For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
What does Luke 15:24 mean?
Having viewed the prodigal in his abject state of misery, we are next to consider his recovery from it. This begins by his coming to himself.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Luke 15:23-27 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Luke 15:24
And they began to be merry. Was dead - This is capable of two significations: 1. "I supposed" that he was dead, but I know now that he is alive. 2. He was "dead to virtue" - he was sunk in pleasure and vice. The word is not unfrequently thus used. See 1 Timothy 5:6 ; Matthew 8:22 ; Romans 6:13 . Hence, to be restored to "virtue" is said to be restored again to life, Romans 6:13 ; Revelation 3:1 ; Ephesians 2:1 . It is probable that this latter is the meaning here. See Luke 15:32 . Was lost - Had wandered away from home, and we knew not where he was.
Key words
- dead
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For this my son was dead,.
- began
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And they began to be merry.
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.
Related topics
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