Rethinking the Prodigal Son

The parable of the prodigal son may be the most familiar story Jesus ever told — and one of the most misunderstood. Does the story really end with the younger son’s return, or is the older brother the real focus? Prompted by reading Finally Free by Bryan Wolfmueller, this series slows down and carefully reexamines Luke 15. Rather than devotional impressions, we work verse by verse through the context, structure, and theology of the text, testing common interpretations and applying a disciplined hermeneutical method. The goal is simple: read the parable carefully before we assume we understand it.