Three things you may not know about the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
The word ‘prodigal’ is not in the Bible.
The word ‘prodigal’ does not appear in the parable or anywhere else in the Bible. It is a title for the parable applied post-Biblical, coming from Latin and - later - English tradition.
2. The word prodigal does not have anything to do with returning home.
“PROD'IGAL, a. L. produgus, from prodigo, to drive forth, to lavish.
Given to extravagant expenditures; expending money or other things without necessity; profuse, lavish; wasteful; not frugal or economical; as a prodigal man; the prodigal son. A man may be prodigal of his strength, of his health, of his life or blood, as well as of his money.”
(Merriam Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language)
So in the context of the parable, if the word ‘prodigal’ is applied it should refer to the lifestyle the son engages in when he leaves home, and NOT the fact that he later returns.
3. The parable is not about the ‘prodigal’ son at all.
Firstly, the parable allocates almost as much content to the older brother who stayed at home as it does to the one who left and later returned:
Younger brother: 14 verses (vv11-24); two statements made by him comprising 60 words; total relevant word count = 224
Older brother: 8 verses (vv25-32); one statement made by him comprising 56 words; total relevant word count = 186
So the older brother is much more than a minor character in the parable; he is central to the message Jesus was conveying.
What is the parable about, then, if it is not about a wasteful son returning home?
Answer: It is about the father’s grace in dealing with two lost sons (the older son is also lost, but in a different way to his younger brother).