The Fatted Calf and the Golden Calf

Two calves stand at opposite ends of the Bible's story of sin and grace. At Sinai, while Moses was on the mountain, Aaron fashioned 'a molten calf' from the people's gold, and they said, 'These be thy gods, O Israel' - an image of a young bull worshipped in place of the living God. Centuries later Jesus told of a father who, when his lost son came home, said, 'bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.' A calf fattened for a feast was the finest meal a household could offer, as when Abraham served one to his visitors at Mamre. One calf provoked God's anger; the other celebrated a sinner's return.

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Strongest connections in Scripture

Exodus 32 Luke 15

Key Passages

The Golden Calf

Exodus 32:1-4

Impatient for Moses, Israel turns to an idol made with their own hands and credits it with their rescue from Egypt.

A¹nd when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

² And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. ³ And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. ⁴ And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Bring Hither the Fatted Calf

Luke 15:20-24

The father runs to meet his returning son and throws a feast, a picture of God's joy over one sinner who repents.

A²⁰nd he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

²¹ And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. ²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.