Section 11
is signified by the father's house here? Chris tians may interpret the father's house as sig nifying a heavenly mansion. According to this interpretation, when a sinner repents and comes back to God, one day God will receive him into a heavenly mansion. This understanding of the father's house is not logical. It is not logical to say that we have come back to the Father and He has received us and yet we are still not in His house. Where, then, are we? Luke indicates in this parable that the prodigal son was received into the house immediately after he returned, and in the house there was a place to prepare food and a place to dine.
The father's house in the parable does not refer to heaven. If this house signifies heaven, then where are we who have been saved and who have been received by the Father, since we are not yet in heaven? Actually, the father's house here should signify the church.
The word "church" is not mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. But in at least two parables there are hints pointing to the church. In the parable of the good Samaritan recorded in chapter ten, the "inn" signifies the church. In the parable of the loving father recorded in chapter fifteen, the father's house signifies the church. While we are