And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
What does Luke 15:15 mean?
The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Luke 15:11-15 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Luke 15:15
Joined himself - Entered the service of that citizen. Hired himself out to him. It would seem that he engaged to do any kind of work, even of the lowest kind. A citizen - One of the inhabitants of one of the cities or towns of that region, probably a man of property. Into the fields - Out of the city where the owner lived. To feed swine - This was a very low employment, and particularly so to a "Jew." It was forbidden to the Jews to eat swine, and of course it was unlawful to keep them. To be compelled, therefore, to engage in such an employment was the deepest conceivable degradation.
Key words
- pharisaical
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pharisaical.
- pharisaical
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pharisaical.
Context in Luke 15
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Luke 15 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as journey to Jerusalem. Luke emphasizes salvation for the poor and the outsider, prayer, joy, women, table fellowship, the Holy Spirit, and the universal reach of Christ’s mission. Read this chapter with the wider themes of salvation, Spirit, and prayer in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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