Luke 15:13

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

And {G2532} not {G3756} many {G4183} days {G2250} after {G3326} the younger {G3501} son {G5207} gathered {G4863} all {G537} together {G4863}, and took his journey {G589} into {G1519} a far {G3117} country {G5561}, and {G2532} there {G1563} wasted {G1287} his {G846} substance {G3776} with riotous {G811} living {G2198}.

As soon as he could convert his share into cash, the younger son left home and went off to a distant country, where he squandered his money in reckless living.

After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.

Commentary

Luke 15:13 is a pivotal verse within Jesus' beloved Parable of the Prodigal Son, a story told to illustrate God's profound love and readiness to welcome repentant sinners. This verse describes the younger son's immediate and decisive actions after demanding his inheritance.

Context

In the preceding verses, the younger son has disrespectfully requested his share of the inheritance while his father is still alive—a culturally shocking act akin to wishing his father dead. This parable is part of a trio of parables in Luke 15 (the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son), all emphasizing God's joy over one sinner who repents, directly addressing the Pharisees' grumbling about Jesus associating with "sinners." This verse marks the son's physical and symbolic departure from his father's authority and home.

Key Themes

  • Rebellion and Independence: The son's gathering of "all together" and journey to a "far country" signifies a deliberate break from family, tradition, and paternal guidance. He seeks complete autonomy, free from accountability.
  • Wastefulness and Mismanagement: The phrase "wasted his substance" highlights a profound lack of stewardship. It’s not just about spending money, but squandering resources, opportunities, and blessings given to him.
  • Consequences of Sin: This verse sets the stage for the inevitable downward spiral that results from a life lived without restraint and apart from wisdom, foreshadowing the hardship and destitution that will soon follow.
  • Spiritual Distance: The "far country" is more than a geographical location; it symbolizes a spiritual and relational distance from his father, and by extension, from God.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "riotous living" translates the Greek word asotos (ἄσωτος). This term means "unsaved," "profligate," or "wasteful." It describes someone who lives without restraint, recklessly spending and indulging in sensual pleasures, often leading to ruin. It implies not just excess, but a moral decay and a squandering of life's true value and potential.

Practical Application

Luke 15:13 serves as a timeless warning about the allure of worldly independence and the dangers of living a life of self-indulgence apart from God's wisdom. Many today, like the younger son, desire to escape perceived restrictions and pursue their own desires, only to find that true freedom is not found in unrestrained indulgence but often leads to spiritual and material emptiness. The "far country" can represent any path or lifestyle that distances us from God's will, where our talents, time, and resources are often wasted on fleeting pleasures rather than invested in eternal values. While depicting the son's grave error, this verse also sets the stage for the powerful message of repentance and the father's unconditional love and extravagant forgiveness, which is the ultimate heart of the parable.

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Cross-References

  • Proverbs 29:3 (6 votes)

    ¶ Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth [his] substance.

  • Jeremiah 2:5 (6 votes)

    Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

  • Proverbs 21:17 (6 votes)

    ¶ He that loveth pleasure [shall be] a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

  • Proverbs 23:19 (5 votes)

    ¶ Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

  • Proverbs 23:22 (5 votes)

    Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

  • Proverbs 28:7 (5 votes)

    ¶ Whoso keepeth the law [is] a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous [men] shameth his father.

  • Ecclesiastes 11:9 (5 votes)

    Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these [things] God will bring thee into judgment.