father took pity on his son, ordered him to bring him the best clothes, shoes and put a ring on him. Then he decided to slaughter the calf and have fun, as he was very glad that his son did not disappear, but was found alive and well.

Eldest son

At the same time, the eldest son was returning from field work. When he approached the house, he heard glee, singing and was very surprised at this. He became very angry when he learned the reason for these festivities. When his father called him to the table, the eldest son expressed his insult to him, because for so many years of faithful service, he had never killed even a kid for him so that he would have fun with his friends. And here the father did not spare the fattened calf for the one who spent all his inheritance with harlots and returned with nothing. His father reassured him and said: "You are always by my side, and everything mine is yours, and now we all need to rejoice that your younger brother was found safe and sound."

The parable of the prodigal son: interpretation

This parable tells about sin, repentance and what kind of relationship God can have with man. All the troubles of the youngest son began with the fact that he immediately demanded what was rightfully his. All of this equates to how people view the gifts of God from a practical point of view. That is, give me now everything that I want, but what I can get in the future, I refuse. This is the greatest sin of an insane person, who pays for quick and momentary pleasure by refusing great future benefits, which at first he does not care at all.

This begs the question of why the young man wanted to get his share. And all because he was a burden to guardianship of his father, and he wanted freedom. This is what most young people today do today. Due to all possible means of influence, they decided that if they did not break God's bonds now, they would not be tied on their feet and hands with the bonds of alluring and voluptuous forbidden desires and lusts. This is how apostasy from God happens. People begin to consider themselves gods and think that they are well versed in what is good and where is evil. This is precisely what the Parable of the Prodigal Son warns about. The point is that people want to do only what they please, and do not want to live according to God's commandments.

Delusion of the views of the youngest son

The well-known Gospel "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" tells how the youngest son wants to move away from the gaze and supervision of his father, he does not like this, because he limits his behavior and spending. The young guy is proud of himself, his arrogance knows no bounds. He believes he knows how to manage things and hopes to soon become a more prominent person than he is. All this suggests that human pride, especially in youth, is a powerful destructive force.

However, here the meekness and kindness of a father to his youngest son surprises and delights. He immediately gave what was due to his son. Unlike his younger brother, the elder was a more reasonable person; on the contrary, he wished that his father retained some of his power. For this, the eldest son hears very wise words from his father that everything that he owns will eventually become his.

Thus, having received his inheritance, the youngest son goes far from his home, and then squanders it and becomes a beggar. It is this spiritual state that persecutes a person who has fallen away from God. Anyone who voluntarily goes to sin is wasting the gifts of God - his mind and spiritual strength, which should serve people and God. Thus, the soul passes into the power of the devil, becomes a hostage of the world and flesh, begins to live dissolutely and squanders its wealth.

Payback for sin

The youngest son was sent by the evil lord to graze not even sheep, but chomping pigs. Thus, it is in the power of the devil to send his slave to satisfy the lusts of the fallen nature. The impoverished youngest son was glad to eat those horns that pigs ate, but this food was not for humans. Sin is a state of eternal gluttony, in which it is impossible to get relief from anything in the world. There is no need to appeal to the world, it has only that which can poison the soul, but not that which feeds it.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son also says that the Lord generously comforts those who ultimately come to deep repentance and awareness of their sinful life. The Lord has patience and mercy for every person, He is also lenient with sins, because He sees further and deeper. Man, however, must answer Him only with humble gratitude and love.

The "Parable of the Prodigal Son" will be especially useful for children, since they are just beginning to get to know the world in all its manifestations and must be ready for any temptations so as not to become dependent on sin and always live in peace with God.

Prodigal son

Leonid Banchik Perhaps the most heartfelt parable of all Christ told is the parable of the prodigal son (or the prodigal son, as it is called in other languages).According to this parable, the great Rembrandt painted his last painting in 1669, in the center of which is an old blind father and kneeling son, who returned to the parental home after a long separation.The son has his back turned to the audience, but we can learn a lot about him from rags, worn out shoes, scabs on his head, and bare heels. The elder's hands feel his son. Probably, he is no longer able tohug the son to you. There are other people nearby, witnesses of a touching meeting, but Rembrandt showed them figures clearly secondary. All our attention is focused only on two - father and son. By that time, the artist had lost his beloved son, and this Biblical story was especially close to him. Jesus answered to accuse the Pharisees that"... He accepts sinners and eat with them "(Luke 15: 2)... The teacher told they have three parables at once, showing e God's attitude to his children, even, it would seem, to the most unworthy children. In these stories the lost sheep, the lost drachma and the prodigal son symbolize repentant sinners, and the eldest sonthe image of the Pharisees and all self-righteous people. Who, then, is the father? Of course, this is a kind and loving Lord. Perhaps , Rembrandt made the only mistake in the picture, depicting his father as blind. In the parable of Christ, he is a completely healthy and unusually active owner of the estate. So, let us turn to the parable and its three main characters - a father with two sons, and we will divide our story into two parts.

Part one. Younger son

"He also said: a certain man had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of the property that is next to me. And the father divided the property for them. After a few days, the younger son, having collected everything, went to the far side and there wasted when he had lived through everything, a great famine came in that country, and he began to be in need; and he went and stuck to one of the inhabitants of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs; and he was glad to fill his belly with horns that the pigs ate, but no one gave him" (Luke 15: 21-16) . When there are several children in the family, the parents usually consider the eldest to be their support, the main heir., but the younger gets more parental love. Younger son demanded his share of the estate, and the father fulfilled his request, thoughwe do not see in her filial respect. According to Moiseevin the law, it was the third part, because two-thirds were due to the firstborn (Deut. 21:17).But was the father obliged to grant his request? Of course not. The inheritance was due after the death of the father, and not during his lifetime. Remember Shakespeare's King Lear! He gave everything to his daughters, counting on the royal reception in their homes, and he was simply thrown out as unnecessary. In our parable, the father agrees to give part of the inheritance to his youngest son,remaining the master of the double part, which after his death will go to the elder. P about the expiration of a few days, the younger, turning the property into money, moved to distant lands. We do not know how long it took him to squander his fortune. Most likely, it happened quickly enough., since a dissolute life requires considerable expenses. And now the former barchuk is forced to get the lowest-paid job. For a Jew, being a swineherd is the most shameful thing. Probably, Jesus deliberately gave His hero such a profession to show his listeners: the Lord forgives repentant sinners, even if they fell below the threshold acceptable in the eyes of society, below the limit of falling. The carob tree grows in Israel, Syria, Asia Minor. Its pods, tart in taste, served as food for livestock and poor people.Today they are added to drinks and sweets.According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist ate horns. The rabbis have an interesting saying: "When the Jews have to eat the horns, then they repent." Perhaps the proverb was the forerunner of the proverb? After all, he did not even get this tasteless food.And he thought ... " When he came to himself, he said: How many of my father's mercenaries have enough bread, but I am dying of hunger; I will get up, go to my father and say to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son; accept me as your mercenary" (Luke 15: 17-19) . Any unbelieving person should think about who I was, who I am now, what to do next and Who to entrust my life to. However, Alexander Men rightly wrote: “This parable is also about us, when we forget about our Heavenly Father, when we go far from Him, carried away by our passions, trifles, everyday life ... This is about us, when we broke away, fell away, moved away , lost, lost. " Need made the prodigal son think. He himself is guilty of everything that happened. He wants to change his life. He is ready to go as a mercenary to his own father. He knows that his father's servants live much better, but his return cannot be reduced to simply wanting to eat well. Why? Because he confesses his sin before God and his father. Because he understands that he was an unworthy son and has no right to bear the name of his father. Because he steps over his pride and is ready to become a servant in the house where he was once the master's son. What happened to him is true repentance, when everything worldly is thrown aside, and you stand alone before God in tears and a prayer for forgiveness. " He got up and went to his father. And while he was still far away, his father saw him and took pity; and running, fell on his neck and kissed him. The son said to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you and am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15: 20-21). The Lord knows our thoughts. The prodigal son set off on the return journey, and his father was already waiting for him.He was still far away, and his father had already seen him. He walked on foot, and his father ran to meet him. He had not yet had time to utter a word, but his father hugged him and kissed him. This is how God hurries towards every repentant sinner, and in heaven at this moment there is exultation, a great holiday! As Jesus said: "So, I tell you, there is joy with the Angels of God and about one sinner who repents"(Luke 15:10). The old river The Russian proverb says: "He who offends whom, he hates that." Hatred has long meant unwillingness to see. A person who has undeservedly offended another often considers himself right and does not want to see his sin. But if he realizes his guilt, asks for forgiveness from God and from the one to whom he offended, then he will find God's love. The youngest son insulted his father by leaving home and embezzling property, but he returned and returned his father's love.He repeats aloud the words of repentance that were in his thoughts, but something did not have time to finish. What exactly? "Take me among your mercenaries." The father did not let his son finish, knowing his thoughts. A repentant sinner has a different fate. He again becomes a son, a beloved son. " And the father said to his servants: Bring the best clothes and clothe him, and give a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf, and kill; let's eat and have fun! for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to have fun "(Luke 15: 22-24). The father ordered his son to be dressed in the best clothes - the most expensive, which were worn only by noble people. An Angel was clothed in such a garment, announcing the resurrection of Christ to the women who came to the tomb.The same Greek word "table" is called aboutthe hope of all those who suffered for the faith (Revelation 6:11). The youngest son received a ring as a gift as a symbol of power and restoration of rights, as well as shoes that distinguished masters from servants. Father arrangeda feast symbolizing the coming marriage feast of Christ with all those who believe in Him. The son was dead and revived. As long as we live without god in our sins, we are dead. Only by faith can you find life... The father does not reproach his son with a word, because he returned with a repentant heart. Likewise, the Lord forgives the sinner who has called on His name, clothe him in the finest garments and leads him on His path to eternity.

Part two. Eldest son

"But his eldest son was in the field; and returning, when he approached the house, he heard singing and exultation; and calling one of the servants, he asked: What is this? He said to him, Your brother has come, and your father killed the fatted calf, because I took him healthy" (Luke 15: 25-27). By human standards, the eldest son had a reason for resentment. The father gave part of the estate to the younger, remaining the owner of the part that should be inherited by the younger. One son became an independent owner, while the other, the main heir, was still subordinate to his father. The youngest returned without a livelihood, and his father gave him a royal gift, made a great feast, and all thisdue to the inheritance of the eldest son. So there was a reason to be angry, but a purely mundane reason. After all, his brother has returned! The father celebrates the return of his son, why is the brother not happy about the return of his brother? Many negative features of the Pharisees can be seen in his behavior: self-righteousness, contempt for fallen people, pride. The eldest son was returning from the field, probably after hard work.He longed for peace and quiet, while exultant shouts and singing came from the house. He realized that there would be no rest today, which increased his irritation. Demandooze from the servant, what's going on there. Have hearing l answer: his brother returned in good health. Now, having learned such news, he would have forgotten about fatigue, rushed to meet his brother, and join the feast! Alas... " He got angry and did not want to enter. But his father went out and called him. But he answered his father: behold, I have served you for so many years and have never violated your command, but you have never given me a kid to have fun with my friends; and when this thy son, who squandered his property with harlots, came, you killed the fatted calf for him." (Luke 15: 28-30). Jesus shows us in a parable how evil a person is, and how good God is. The brother does not want to see his brother, for which he deserves severe punishment. However, the Lord, appearing before us in the form of the father of the family, goes to meet his son in order to melt the ice block of resentment, persuade him to enter the house and join the celebration.The father went out to his son, and he took a step God's love is just an excuse to express your claims.He did not take a retaliatory step. When we get angry with someone, we often resemble little children. This is roughly what the eldest son's complaint about a kid and a calf looks like.Father knows best if it's worth let him device have your own feast. Perhaps, eating delicious meat with friends, washing it down with wine, a previously obedient son will forget about work and about everything in the world. Besides, he says to his father "this son is yours." Not "my brother" but "your son". This is how parents usually shout in the heat of an argument over their children: "This is your son, you take care of him." So it turned out that the father found a son, and the brother did not want to find a brother. The eldest son has merits to his father, which he indiscreetly names. Yes, he honestly did his job, but in his words we do not seelove for the father. Most likely, the son perceived his father as his boss, who should be obeyed, and nothing more. If there was filial love in him, he would understand and share his father's joy. He feels nothing but contempt for his younger brother. The father does not mention the sins of the prodigal son because he repented. But the elder remembers everything: "...this son of yours, who squandered his property with harlots". There is no mercy in his words, no compassion. The father responds to his son with words of great love. " But he said to him: My son! you are always with me, and all mine is yours, but about that it was necessary to rejoice and be merry, that your brother was dead and came to life, was lost and was found "(Luke 15: 31-32). In the Greek text, there is not a "son", but a much more affectionate "teknon" - a child, a child. And it should be noted that mThe opinions of theologians about the eldest son were divided. Some believe that Jesus could not show the Pharisees and scribes in this image, since they are not worthy of the Father's words "you are always with me" and "all mine is yours." I take a different point of view based onthat to Israel "...belongs adoption and glory and covenants and statutes and worship and promises; theirs are the fathers, and of them is Christ according to the flesh, who art over all God, blessed forever, amen"(Romans 9: 4-5). How much has been given by God to the chosen peoplethat He has kept for millennia! This is what the Father means when he says to his son"you are always with me" and"all mine is yours." But all of these blessings do not provide salvation, which is obtained by faith in Christ.Therefore, the Pharisees and scribes in the person of the eldest son were faced with a choice: to enter the house and join the feast, or to remain outside in front of a closed door. The father tries to reason with his son, emphasizing "thy brother." The eldest son must recognize his brother in the youngerhow the Pharisees should stop looking at the publicans and harlots with arrogance. Jesus shows that our brothers and sisters are all who have accepted Him into their hearts and profess Biblical truths, regardless of social status, regardless of nationality. I think Jesus deliberately did not end the parable with a positive or tragic ending. He gives the opportunity to reflect on His listeners, to reflect on you and me. On closer examination of ourselves in the mirror, we will find the features of both the younger son and the eldest.All of us are sinful and have distanced ourselves from the Father more than once by our unrighteous deeds. We all experienced envy, pride, and vain resentment. But we have loving Father calling usWith his children and inviting him to his house for great feast ... The parable of the prodigal son was addressed not only by Rembrandt, but also by many artists and poets. Read a wonderful poem by Lev Boleslavsky. If you have not yet entrusted your life to Christ, then perhaps these verses will help you to ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness. I'm sorry Father, I'm sorry Lord
I saw poorly, listened little.
I thought I was filled with flesh,
And it turned out that I wasted my soul.

You gave the good part
Then, so that I become closer to You,
But I grabbed her sooner,
To separate and fall away.

In only one pleasure
The meaning was teased, happiness was teased,
With only female flesh and wine
I longed to be satisfied forever.

I ripened everywhere, blinded my soul,
Earthly blessings, abundance,
And the emptiness inside yourself
Alas, I was not able to see.

The estate has gone from the hands,
No more gold, no copper.
And - where are the friends? Took a look around

,
And suddenly I saw how poor I am.

I'm sorry Father, I'm sorry Lord.
I saw poorly, listened little.
I thought I was filled with flesh,
And it turned out that I wasted my soul.

INTERPRETATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE PROPOSED SON

A certain man had two sons:

God is represented under the image of this man; two sons are sinners and imaginary righteous and scribes.

The youngest of them:

The younger, more frivolous, not yet tempted by the difficult experiences of life.

Give me:

The younger son seems to have already reached the age of majority, according to which he could ask his father to share the estate with his brother.

The next part of the estate for me:

According to the Law of Moses (Deut 21, 17), the younger son received half of what the older received.

Divided the estate to them:

The Father, even before his death, not because he was obliged to this by the law, but because he could and wanted to do so.

Having collected everything, I went:

It was hard for him to show paternal guardianship; his father could not give him the freedom to live as he wanted, and therefore he went to a distant side, so that the father's eye could not watch him, and he could live on his own. Thus, a person endowed with spiritual and bodily gifts from God, feeling an attraction to sin, begins to be weighed down by the divine law given to him as a guide for life and, rejecting the yoke of the law, indulges in lawlessness, lives according to his will, listens to no one and does not listen to anything, wastes in the spiritual and the bodily profligacy of gifting, which God has endowed him with.

Far side:

There is an image of a sinner's distant alienation from God, a deep decline in his morality.

The great famine came:

The calamity was joined by a new external calamity, which was to have a strong effect on the young libertine. So often God sends external calamities to the sinner in order to bring him to his senses more, and these troubles are both punishment for him and, at the same time, God's call to repentance.

Grazing pigs:

The most humiliating occupation for a true Jew. The Jewish law forbade the Jews to eat pork; the pig was a disgusting animal for them. So often a sinner, when attached to some worldly object in order to drown out his sinful consciousness, is humiliated even more and reaches the most disastrous state.

Fill your womb with horns:

These are the fruits of one tree growing in Syria and some places in Asia Minor, with which pigs were fed and which, however, were sometimes eaten by the poor (like our oak acorns).

But no one gave him:

And he could not get this meager food, due to the severe famine in that country. So miserable was his condition, and so miserable are the consequences of his sinful life. And it is good for the sinner if, in adversity, he hears the merciful voice of the Heavenly Father, calling him to repentance, and decides to give up this sinful life, like an inflowing dissolute son.

Coming to my senses:

The turn of speech is very expressive. Such a turn is used when, after a serious illness, accompanied by loss of consciousness, a person comes to his senses when consciousness returns to him. Isn't the sinner just as sick, to the point of losing consciousness, when he is embraced by sin so that he does not realize the requirements of the will of God, does not want to know either the natural law or the frank law, forgets God, conscience, and honor? The grave consequences of sin, combined with external calamities, finally bring him to himself; he, as it were, wakes up and begins to cognize objects in their true form; painful dreams dissolve, sober consciousness returns.

I will get up, I will go to my father:

The sinner's determination to forsake sin and repent. Blessed be God who calls the sinner to him again! Blessed is the moment in which this ray of hope for God's mercy and determination to repent shines in the dark soul of the sinner!

I have sinned against heaven and before you:

Heaven in the sense of the special place of the presence of God and the abode of the holy angels and righteous people; before you - an offended and indignant loving and merciful father. This is an expression of the sincere repentance of the sinner, who admits that by his sin he insulted the holy God and all the saints who surrounded His throne.

Not worthy to be called a son:

The zeal of deep humility and non-dignity that accompanies the sinner's true repentance.

Among your mercenaries:

An expression of deep love for the fatherly home and shelter, according to which the dissolute son wishes, at least on the most difficult conditions, to be accepted into the father's house.

When he was still far away:

All further features are exposed for the clearest depiction of the great love of the Heavenly Father for the repentant sinner, who returns to the sinful soul what it has lost through sin, and decorates it with new gifts of grace, which all the holy heavenly inhabitants rejoice at. The elder father, seeing his son returning from afar, runs to meet him, embraces him, kisses him, and, accepting repentance, orders him to put shoes on and dress him, instead of the former in rags, in the best clothes and decorate him, and then everyone began to have fun at the meal. All these are humanoid features of how, out of love for a repentant sinner, the Lord mercifully accepts his repentance and endows him with new, instead of lost, spiritual blessings and gifts.

Was dead and came to life:

A sinner alienated from life in God is the same as a dead person, since the life of the human spirit is possible only in union with its source - God; in alienation from Him there is no life (1 Tim 5, 6. Rom 6, 13. Mt 8:22); why the conversion of a sinner to life in God is presented as his resurrection from the dead (Rom 6, 13. Eph 2, 1. Rev 3, 1)

The eldest son:

This eldest son is depicted in remarkable features in comparison with the character traits of his father and his younger brother. He returns from work and does not want to enter his house, where they are having fun on the occasion of his brother's return, despite his father's call; he reproaches his father for his dislike of him, exposes his labors, emotionlessly coldly speaks of his brother, reproaches his father for doing this in the present case. Yes, they are - by sight, exact and strict doers of the law, cold, heartless in relation to erring brothers, boasting of the fulfillment of the will of God, not wanting to have fellowship with tax collectors and sinners, proud, self-righteous righteous - they are the scribes and Pharisees, and legalists - this is their and those like them image in contrast to the image of a repentant sinner and a loving Father-God.

Was on the field:

He worked, in contrast to his younger brother, who did not want to live and work in his father's house, but went to the far side to debauch. By the way of working in the field is meant the fulfillment of the requirements of the law by the scribes and Pharisees; the quality and nature of the work is not mentioned here.

Heard singing and glee:

Singing and jubilation is a symbol of fun and joy in general.

He got angry and did not want to enter:

Likewise, the alleged exact doers of the law, the Pharisees, did not want to have fellowship with tax collectors and hazel-trees and were angry with the Lord that He did not follow them in this.

But his father went out and called him:

His father addressed him with a word of love, and even went out to him himself. So God, with a loving word of revelation, especially through the Lord Jesus Christ, turned to these proud and cold doers of the law, but did not find and did not find in their hearts compassion and love.

Here, I have been serving you for so many years:

Instead of sympathy and love for his brother and father, the eldest son begins to read instructions to his father, exposes his merits, complains of an offense, revolts his brother. In addressing his father, he does not break out a tender loving one - father (father); he does not want to call his brother brother,

And - this son is yours:

And a sharp line indicates his behavior; with particular insistence he points to his service and to the fact that he never transgressed the orders of his father. Such were the proud, proud, arrogant and cold executors of the external demands of the law, the Pharisees and scribes. A remarkable feature is that all the desire of this eldest son was focused on the kid, and he enviously reproaches his father for the fattened calf, slaughtered on the occasion of the return of his missing brother. In this he sees evidence of his father's dislike for him ...

He said to him:

Although self-justification, this demonstration of one's own merits, this pride and arrogance in front of the father, this arrogant and cold contempt for the brother pronounce condemnation over themselves, the Lord, as it were, further strengthens this condemnation by the father's loving appeal to this eldest son. Once again, with a loving address - my son - the father wants to soften the hard-heartedness of his son and arouse in him more humane and tender feelings.

You are always with me, and all mine is yours:

Not all your property was squandered by your brother, and not yours - yours remained with you, and to that one was given his own. In relation to the Pharisees and scribes, it was shown that they can always have access to God; they have the law in their hands, they have a revelation, the will of God is known to them, spiritual gifts and blessings, they can acquire, but ... they cannot deserve the favor of the heavenly father with such a perverted and cruel spiritual and moral mood. - The God of love and mercy cannot favor those who should have rejoiced and rejoiced over the conversion of a sinner, as the angels rejoice in heaven (v. 6.10), but they are disgusted and do not want to have fellowship with them. The parable ends with the father's word, and the Lord as if asks the scribes and Pharisees who condemned Him (v. 1): well, do you still want to murmur against Me because I deal with tax collectors and sinners, and turn away from them, or want to accept participation in the joy of heaven - God and the Angels and the righteous about the conversion of the repentant sinner.

WEEK ABOUT THE PROPOSED SON

Two weeks (weeks) before the beginning of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church recalls the Gospel parable of the prodigal son, set forth in the “Gospel of Luke” (chapter 15, verses 11-32).

This Sunday is called Week of the prodigal son ... In 2019, Prodigal Son Week falls on 24 February .

The parable of the prodigal son is one of the parables of Jesus Christ. She teaches the virtues of repentance and forgiveness.

The parable of the prodigal son

“11 a certain man had two sons;
12 And the younger of them said to his father: Father! give me my next share of the estate. And the father divided the estate for them.
13 After a few days, the younger son, having gathered everything, went to a distant country, and there he squandered his possessions, living dissolutely.
14 When he had lived through everything, there came a great famine in that country, and he began to be in need;
15 And he went and joined himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
16 and he was glad to fill his belly with the horns that the pigs ate, but no one gave him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said: How many of my father's hired workers have enough bread, but I am dying of hunger;
18 I will rise, I will go to my father, and I will say to him: Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you
19 and is no longer worthy to be called your son; accept me as your mercenary.
20 He got up and went to his father. And while he was still far away, his father saw him and took pity; and running, fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 And the son said to him, Father! I have sinned against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.
22 And the father said to his servants, Bring your best clothes and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand and shoes for his feet;
23 and bring the fatted calf, and kill; let's eat and have fun!
24 For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to have fun.
25 And his elder son was in the field; and returning, when he approached the house, he heard singing and exultation;
26 And calling one of the servants, he asked: What is this?
27 And he said to him, Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he received him safe.
28 He was angry and did not want to enter. But his father went out and called him.
29 But he answered in answer to his father: Behold, I have served you for so many years and have never violated your command, but you never gave me a kid too to have fun with my friends;
30 But when this thy son, who wasted his property with harlots, came, you killed the fatted calf for him.
31 But he said to him, My son! you are always with me, and all mine is yours,
32 but about this it was necessary to rejoice and be glad, that your brother was dead and came to life, was lost and is found. " (Luke 15: 11-32).

According to the plot of this parable, the prodigal son, having left the parental home, squandered his father's inheritance, suffered hardships and humbly returned to his father in order to become one of his hired workers. The happy father fully accepted and forgave the fugitive, despite the fact that his other son was unhappy with this.

In this parable, multifaceted in content and remarkable in terms of brightness, the Heavenly Father is meant by the father, and the two sons are a repentant sinner and an imaginary righteous man. "Prodigal son" - this is a prototype of all fallen mankind and, at the same time, of each individual sinner, who with his soul moves away from God and indulges in a willful, sinful life; ...

"Part of the estate" , i.e. the share of the estate of the youngest son is the gifts of God with which each person is endowed (life, health, strength, abilities, talents). The demand from the father of a part of the estate for its use at will is the desire of a person to overthrow his obedience to God, and follow his own thoughts and wishes. Having received his part of the father's estate, the youngest son leaves "To a distant country" , to a foreign land - a place of distance from God, where he ceases to think about his father, where he “lives dissolutely,” that is, he indulges in a sinful life that alienates man from the Creator. There, by his sins, he ruins his soul and squanders all the gifts that he received from God. This leads him to poverty - complete spiritual devastation. This is not surprising, because a person who has entered the path of sin follows the path of selfishness, self-indulgence. And now, just after a serious illness, he understands his plight. Then there appears in him the determination to forsake sins and repent. When the sinner, having reasoned, brings to God the Father sincere repentance, with humility and with hope for His mercy, then the Lord, as a merciful Father, rejoices with His angels at the conversion of the sinner, forgives him all his iniquities (sins), no matter how great they are. were, and returns to him His favors and gifts. It should be noted here that external calamities are often sent by God to sinners in order to reason with them. This is God's call to repentance.

The eldest son returns from work and does not want to enter his house, where they are having fun on the occasion of his brother's return, despite his father's call; he reproaches his father for his dislike of him, exposes his labors, emotionlessly coldly speaks of his brother, reproaches his father for doing this in the present case. "Elder son" - this is the image of a Pharisee, a strict executor of the Law, boasting of the fulfillment of the will of God, not wanting to have fellowship with tax collectors and sinners, a proud, arrogant righteous and envious person. The eldest son was not guilty before his father, he was always a good worker in his father's house and his life was perfect until his sinful brother returned. The return of the prodigal brother caused envy in the eldest son - this terrible sin that led to the first human murder and to the murder of the Savior Himself.

With the story of the eldest son, the Savior teaches that every believing Christian should wholeheartedly wish everyone salvation, rejoice at the conversion of sinners, not envy God's love for them and not consider themselves worthy of God's mercies more than those who turn to God from their former lawless life.

According to Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, “This parable is extremely rich in content. It lies at the very core of Christian spirituality and our life in Christ; in it, a person is depicted at the very moment when he turns away from God and leaves Him to follow his own path to an "alien land", where he hopes to find fullness, an abundance of life. The parable also describes both the slow start and the victorious completion of the journey back to his father's house, when he chooses obedience in broken heart. "

In this parable, almost the main place is occupied by Father's behavior , His surpassing all human concepts of kindness, love for the sinner and joy at the return of the prodigal son to Him. "... When he was still far away, his father saw him", - the Gospel tells us, which means that the father was waiting and, perhaps, every day he looked to see if his son was returning. "I saw and took pity, and running, threw myself on his neck and kissed him."... The son began to confess, but the father did not let him finish; he has already forgiven and forgot everything. The father did not demand proof of his son's repentance because he saw that his son had overcome shame and fear in order to return home. He does not speak: "When you tell me everything about yourself, I will see if I should trust you."... The father asks nothing. He does not speak: "Let's see"... He orders his servants to give him the best clothes, shoes and a ring on his hand. The ring is an indication of God's gift to the forgiven sinner - the gift of God's Grace, in which he is clothed for the salvation of his soul. According to the interpretation of blessed. Theophylact's ring in the parable testifies to the renewal of the sinner's union with the earthly and heavenly Church.

It is difficult to convey in words the fullness of God's love for fallen sinners. Perhaps no one better reveals to us this love of God, which we read about in the parable of the prodigal son, than the Apostle Paul in his 1 letter to the Corinthians: “Love is longsuffering, merciful, ... love is not proud, ... is not irritated, does not think evil. He does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. Covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything, endures everything "(1 Cor. 13: 4-7). It is pertinent to mention here that SIN, any sin, is a crime against LOVE and that, in reality, repentance can be committed only in the face of Perfect Love, for God is Love(1 John 4: 8).

The meaning of the Week of the Prodigal Son

This week the Orthodox Church shows an example of God's inexhaustible mercy to all sinners who turn to God with sincere repentance. Thus, the Church teaches Christians that the true fullness and joy of life lies in a grace-filled union with God and constant communion with Him, and removal from this communion is, on the contrary, a source of all kinds of calamities and humiliations.

Features of the week

During this week, the Church teaches believers to the feat of fasting by gradually introducing abstinence: after the continuous week about the publican and the Pharisee, she restores fast on wednesday and friday , then, at the end of the Week about the prodigal son, he elevates Christians to an important stage of preparatory abstinence by forbidding to eat meat food and allowing them to eat only cheese.

Week after Week of the Prodigal Son (25 February - March 2) and the closing week is called "Meaty" for the reason that this week is completely finished eating meat.