The Prodigal Son and his Brother

 

You have probably heard of the “prodigal son” from somewhere. He originates in a parable told by Jesus in Luke 15:11-32.   In the story, he abandons his father and demands his full inheritance at once (which was unheard of in that time and culture). He then goes on to waste it all away on “reckless living” in a far away land. 

The prodigal son represented the "tax collectors and sinners" that were listening to Jesus at the time. These folks were the marginalized in society. 

But Jesus starts this parable off by saying, “There was a man who had two sons.”  That’s right, the prodigal son had an older brother and that brother plays just as important a role in the story.

'The Return of the Prodigal Son' by Rembrandt.
Notice the younger brother collapsed in utter humility while
the older brother (on the right) looks on in disdain. 

You see, this parable is about two ways to be lost and one way to be found. The prodigal son shows us the first way to be lost – through reckless living and rebellion toward God (who is played by the father in this lesson). This way is often obvious to other people but there is a second way to miss God entirely and be lost.

Enter the older brother. The younger brother finally returns home and is overwhelmed by his father’s gracious and joyous welcome. But the older brother is miffed. He resents his little brother and the party that his father is throwing for his return. 

Luke tells us that he says to his father, “‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.”

The older brother represents the Pharisees who were listening to Jesus tell this parable. They were the religious leaders of the day but in their hearts, they had wandered far from God. They had an appearance of righteousness but their hearts were full of sin and pride, judgment and resentment. 

They thought they could earn their way into heaven with law keeping and good deeds. They thought that they deserved what could only be freely given. This is the second way to be lost.

So we see two ways to be lost.  What is the way to be found?  The Gospel of Jesus. The gospel tells us that no sin is too great to be forgiven (i.e. the younger brother). It always tells us that no good deed is great enough to earn forgiveness (i.e. the older brother). 

Only Jesus’ substitutionary death and resurrection can bestow the kind of forgiveness we need. And we can only receive that personally by humility and faith. 

Whatever “brother” we are – let’s comes back to the Father through Jesus. 

*This blog was inspired by Timothy Keller's "The Prodigal God" - a very worthwhile read.