Question

what is the significance of Prodigal son in the Bible

Answer 1

The Prodigal Son is one of the most significant passages in the New Testament as a matter of fact.

The story of the Prodigal Son is told by Jesus to show that God will accept any sinner who repents, no matter what they have done.

The father in the story is meant to represent God, and the prodigal son is  meant to represent a sinner (everyone).

In the story, the prodigal son takes half of his father's inheritance and spends it all on alcohol, drugs, and prostitutes. This is a representation the sinfulness of every person (everyone sins), even though we probably do not commit the same sins he did.

Because he is completely out of money, he goes to a farm to work with pigs. This is significant because, in those days, it was seen as unclean in the Jewish religion to work with pigs. He even ate their leftovers.

Then he decides to go home and see if he can work for his father because he knew that his father fed his servants well. When he starts getting close to his father's house, his father runs out of the house to embrace him. This is especially significant because it was extremely uncommon for the homeowner to run out and greet someone; they would usually stay at the door when they saw someone approaching. This is also significant because the son was most likely in rags and covered with dirt and animal feces. Basically, it would have been obvious that the prodigal son was unclean. Touching an unclean person would make you unclean. Yet, the father embraces him. This shows God's profound love. He then throws a party because he so happy his son is home.

Finally, there is the older son. He is working in the field when he hears the party. When he finds out what has happened, he confronts his father, saying, "Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf" (Luke 15:29). His father says in reply, "My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found" (Luke 15:31-32).

This all shows God's profound love for all people, not just those that are religious, and that He is always ready to forgive those who seek repentance with open arms.

That is why the Prodigal Son is so significant.