Where is the story taking place? O A. a train station
OB. a car
OC. an airport
OD
a bus
Summer had just begun, and the temperature was
already in the nineties. Today was like any other day,
except warmer. John threw his bag onto the seat, stuck the
key into the ignition, and stepped on the gas. He took the
ramp onto the freeway and slowly edged his way into
lanes. He tried his tricks of weaving in and out of traffic to
get ahead, but nothing ever made the arduous task of
getting to work any easier. He detested the Jersey City
Subway for its crowds. Although on time, the trains were
always too crowded for his taste. The unending pushing
and jostling for space annoyed him. He preferred his car to
the subway any day.

11-32. the main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of god. in telling the story, jesus identifies himself with god in his loving attitude to the lost. the younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day, luke 15: 1), and the elder brother represents the self-righteous (the pharisees and teachers of the law of that day, luke 15: 2). the major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner, as in the previous two parables of luke 15, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the father. in the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost (luke 15: 1-10), whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son's return. we see a progression through the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred (luke 15: 1-7), to one in ten (luke 15: 8-10), to one in one (luke 15: 11-32), demonstrating god’s love for each individual and his personal attentiveness towards all humanity. we see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance (romans 2: 4).