by Jen | Sep 16, 2025 | 11-32, DISO studies, Luke 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again. I have so much to share this week, so let’s get to it!
Last Week’s Work
WRITING TYPES
At first, I thought this text is narrative, since that’s the overall type (per Luke 1:1-3, it’s an orderly account of the things that have been accomplished…). But from the literal context of this story, the author reports the speaker (Jesus per Luke 14:2) told … this parable. Until now, I didn’t notice Luke refers to the remainder of this chapter as just one parable! That means, I think, all three stories about a lost sheep (vv4-7), a lost coin (vv8-10), and a lost son (vv11-32) were meant to convey a single lesson. Therefore, I believe all of Luke 15 is instructional text, to be interpreted metaphorically.
LITERAL CONTEXT
Our goal in Step 4 is to correctly understand the message the original author intended for his original audience, and Luke literally identifies all of them! He wrote to someone named Theophilus (Greek for friend of God per blb.org). But the author of the parable is Jesus (Luke 14:2) who spoke it directly to grumbling Pharisees and scribes (Luke 15:2-3). Above, I theorized chapter 15 was intended to be one lesson, so I think this passage should be interpreted with the stories of the lost sheep and lost coin. In those tales, an owner loses one of many (one hundred sheep, ten coins), works hard to locate it, and celebrates when it’s found. While the prodigal’s father doesn’t go searching for him as the others did their lost items, I think, based on v20, his father was looking for him when he returned.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
According to the ESV Global Study Bible, Luke wrote this book about AD 62. He was a physician and traveling companion of Paul. The writing is addressed directly to Theophilus, and shared with other mostly Gentile Christians. From biblehub.com I learned the original audience for the parable, the Pharisees, were a group of Jewish men who were strict observers of Hebrew law and tradition. They often opposed Jesus’s teachings, especially on purity and righteousness. Scribes were experts who taught and interpreted Jewish law, who also disagreed with Jesus over the law.
INTERLINEAR RESEARCH
I felt most directed to research the conditions dead, alive, lost, and especially found in vv24 and 32:
- Dead (G3498 nekros). According to the HELPS Word-studies section of biblehub.com, this means what lacks life, it’s figuratively dead and unresponsive to life-giving influences, inoperative to the things of God. The same word is used in both verses.
- Alive (G326 anezēsen). Per Strong’s, this word in v24 refers to resurrection, or recovering life literally or figuratively. Thayer’s indicates it’s about being restored to a correct life or returningto a better moral state. This is how the father described the prodigal to his servants. Interestingly, this word isn’t the same as the one he used with the older son (v32), see last bullet, below.
- Lost (G622 apollumi). The Topical Lexicon indicates this meant helplessness. Referring to all three stories in Luke 15, it emphasizes (1) sinners’ inability to help themselves, (2) the sacrifices the seekers made to recover what was lost, and (3) their joy when the lost are restored. Strong’s mentions its use in Luke 15:4 (and similarly in Matthew 18:12) as metaphorically referring to the concern that Israel has been neglected by its religious leaders (the audience here!) and could lose eternal salvation.
- Found (G2147 heurethē). From the Topical Lexicon, Luke 15 illustrates salvation doesn’t originate in any human achievement, but by God’s initiative: His grace is what leads to redemption.
- Alive (G2198 ezēsen). In v32, the HELPS Word-studies section of biblehub.com defines this as to live, experience God’s gift of life, and Thayer’s explains it as moving out of moral death into new life, dedicated and acceptable to God. As I researched this, I remembered Jesus’s statement to Nicodemus about being born again to Nicodemus (a Pharisee per John 3:1) from earlier this year (John 3:1-21)!
Dig-In Challenges
This week, let’s wrap up the second half of the Refine step by examining cross-references, other translations, and, if you want, checking out one or more commentaries on this passage.
- Pray, of course.
- REFINE: Then consult a concordance or online cross-reference study tool (I’ll be starting at this blb.org page) to find and read through the available cross-references for the verse(s) you’re most interested in and log what the Spirit shows you.
NOTE: to locate your focus verse(s), follow the above link, then use the Previous or Next buttons below the verse text to go to the appropriate verse(s).
- REFINE: Next, compare at least a few other translations of your focuses verses and write about what you find in your study journal. I’ll be comparing ESV, AMP, NIV, and GNT using this biblehub.com page. You can compare your own verses from that link by entering them in the Enter Reference or Keyword box at the top of the page and clicking the spyglass icon there.
- REFINE: Last, I plan to “check” my work against a few commentaries. If you already have a favorite study Bible or commentary, feel free to review it, too. If you don’t, I recommend a couple of websites to explore. If you’re new to the Bible and Bible study, I’d start at bibleref.com, where you can find information about the whole book and this passage. If you’re looking for something with more detail, try checking the commentary section of StudyLight.org. There, you can access verse-by-verse commentaries of Luke 15 by clicking the box for your focus verse, then clicking the name of the commentary listed immediately under the text of the verse you chose. I recommend you click through to more than one commentary before you decide for yourself what works best.
Hope you’ll join me next week!
GO TO WEEK 7 >
by Jen | Sep 9, 2025 | 11-32, DISO studies, Luke 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back!
Last Week’s Work
COMPARISONS
Here’s what the Spirit revealed through comparisons in this text:
- In vv15-17, I noticed the irony of the younger son wishing he could eat what his job demanded he feed the pigs. While they ate well, he had nothing. Even the servants back home had more than enough bread, but he was starving. He realized he couldn’t continue that way.
- In vv19-24, the prodigal returned, telling his father to treat him like a servant, but the father chose to bring him back into the family as a son, clothing and feeding him. In doing so, the father mentions the two contrasting conditions of the son: dead, then alive, and lost, then found (also mentioned in v32).
- In vv28-30, we learn the older son has a much different response to his brother’s return: he’s not welcoming like his father was (vv22-24); he’s angry. He complained the father was celebrating the younger son’s foolishness while he (father) didn’t provide any kind of party for him (the older son).
- By the conclusion of this story, the brothers both seem to morph into different men: the younger one started out like a selfish fool (vv12-13) but eventually shifted his focus to keeping himself alive, which led to humbling himself and going home ready to accept servitude (vv18-19). Meanwhile, the older son originally seemed like the golden child, obediently working hard in the home field, never disobeying his father or celebrating with his friends, etc. (vv25,29). Yet he reacted with anger and self-righteous indignation (v28) to the welcome his brother received.
CAUSES/MOTIVATIONS
I found five cause connections in this text:
- The younger son hired himself to one of the citizens in the far away country (v15) because he began to be in need (v14) after the famine hit.
- In three different places, the celebration is justified:
The father suggested they “eat and celebrate” because his son who was dead and lost is alive and found (vv23-24).
In v27, the servant explained the father killed the fattened calf because the prodigal returned “safe and sound” and
The father explained to the older son the homecoming celebration is appropriate because his brother was dead and lost and is now alive and found (v32).
- In v30, the older brother complained the father killed the fattened calf for the younger brother. I hear the serpent from Genesis 3:4 in his statement: in some sense, it could be argued they were celebrating the brother (though both the father and the servant testify otherwise), just like in some sense, Adam and Eve didn’t physically die (at least not immediately) when they disobeyed the one rule they’d been given. But both arguments are lies!
CONDITIONS/METHODS
At its base, I think this story is totally about the changes in condition summarized in my focus verses: from death to life and from being lost to being found. In the end, the father regained his younger son through a change of heart. I can’t help but think there is a chance the older son might now be the one who is dead and lost
Dig-In Challenges
This week, I’ll start refining my understanding of this passage:
- PRAY. Of course!
- REFINE by skimming the book of Luke to determine which of the following types of writing appears most often in it: instruction, law, letter, narrative, poetry, or prophecy. Then reread Luke 15:11-32 to see what (if any) other types are in use. Note all the types you find on your Scripture study sheet or in your journal. Recognizing writing types helps us determine whether the author intended the text to be interpreted literally or have an alternative meaning the original audience would probably have understood.
- REFINE: Next, research the book’s historical context by referencing an Introduction to the book of Luke. This can be found in most bound Bibles immediately before Luke 1, or by checking out the ESV online. Introductions are written by Bible publishers and provide historical details like who wrote the book, to whom, and when. They often also contain a summary of the book’s content. As you read the intro, note any relevant or interesting facts. Based on what you discover there, how will you interpret Luke 15:11-32?
- REFINE: Last, look up the meaning of a few key words and/or phrases from your study using an interlinear Bible tool. I like Biblehub.com’s Greek tool for this research. To use: Click the blue arrow to the right of the verse citation (“Luke 15:11”) to scroll to the verse containing words you want to review, then click the number in the Strong’s column that corresponds to the English word or phrase you’re researching. Note anything the Spirit highlights in the information provided
This “refining” step is more involved than the “mining” we did earlier, but I encourage you to use these tools and dig as much as you can this week. I pray the Spirit will bless your efforts, my friend!
GO TO WEEK 6 >
by Jen | Sep 2, 2025 | 11-32, DISO studies, Luke 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! I hope you’ve had a chance to praise God this (U.S. Labor Day) week. He was and is and always will be so good to me! Even in my weakness and pain and hard times, He is still so worthy of praise. I can’t stay afraid, or sad, or mad when I’m praising God, so let’s do it all the time, and especially when we’re digging into His Word!
Last Week’s Work
REPETITION
This week, I noticed just two repeated concepts (though there are more, I’m sure). The first, naturally, was the phrase “was dead and is alive, … was lost and is found,” mentioned in vv24, 32 (my study focus!). This change in the son’s condition led directly to the other concept, the celebration spoken of in vv23-25, 29, 32. Many of those verses describe the older brother’s reaction to the father’s “welcome back” party for the wayward son. I’m pretty sure that’s something I should keep in mind going forward in this study.
SPECIAL STATEMENTS
Most of the special statements I noticed were commands beginning with the prodigal’s, “give me [my] share of the property… (v12).” The way this is worded, it certainly seems like the son is not actually commanding but demanding the father relinquish his property. The other statement attributed to him (v19) sounds a bit more like a request, “treat me as one of your hired servants,” as one would expect from a humbled child with nothing but the rags on his back.
The remaining commands appear in vv22-23, spoken by the father to his servants, “bring quickly the best robe,” “put it on him,” “put a ring on his hand,” “[put] shoes on his feet,” and “bring the fattened calf” and “kill it.” These, along with the party mentioned in the last half of the text, give us a really good idea about the father’s reaction to the son’s return. Finally, I think it’s interesting to note the father’s promise to his older son in v31, “all that is mine is yours.” Feels like there’s a nuance there. I hope I have a chance to check into that, too.
LISTS
Like last time, the first list I noticed also contains a sub-list. I labeled it, “the father’s reactions to the son’s return.” He:
- Felt compassion (v20)
- Ran to and embraced the son (v20)
- Kissed the son (v20)
- Ordered his servants:
A – To outfit the son with (1) a robe, (2) a ring, and (3) shoes (v22).
B – To prepare the fattened calf for a celebration (v23).
- Declared the son “alive” and “found” not “dead” and “lost” (vv24,32).
List 2 is “the older son’s reactions to the younger son’s return.”He:
- Got angry (v28).
- Refused to join the party (v28).
- Complained his father hadn’t done anything for him (the loyal son) and rewarded the disloyal one (vv29-30).
Dig-In Challenges
This week, let’s wrap up Step 3 by:
- PRAYING: As always, start with the prayer we wrote for Step 1.
- MINING: Read through the passage again looking for comparisons in or related to your focus verses. Look for similarities using like or as, quantitative/qualitative comparisons using more or less, and/or contrasts.
- MINING: Next, look for causes or motives by focusing on key words or phrases I call cause connectors. In this study text, look for the connectors so (a synonym of therefore), for (a synonym of because), and because. Then check the text surrounding the connector for an action and the reason or explanation for that action. For example: in the sentence,
I went to the store because I was out of milk:
the action = I went to the store because the reason = I was out of milk.
NOTE A: so and for don’t always connect an action and a reason. To determine if they do in this passage, read the sentences containing these words replacing so with therefore and for with because. If the new sentence makes sense and means the same as the original, make a note of the action and its cause.
NOTE B: With most of these connectors, you’ll find the action before the cause connector and the reason after it (like the example above). With so, though, you’ll find the reason before the word so, and the action afterward.
- MINING: Finally, see if you can find any conditions that may have triggered some of the action in this narrative, and/or descriptions of how something was accomplished. For example, does the text say if or when a certain condition exists, some outcome happens (e.g., whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith (Matt 21:22)? Or does the author describe a particular method by which something happens—for example, specific steps taken to achieve something, or more generally by or through attributes or actions (e.g., saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8)? Does the text include any adverbs (-ly words) that describe how action took place?
These exercises are more involved, I know, but I’m confident you can do this with the Holy Spirit! Don’t forget to check your How to Dig Into Scripture Ourselves guide, and you can always reach out to me at [email protected] if you have questions.
GO TO WEEK 5 >
by Jen | Aug 26, 2025 | 11-32, DISO studies, Luke 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Everywhere I look, I see the signs of summer ending and normal church, school, work schedules resuming. Friends, I hope you’re in a church family and looking forward to beginning or returning to an in-person Bible study if you can. It’s so important to surround ourselves with Christian community these days!
Last Week’s Work
MY PERSONAL TREASURE
I felt the Spirit directing my attention to the statement that the younger son was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found (v32). In addition to being repeated (v24), this is also the last statement of the story and the chapter, so I believe it had special significance to the original audience. And it also describes the situation that led to my salvation. Definitely a wow! moment for me!
WHO (CHARACTERS)
- He (v11), this is the man telling this story. I scanned the beginning of Chapter 15 and most of 14 before confirming this is Jesus (Luke 14:3). That search also revealed Pharisees and scribes were the original audience for this story (14:2). And I noticed this is the last of three similar stories Jesus told these men, one featuring a lost sheep (15:1-7), another a lost coin (15:8-10), and our study text, about a lost son (15:11-32). Wow! again!
- Next, the father of two sons (v11) is identified. He apparently owned enough property that each son would have an inheritance (v12). He also had both hired servants (v17) and bondservants (v22).
- The younger son is mentioned next. He demands his share of the property, leaves the country, and recklessly blows through all his assets. When a famine grips that land, he hires himself to a local pig farmer (vv12-15). In the son’s misery, he realizes he’d do better to go home and work for his dad (vv17-19), so he returns, humbly asking to work as a servant (vv20-21).
The father, full of compassion, meets him on the way, and directs the servants to bring clothing and a ring (which I’m pretty sure indicates reunion with the family). The father also orders a celebratory feast (vv20, 22-23).
- Then, the older son comes home from work and discovers the party for his irresponsible brother. In his anger, he refuses to join (vv23-28). When his father comes out to him, he complains he never even got a goat, while his wasteful brother gets the fattened calf (vv28-30). The father reminds him he’s always had access to the calf and everything else, and the celebration is purely about a beloved son returning from being dead and being lost (vv31-32).
WHERE (LOCATIONS)
Though I noted several locations—a far country (v13), the father’s home (vv18, 20, 25), which became the setting for the celebration (v28), and the field (v25)—the one that stands out to me is where the son was when his father saw him and felt compassion. In v20, it says he was still a long way off. I think this detail hints that the father didn’t just happen to glance up and see his son. Instead, he was purposefully looking and hoping his son would return.
WHEN (TIMEFRAMES)
I also noticed several timeframes, but didn’t feel the Spirit calling out any of them specifically. They are:
- Not many days – how long after getting his inheritance the younger son left to squander it (v13).
- The famine in the far country happened when [the younger son] had spent all his inheritance (v14).
- The younger son headed for home when he came to himself (vv17-18). I suspect this means he regretted his prior, foolish decisions.
- The father wanted the servants to fetch the robe, ring, and shoes quickly (vv22-23).
- The older brother realized there was a party going on as he drew near the house (vv25-26), and boy, did the sparks fly!
- The eldest son complained he’d served his father many years (v29) without reward.
- The father said his older son was always with him (v31).
Dig-In Challenges
Here’s my study plan this week:
- PRAY the prayer I wrote last week before I study.
- MINE: Look for repeated words or phrases in this passage and check for synonyms or pronouns that might refer to emphasized concepts, too.
- MINE: Locate any special statements (blessings, commands, curses, prayers, promises, requests, and/or warnings) in the passage.
- MINE: Note any lists (3 or more similar items) mentioned in Luke 15:11-32.
Remember, you can download this printable summary of the DISO process for more specific instructions. I hope you’ll check in with me next week!
GO TO WEEK 4 >
by Jen | Aug 19, 2025 | 11-32, DISO studies, Luke 15
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! Here’s how I felt the Holy Spirit leading me in Steps 1 and 2 this past week:
Last Week’s Work
MY PRAYER
Keeping in mind the model we learned about in our last study, I crafted this:
Father God, You are the highest and best Father of all, and I believe the father in this passage from Luke is patterned after You. Thank You for welcoming us into Your Word. Open our eyes, minds, and hearts to Your Holy Spirit’s leadership, and bless our efforts to see, understand, and apply this text in our lives. I ask this in Jesus’s mighty name. Amen!
HUH? and WOW! MOMENTS
These are my questions and discoveries from surveying the passage:
HUH?s
- Who is the he who tells this story (v11)? To whom? I’m pretty sure Jesus is the storyteller, but I want to remember to verify that and learn about his audience in Step 4.
- The footnote to v15 says, hired himself out to could also mean joined himself to. What are the implications of a Jewish man joining himself to someone from another country?
- How could the father recognize the prodigal son while he was still a long way off (v20)? Maybe because he (the father) was looking hard for him (the son), thinking (hoping?) he’d come back?
- The father describes the son as dead and lost but then that he lives and was found twice (vv24, 32). What might he mean?
WOW!s
- This time, the Holy Spirit directly pointed out it was the man’s younger son (v12) who wanted his inheritance early. I never really noticed that before.
- I think pigs were considered unclean by first century Jews— this son must have been desperately hungry to work with them (vv15-16)!
- At least the son was humbled enough that he didn’t expect his dad to welcome him back as a son (v19).
- And to his credit, he didn’t take advantage of his dad’s joy; he stuck to the terms he’d decided for himself before going home (v21).
- Related to my first wow! above: the father’s reaction is a surprise to me. Didn’t he realize his reaction might (and, in fact, did) alienate the older, loyal son (vv22-24)?
Dig-In Challenges
If you’re studying this passage with me, listen to the Spirit’s guidance this week and choose one of your (or my) Huh? or Wow! topics to dig into more deeply. Going forward, I’ll refer to this as your personal treasure. It can be something you noticed in your study, one of the items I’ve listed above, or anything else the Holy Spirit laid upon your heart about this passage. As the study progresses, we’ll consider everything in the study text but gradually narrow our focus to the verse(s) that prompted that Huh? or Wow! reaction you’ve decided to study.
- PRAY for the Spirit to direct your focus for the remainder of this study. In your journal, record the personal treasure He identifies, along with any verse(s) relating to it from the study text.
- MINE: Read Luke 15:11-32, focusing on the three factors setting the stage for this story. Note anything the Spirit emphasizes about the characters involved, any locations mentioned, and any timeframes discussed.
I hope you’ll check in with me next week!
GO TO WEEK 3 >
