In August I have read through Luke’s gospel, which includes the Prodigal Son parable, and jotted down a couple of thoughts about it. First, how brilliant, beautiful, reassuring, and unique is the notion that God is especially concerned about the lost! Second, note that both the elder and younger sons in the parable leave a field for their father’s house — but with very different heart postures. One is humble and contrite, the other prideful and resentful.
Speaking of Luke, there’s also statement of the Golden Rule there (at 6:31; see also Matthew 7:12). Now, the Golden Rule is very close to the second great commandment, that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Both are elegant and brilliant summaries of — along with the first great commandment, to love God — all the law and the prophets. As I’ve noted elsewhere, Jesus’ constant and seemingly effortless brilliance is some evidence of His divinity, is it not? (To be sure, at least a negative version — sometimes called the “Silver Rule” — is found in non-Christian religions, but (a) the Golden version is more demanding, and (b) the presence of occasional human insight does not rebut how remarkable Jesus’ consistent brilliance is.)