Parable of the Prodigal Son

E28696

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a well-known New Testament story told by Jesus that illustrates themes of repentance, forgiveness, and the boundless mercy of a loving father toward his wayward son.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Christian scripture passage
New Testament narrative
biblical parable
teaching of Jesus
attributedToSpeaker Jesus of Nazareth
belongsToTradition Christianity
emphasizes joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
hasAlternateName Parable of the Lost Son
Parable of the Loving Father
Parable of the Two Sons
hasCanonicalLocation Gospel of Luke
hasCanonicalReference Luke 15:11–32
hasCharacter father
older son
younger son
hasInfluenceOn Christian art
Christian hymnody
Christian preaching
Western literature
hasLanguageOfComposition Koine Greek
hasLiteraryForm didactic story
hasNotableArtDepiction The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt
hasPlotElement father orders a celebratory feast
father runs to meet returning son
older son resents the celebration
younger son asks for inheritance
younger son decides to return to his father
younger son experiences famine and poverty
younger son squanders wealth in a distant country
hasPrimaryTheme divine mercy
forgiveness
grace
joy over the repentant sinner
reconciliation
repentance
hasSetting household of a wealthy man
isAddressedTo Pharisees and scribes
tax collectors and sinners
isFrequentlyInterpretedAs allegory of salvation
illustration of unconditional love
isNarrativelyGroupedWith Parable of the Lost Coin
Parable of the Lost Sheep
isOftenReadInContextOf Lenten season in many churches
isPartOf Luke 15 parables of lost things
symbolizes God as merciful father
self-righteous attitude of some religious people
sinner who repents
teaches God welcomes repentant sinners
forgiveness should be generous
restoration rather than mere tolerance

Referenced by (7)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Parable of the Prodigal Son ("Parable of the Lost Son")
Parable of the Prodigal Son ("Parable of the Two Sons")
Parable of the Prodigal Son ("Parable of the Loving Father")
hasAlternateName
Rembrandt and Saskia in the Parable of the Prodigal Son ("parable of the prodigal son")
The Return of the Prodigal Son
depicts
Rembrandt and Saskia in the Parable of the Prodigal Son ("Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Gospel of Luke")
basedOn
Gospel of Luke
contains

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