Luke 15:25 Meaning and Explanation
“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The elder son, coming in from the field, hears music and dancing — a celebration he knew nothing about.
What Does Luke 15:25 Mean?
Now the story turns to the second son. The elder is where he always is — in the field, working. As he nears the house he hears what his father's home sounds like when a lost child returns: music and dancing, a joy he did not plan and was not consulted about.
The detail is quiet and devastating: he learns of his brother's return from outside the house, by the sound of someone else's gladness. It is possible to drift as far from a father's heart across a field as down a road to a far country — so far that the noise of grace comes as a surprise instead of a homecoming. The verse leaves its question with every long-faithful worker: when mercy strikes up the music, is it our music too?
Luke 15:25 in the Original Language
symphonia (συμφωνία), 'musick' -- a sounding together of instruments; the word behind our symphony.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 15:25
What does Luke 15:25 mean?
The elder son, coming in from the field, hears music and dancing — a celebration he knew nothing about.