Luke
15 contains three parables – The Parable of the Lost Sheep (vs 1-7), The
Parable of the Lost Coin (vs 8-10), and The Parable of the Lost Son (vs 11-32).
The
Parable of the Lost Son, often known as the Prodigal Son, should more
accurately be called the Parable of the Lost Sons. There were two sons in this
parable that were lost. The younger son was lost outside his father’s house,
while the elder son was lost inside the house.
The
parable begins with the younger son asking his father for his share of the
estate. Upon receiving it, he travelled to a distant country and wasted all his
money in extravagant living. A famine hit the land. He became desperately poor
and was forced to take work as a swineherd. When he reached the point of
envying the food of the pigs he was watching, he finally came to his senses. He
realised his foolishness and decided to make his way home to his father.
He
arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw
him, and was moved with compassion, and ran towards him, and fell on his neck,
and kissed him. He made a feast celebrating his son’s return.
The
elder son, who was at work in the fields, heard the sound of celebration, was
told that his younger brother had returned. He was not impressed. He was not
happy. He was angry. He also had an earful for his father: "Behold,
these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of
yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him." I find it interesting that the
elder son is not as mad at his brother as he is with his father.
Why
did Jesus tell this parable? The context shows the Pharisees and Scribes were
accusing Jesus of welcoming and eating with the publicans and sinners (vs 2).
The Pharisees and Scribes were not fond of Jesus. But the publicans and sinners
were drawn to Jesus and were crowding around to listen to His teachings (vs 1).
Jesus
was addressing the parable to the Pharisees and Scribes. The younger son
represents the publicans and sinners who returned to God gladly. The elder son
represents the Scribes and Pharisees who did not think they need repentance
because they did not leave God.
The
elder son serves as a warning against self-righteousness rooted in pride. He
was consumed by anger when he saw his sibling being welcomed with love instead
of being condemned. In his mind, his younger brother was a sinner and he
deserved no mercy.
Christ
never shunned the sinners. He dined with them. He embraced them. He forgave
them. He loved them. He expects the same of us: “For if ye forgive men their
trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”
(Matthew 6:14, 15).
We
often declare that we need to love the sinner and hate the sin. But when the
sinner repents and asks for our forgiveness we are not that forgiving but
continue to remember his past sins. When we withhold mercy, we sin against our
Heavenly Father, just as the elder son sinned against his own father when he
refused to forgive his brother. If we truly believe that no one is beyond
redemption, then who are we to refuse our brother the opportunity for
reconciliation? “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth
God love his brother also” (1 John 4:21).
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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