Last week I saw a meme on Facebook regarding the Parable of the Prodigal Son that read, “Jesus gave us the parable of the Prodigal Son to make this point... Never mind what you have done, it’s time to come home.”

The parable of the Prodigal Son is a very beautiful story. It is sometimes referred to as “the gospel within the gospel.” It tells of a father’s unending love for his wayward son. The parable is a message of mercy and forgiveness that appeals to anyone who has sinned against God. It doesn’t matter how far away we have wandered, how low we have sunk into the mire of sin, we can always repent and be welcomed back home.

My problem is not with the sentiment of the meme, but with the statement, “Jesus gave us this parable to make this point...”

If one will take the time to read Luke 15 (the chapter that contains this parable), they will discover the reason the parable was given. The chapter begins with these words: “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So He spoke this parable to them, saying” (Luke 15:1-3). Jesus then gives the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost (Prodigal) Son.

These parables were not given to tell sinners to return to the Lord. These parables were given to rebuke those who didn’t like the fact that the Lord receives sinners. The parable of the Prodigal Son isn’t about the lost son, it’s about the older son who refused to welcome his brother back home.

What’s the point? It is good to read and share memes on social media that promote Jesus and Scripture, but let’s be careful that we aren’t passing along something that isn’t entirely true. Many important truths are taught in a beautiful way through the parable of the Prodigal Son, but the Bible is very clear regarding why the Lord gave the parable.

Let’s get our facts regarding the Bible from the Bible and not from social media.