What does the son's request in Luke 15:12 reveal about his heart's condition? Context of the Request Jesus sets the parable in a first-century world where a father’s estate would normally be settled after his death. By asking early, the younger son upends every social and moral expectation. Text of Luke 15:12 “The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.” Indicators of the Son’s Heart • Self-focused entitlement – He treats the inheritance as a right, not a gift. – Romans 3:18: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” • Impatience with the father’s timing – Proverbs 19:2: “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever hurries his footsteps misses the way.” • Rejection of authority – Essentially saying, “I wish you were dead.” – Ephesians 6:2 highlights the command to honor father and mother, which he violates. • Worldly appetite – He wants resources for self-indulgence, not stewardship. – 1 John 2:16 lists “the craving of the flesh, the craving of the eyes, and the pride of life.” • Spiritual blindness – Ephesians 2:1-3 describes those “dead in trespasses,” following “the desires of the flesh and of the mind.” • Breakdown of relationship – The son values possessions over presence; gifts over giver. – Isaiah 1:2 shows Israel doing likewise: “Sons I have raised and reared, but they have rebelled against Me.” Supporting Biblical Insights • James 4:1-3 links selfish desires to conflict with both God and others. • Proverbs 30:8-9 warns that abundance without gratitude can lead to disowning the Lord. • Psalm 73:7 describes eyes “swollen with imaginations,” capturing the son’s covetous vision. Takeaway for Today The request lays bare a heart that is: 1. Unsubmitted to fatherly authority. 2. Consumed by immediate gratification. 3. Blind to the relational riches already available. Only after hitting the far country does the son awaken to his need for the father’s grace—a pattern still witnessed whenever repentance follows rebellion. |
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