The Parable of the Lost Son(s)
Whenever we read in the Scriptures about Jesus getting angry, there's usually a Pharisee or a religious person, trying to block people from having access to God. Nothing made Jesus angrier than the behavior of religious people. Though he was blunt and sometimes harsh with them, Jesus' genuinely loved them and tried over and over again to open their eyes to the truth. Thankfully, He's still doing that today.
In Luke 15, Jesus responds to accusations from the Pharisees that he welcomes and eats with sinners. He shares three parables to illustrate the heart of God for all those who are lost. The first parable is about a lost sheep, and the second a lost coin. These stories are similar in that what is lost is sought after, found, and restored, then there's a celebration.
The third parable is different, and it's the main one Jesus uses to address the wrong attitude of the religious leaders.
He tells them that there was a man who had two sons. The younger son tells his father he wants his portion of the inheritance. The problem with his request is that this just wasn't done. The father would generally pass on the family wealth after he could no longer manage it himself or die, so for a son to make this request was similar to wishing his father dead.
Remarkably, the father divides the estate and gives the younger son his portion. The son takes his inheritance not long after, goes to a far-off city, and spends it all on reckless living. After he runs out of money, a severe famine hits the country and he's forced to work so that he can eat. The work isn't enough to satisfy even his basic needs, and that's when he realizes his mistake. He knows he's sinned against his father, wasted his inheritance, and that he doesn't deserve to be welcomed home as a son. So he decides to go back and ask his father to take him on as a servant.
He rehearses his speech as he heads toward home. The father sees him and runs out to meet him as he approaches. The son confesses his sin to his father, but that's as far as he gets. The father embraces him and starts giving orders to his servants. "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:22-24 ESV)
If the story ended here, we could reason that the point of the story is to reveal how grace-filled and forgiving God, who is represented by the father in the parable, truly is - to show the Pharisees that God was different than what they believed, that because of his love and grace, no matter how much we mess up, no matter how grave the sin we commit, God is able and willing to take everyone back. Although this is true and part of the story, it isn't its main point.
This story is about two sons. So far, we've learned a lot about the younger, and now is when we learn about the older son and Jesus' purpose for this parable.
The older son didn't leave after the estate was divided; he stayed. He worked and took care of everything and remained obedient to his father. When he comes home and hears about the celebration for his brother's return, he becomes angry and refuses to go in. His absence would be missed by those at the feast, which more than likely included friends and neighbors of the family. His refusal shows a lack of respect for his father, and he was aware that this would be an embarrassment to him.
The father goes out to him when the he is told that the elder brother is not coming in. He begs him to come in, but he's indignant. In his anger he reveals his true feelings. 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. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' (Luke 15:29-30 ESV)
In a short yet revealing statement, the elder brother admits that his obedience and service to his father were done with ulterior motives. Like his younger brother, he didn't want his father; he wanted what the father had, his wealth. When the arrival of his brother threatened that plan, and the father accepted the prodigal son back, he was furious.
Why is the elder son so angry with his father? His justification is that his obedience has earned him the right to tell his father who to accept and how to deploy his resources. Religious people do the same thing. They believe that by living moral lives, God owes them. Therefore, they should be respected and honored and have a good life without hardships and trouble. When things don't go their way, they express their anger and displeasure with God.
Despite the many things we can draw from this parable, we cannot lose sight of the main point Jesus is making. Both brothers sinned against their father. Because of their selfish desires, they failed to love and honor their father. Instead, one directly and the other indirectly, leverage the relationship to gain his wealth. I confess there have been numerous times in my life when I acted like both of these brothers. My motives were selfish, and I desired to control my own life.
What's shocking and should trouble every one of us who confess Christ as Lord is the older brother's response because, in many ways, his behavior mirrors our own.
While the younger, prodigal brother repented of his sin, there is no repentance for the older, self-righteous brother, just firm defiance. He will not partake in the celebration. He's done his part. He's obeyed the father and followed every rule. As far as he's concerned, he's earned his position and the father owes him. The only course of action he'll accept is the father's rejection of his younger brother.
This was the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisees and what each of us must guard against. There's no amount of good you can do and no amount of righteousness you can possess to have God indebted to you - and why would you want to? It is a cheap substitute to settle for God's creations and miss out on God himself. Yet, many religious people settle for it. There's only one acceptable response, that of the prodigal son; repent, submit, and pursue God, not the things He can give you.
For Further Reading:
Better Stewardship Through Better Planning
Overcoming the Emotional Impulse to Spend
Giving Tuesday: An Opportunity to Experience the Blessing of Giving
. . .
If you're a pastor or spiritual leader, consider joining our CSN community. We are a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people with God's financial principles so they can live purpose-filled and generous lives. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content from CSN directly to your inbox!