Luke 15:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Regarding the prodigal son, the nature of repentance, the tree of knowledge, and the thief upon the cross, these reflections belong to St. John Chrysostom's writings, designated as Spuria in the Minya collection.

He rose and journeyed to his father. A wise choice was followed by decisive action. Indeed, it is insufficient to merely aspire to goodness in thought; intentions require tangible expressions through deeds. While still distant from his Father yet yearning in his heart, he beat his chest, lamenting the source of his wicked desires, falling to the ground with his face in humble submission, and pouring forth tears to support his plea, seeking to justify himself; eventually, through his tears, he cried out fervently, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you!” Acknowledging his transgressions, O Christ, my Lord and Master, you alone know the depths of my iniquity; I have sinned, have mercy on me, O God and Sovereign. I am unworthy to lift my eyes to heaven and plead with you, my gracious Master; my guilt is immense and unbearable, my sins uncountable! Yet have mercy on me, for You are ever good. “I am not worthy to be called your son; receive me among your hired servants” (Luke 15:19).

Thus, the petitioner from the depths of his heart was seen by the One who grieves for the lost, who regards the wayward, and eagerly awaits their return—his Father saw him and was filled with compassion. Certainly, He is a Father of grace, being God by nature. Running to him, he embraced him and kissed him. He did not hesitate for the son to reach him and plead, but joyfully ran to greet him. He did not disdain his neck, stained with the grime of vice, but with pure hands, he welcomed him and kissed him, oblivious to the shame of the one he had awaited so long. O unfathomable and immeasurable goodness! O extraordinary compassion! O marvelous reconciliation! In an instant, He moved God to descend to tears and to conquer an overwhelming multitude of sins. Are you astonished to witness that God graciously received the sinner? What boundless paternal love! The sinner wept on earth, and the sinless One from heaven stooped down in human form. Who has ever witnessed a sinner favored by God? Who has ever seen a judge show kindness to the defendant? Who has ever experienced an accused person being embraced? Meanwhile, God calls out, as He once did to Israel, “My people, what have I done to you, and what have I burdened you with?” (Micah 6:3). And this same situation recurs, as it becomes customary to be overcome by the Father of bountiful gifts and the God of all consolation.

However, this prodigal son was not content with merely a meeting with his Father; even in his genuine acts of repentance, the gravity of his sins rendered him uneasy with such great compassion. Thus, he framed his thoughts appropriately when confronting his Father: “Father, if it is permissible for me to refer to you as Father, if calling you Father does not increase my guilt before you, if I do not offend you with this grave title, if my conscience does not render me mute, if the burden of my sins does not bind my tongue, if my previous life does not hinder me; accept this plea, O holy Father, from my unclean lips! Father of grace and Creator by nature, regard the parable of the prodigal son.” If you indeed repent in such a manner, if such confession arises from your heart, behold, the heavenly Father hastens to you while you are still far away, with your spirit clinging to the garments of your soul.

on the neck’ of the son, indicating that the one who had once been disobedient has now turned to obedience, and “kissed him,” representing reconciliation and sanctifying the lips of the one who had previously defiled himself, as if it were a sacred entryway, through which sanctification is conveyed inwardly.

Just as John rested on the chest of Jesus (John 13), sharing in His divine mysteries, the Lord graciously bestowed upon the younger son His light yoke, represented by His gentle commandments. He drew him close, aligning with the prayer of the Church in the Song of Songs about the coming of the bridegroom: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (Song of Songs 1:1), expressing the desire for direct communion rather than through Moses or the prophets—let Him receive my body personally and embrace me in the flesh. We can relate this thought to what is stated in Isaiah: “If you seek, seek, and dwell with me in the oak” (Isaiah 21:12 in the LXX). In this passage, the mourning Church is instructed to cry out from Seir—a term meaning brazen and bearded, symbolizing the ancient dread of the Gentiles. In turn, the Church responds with a similar metaphor, declaring, “I am black and beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 1:4).

As you contemplate within the depths of your soul, He comes forth to meet you. You may be distant, yet He perceives you and rushes toward you. He knows your heart; He approaches quickly, ensuring that nothing can hinder you, and He envelops you. His readiness to meet you reveals His divine foreknowledge; His embrace is the kindness and warmth of a father’s love. The Father encircles the fallen human by the neck, lifting him up from his state of sin and redirecting him from earthly matters back to heaven, that he may rediscover his Creator. Christ encircles your neck to release you from the yoke of bondage and to bestow upon you a lighter burden (Matthew 11:30). He may have taken hold of John's neck while he reclined at Jesus' side (See Jn. 13:23; Jn. 21:20), and John perceived the Word with God (Jn. 1:1) because he ascended to the heights. He embraces the neck when He invites, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and I will give you rest; take My yoke upon you" (Matt. 11:28-29). He likewise embraces you when you turn to Him.

Out of overwhelming joy, He didn’t wait for his son to reach him but actively went to meet him; indeed, He ran, reflecting the depth of His emotions, and embraced him, affirming that all sin had been forgiven, welcoming him with a kiss as a son who, prior to repentance, had been lost and unworthy. Oh, what a marvelous reconciliation! What can I say about the indescribable love of God? As I contemplate this vast depth, my words fail me, and I am left speechless. Yet, I can proclaim with clarity that repentance brings forth tremendous possibilities, drawing the compassion of our God, who is ever eager to lean toward us. He acts in a way that is uniquely relatable to humanity, demonstrating His compassion and reconciliation, for even at the outset of the parable, He is depicted as a man.

Let us approach the Father of everlasting life, the Source of all that is good, walking along the path of virtues toward life; there we will encounter Him coming to meet us, granting us remission of our sins, a token of immortality, and a promise of our future inheritance. Likewise, we learn from the Savior that during his time in the land of passions, the prodigal son, despite contemplating and articulating thoughts of repentance, drew no benefit until he abandoned those sinful ways and returned to the Father. Once he received what surpassed his hopes, he remained humble for the rest of his life, living virtuously and righteously while preserving the renewed grace within him. May we too seek and maintain that unblemished grace, so in the age to come we may rejoice together with the redeemed prodigal son in the New Jerusalem, the Mother of all whom God has given life, the Church of the firstborn, in Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever. Amen."

It is sufficient for a sinner to regain awareness, reflect on their past actions, acknowledge their transgressions, and remember the mercy of God in repentance—even if it is under compulsion—to declare: I will return to my Father, and indeed make that journey; and the Compassionate Lord will willingly receive His wayward child, who was once lost and is now restored. The narratives of the lost sheep and the lost coin illustrate God's grace toward individuals who have inadvertently wandered from the path of righteousness. Such souls are not entirely forsaken, nor have they strayed beyond the reach of the Kingdom of God; there remains hope for their return. Thus, the Lord approaches them, often through trials that awaken their awareness, prompting them to repent and return to the rightful way. When they come back to the fold of Christ, He does not chastise them for their wanderings but greets them with delight. The story of the prodigal son highlights God's grace towards the sinner who has willingly chosen a sinful and indulgent lifestyle, seeking pleasure in it. However, upon facing ruin, this sinner recalled God and returned to his Father in contrition, and God joyfully embraced and forgave such a wayward son. The love of a father, even for a wayward son, fills the heart of the Father with joy at the recovery of the lost, the revival of the once dead. These dual feelings—love and joy—erase any consideration of punishment or retribution; they pave the way to complete forgiveness and the total erasure of past wrongs.

But the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'" He intended to add a pre-prepared plea: "Make me like one of your hired servants”; however, his father did not permit him to finish. Instead, he immediately commanded that the finest clothes be brought and adorned him, providing shoes and a ring. He then instructed that a choice calf be slain for a celebratory feast, rejoicing with his family over his son, who for him "was dead and is alive again; was lost and is found."