Luke 15:11-24

The parable before us is one of three parables which Jesus spoke to an audience of publicans and sinners (v. 1). While all have sinned and come short, publicans were viewed as sinning far more and falling far, far shorter than most. They were commonly regarded as greedy individuals who preyed upon their fellow countrymen by exacting more taxes than required. There were reasons why that the sinners who sat to eat with…