Luke 15:15
ESV
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
NIV
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
NASB
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
CSB
Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
NLT
He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs.
KJV
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
NKJV
Then 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 prodigal—wastefully spending (Luke 15:13)—son took the inheritance meant to build his family and fled to a foreign land. The money went to various obscene pleasures (Luke 15:30) which provided no joy and no lasting future. Shortly after he realizes his money is gone, a severe famine descends upon his new home. Instead of paying to experience pleasure, he's reduced to menial labor in the hopes of earning enough to survive (Luke 15:11–14).The son replaced the yoke that was easy and light (Matthew 11:30) for the boot of an oppressor. Like all of us, at times, he is seduced by the mirage of freedom which surrounds sin. Sin tempts us to become a slave to those who use us, rather than remaining children of a loving father, because it deceptively feels "freer" (Romans 6:16; James 1:14–18).
Pigs are not as unsanitary as portrayed in popular culture. However, they love rolling in mud, will eat almost anything, and their dung is arguably the most foul-smelling of typical barnyard animals. Worse, for the young man in this parable, they are ceremonially unclean for a Jew. The son of a wealthy Jewish landowner finds himself feeding animals his culture finds repulsive. Even worse, he grows to be jealous of despised swine: wishing he were one of them because at least then he'd get food (Luke 15:16).
Pharisees have criticized Jesus for associating with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 15:1–2). They see Jesus' friends much like the younger son: Jews who have rejected the dignified title of God's chosen people for the transitory and unclean "blessings" of the world. Jesus sees the sinners as lost. Like the older brother, the Pharisees follow the letter of the law, but they do not know their Father's heart. They don't understand their Father is inviting them to join Him in celebration when the lost are found and the spiritually dead find life (Luke 15:31–32).
Luke 15:11–32 records the famous parable of the prodigal son. To be "prodigal" is to be wastefully extravagant. Jesus is speaking to Pharisees who condemn His association with sinners. His point is that God seeks sinners so they can be saved (Luke 15:1–10). In this parable, Jesus presses others to join God's celebration over the return of repentant sinners. This is one of the most detailed and developed parables in the Bible, almost on the level of allegory, and is unique to Luke. Next, Jesus teaches how the lives of Christ-followers should differ from those in the world (Luke 16:1—17:10).
To answer criticisms that He associates with sinners, Jesus tells three parables. A shepherd leaves ninety-nine sheep to rescue a single lost member. A woman searches diligently to locate a lost coin. A father eagerly forgives his wayward son when the young man returns in humility and repentance. All these lead to celebration. In the same way, Jesus teaches that God cares about restoring those who have fallen, and we should mirror His joy whenever that happens.
