15:31 Son. The word here is the word for “child,” in contrast to the other occurrences of “son” in the parable, where Luke uses the word meaning a full-grown son (Luke 15:19,21,24,25,30). Yet this son was the eldest son. Perhaps the father meant it as a term of endearment. More likely, since Jesus intended to reflect the attitude of the Pharisees in the attitude of this elder son, He placed it on the father’s lips to indicate that this son was acting childishly, with anger and selfishness instead of gladness and thankfulness. The Pharisees, with all their dignity and self-righteousness, were actually behaving like spoiled children!