Luke 15:28 Meaning and Explanation
“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The elder son is angry and refuses to go in — so the father comes out and pleads with him.
What Does Luke 15:28 Mean?
Anger plants the elder son outside the door: he "would not go in." Then comes the verse's wonder. The father leaves the feast — leaves the recovered son, the guests, the music — and comes out to plead with the angry one. It is the second time this father has gone out to meet a son.
He ran to the returning sinner; he walks out to the resentful worker; he leaves no son unsought. This is the parable's tenderest word to the murmuring Pharisees: in Jesus' story they are not condemned at the door but entreated at it. God's heart toward the bitter and the dutiful is not exasperation; it is invitation. Whether the entreaty is answered, the story will leave open. The father, for his part, is already outside.
Luke 15:28 in the Original Language
parakaleo (παρακαλέω), 'intreated' -- to call alongside, to plead with and console; the father begs rather than commands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 15:28
What does Luke 15:28 mean?
The elder son is angry and refuses to go in — so the father comes out and pleads with him.