The Prodigal Son

Find an Artist’s Depiction of some moment in the Gospels. Relate it to a Gospel text. In written Form, state which text in which gospel (or gospels) the scene reflects, highlighting the elements of the text that the artist emphasizes and the elements he or she omits. Do you think the artist’s depiction expresses the meaning of the text well?

The Father 5

The Elder Son 5

Elements Omitted 6

Conclusion 7

Endnotes 7

Bibliography 8

The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-32

Introduction

The story of The Prodigal Son, is one of the greatest ever told. It never grows old, never fails to charm and never ceases to illuminate the greatness of our God. It is a storey of grace, forgiveness and restoration.

The entire chapter 15 of Luke is about lost things. The trilogy of the lost Sheep, Coin and Son have one commonality, which is the seeking nature of our God. The major theme of Luke 15:11-32 is not the prodigal son, but the marvellous father of the prodigal son.

In the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, hangs Rembrandt Harmenson van Rijn’s beautiful paining, The Return Of The Prodigal Son.

[pic] [i]

Rembrandt was born in 1606 and is one of the few men or women in history recognizable from just his first name.

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His earlier paintings of The Return of The Prodigal Son, do not have the same appeal nor do they display how the “master artist reveals a depth of understanding of this parable that is both spiritual and psychological. You can understand the concepts of love, relationship, guilt, motivation, pride, jealousy, repentance and forgiveness through the study”[ii] of his later painting. “In the later rendition, the importance of the son is overshadowed by the love of the father”.[iii]

[pic] [pic] [iv]

The Younger Son

Rembrandt displays the younger son with a graphic picture of total degradation which the young man had fallen...