"A Look at the Prodigal Son"
Perhaps there is no parable in the Bible more beloved then the story of the Prodigal Son. As George Murray said, "it is the most divinely tender and humanly touching story ever told on earth." Charles Dickens describes it as "the finest short story ever written" and Cosmo Lang wrote, "It is regarded as a mere fragment of human literature, it is an incomparable expression of the patience and generosity with which human love bears with and triumphs over human wilfulness and folly." Therefore, it is little wonder that such a story is included in our textbook. Through this story we see two responses to the youngest son’s repentance; that of jealousy and envy from the eldest son, and that of love and grace from the father.
When reading this story, I couldn’t help but think of William Shakespeare’s words, "The wise man knows himself to be a fool, but the fool thinks he is a wise man." Perhaps, those words could be rephrased to, "The wise man knows when he is lost, understands the source of his homesickness and returns to a father who loves him." These words, without a doubt, define the youngest son. However, the oldest son could be described as a "fool who thinks he is wise" and in his wisdom doesn’t realize he is actually lost. I find it interesting that in this story both sons could be considered "lost." The youngest son came to realize his condition after taking his inheritance, traveling to a far country and wasting it away. On the other hand, the eldest son’s jealousy causes him to be lost; and yet, he doesn’t even realize it.
Many writers tend to focus on the loving, forgiving and gracious character of the father or upon the repentant and penitent youngest son who becomes the recipient of grace. However, we must not overlook the eldest brother, whose jealousy and envy caused him to miss out on the opportunity to express grace and thus experience it himself. Desmond Tutu once wrote, "A jealous person is doubly unhappy - over what he has, which is judged inferior, and over what he has not, which is judged superior. Such a person is doubly removed from knowing the true blessings of grace."
Grace requires a person to be as patient with others as we want others to be with us. It assumes that deep in the heart of every one of us is the desire to be redeemed and for that redemption to bring about a greater good or a transformation. Such was the grace the youngest son hoped to find when returning home, and such was a grace he received. However, we quickly learn in the story that not everyone in the family is willing to offer such a warm and inviting reception, as the father. In fact, in verse 30 we read, "But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." The fact the oldest son says, "this thy son," to his father, is an indication that he has not receive his brother back as a member of HIS family . He does not refer to him as "my brother."
When jealousy and pride fester, the heart becomes cold and the rewards of grace cannot be experienced. Jesus reminds us of this in the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, "So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
Several aspects of the story leap from its pages, especially when one considers the love and grace the father administers to his youngest son. First of all, in his return home the father greets him with open arms. The picture is beautiful and heartwarming! The reader can imagine the father sitting by the window day-after-day, awaiting the return of his youngest son, when from a distance, one day, he catches a glimpse of him and comes running out to greet him with a kiss and embrace. Secondly, the father gives the son a robe and a ring. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to a ring bearing the family seal, further emphasizing that the son is still a part of the family. And finally, there is the fatted calf. It was uncommon in those days for families to eat meat, unless it was a significant occasion. This was such an occasion - the father’s son had returned home. One cannot help but draw the connection to the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur or the "Day of Atonement." In much the same way, the best lamb would have been used for the Feast of Atonement. This was considered the youngest son’s Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement and fittingly the best calf was offered. It is evident that it is the nature and character of this father to be gracious, just as it is in God’s nature and character.
Humans have been conditioned to believe that either "you turn or you burn!" Philip Gulley tells the story of when a friend gave him a video of the Christian play Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames, in the book he co-authored titled, If God is Love. He writes, "The title set off warning bells, but my friend assured me I’d enjoy it. She explained that her teenage daughter - a prodigal, had gone to the altar after attending the play." Gulley goes on to write, "The play was appalling. It was a series of vignettes in which persons either accepted or rejected the ‘plan of salvation’ and were then unexpectedly killed in car accidents or in construction-site disasters. They would arrive at heaven’s gates where an angel would look for their names in the Book of Life. Those who were saved were warmly welcomed, while the unsaved were dragged from the gates by cackling demons."
Some would argue that "you reap what you sow." And while, in many ways that may be true, your choices do, oftentimes, determine your circumstances. The idea of grace is, as Philip Yancey explains in his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?; "There’s nothing we can do that will make God love us more... or less." In the story of the Prodigal Son, the father never stopped loving his youngest son. I can imagine not a day, much less a minute, went by without the father thinking of his son’s well-being. Yet, it was the son who had to discover his father’s love and grace again, and this was done only by knocking down the wall of greed. In his emptiness he realized that his father still loved him. Jesus offers a picture of a God who embraces all of his children, those who stay at home and those who wander off. God’s grace is without limits or boundaries, all inclusive and inviting. However, as we learn through this story, man’s grace is not quite as boundless, inclusive, or unlimited.
The Apostle Paul writes; "Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others" (I Corinthians 10:24). The challenge then, is to emulate such a love. When Jesus called his followers to love their enemies, his gave examples. One can only hope that the father’s example of grace will encourage the eldest son to find his way and in the end embrace his youngest brother as Jacob did his brother, Esau.
When reading this story, I couldn’t help but think of William Shakespeare’s words, "The wise man knows himself to be a fool, but the fool thinks he is a wise man." Perhaps, those words could be rephrased to, "The wise man knows when he is lost, understands the source of his homesickness and returns to a father who loves him." These words, without a doubt, define the youngest son. However, the oldest son could be described as a "fool who thinks he is wise" and in his wisdom doesn’t realize he is actually lost. I find it interesting that in this story both sons could be considered "lost." The youngest son came to realize his condition after taking his inheritance, traveling to a far country and wasting it away. On the other hand, the eldest son’s jealousy causes him to be lost; and yet, he doesn’t even realize it.
Many writers tend to focus on the loving, forgiving and gracious character of the father or upon the repentant and penitent youngest son who becomes the recipient of grace. However, we must not overlook the eldest brother, whose jealousy and envy caused him to miss out on the opportunity to express grace and thus experience it himself. Desmond Tutu once wrote, "A jealous person is doubly unhappy - over what he has, which is judged inferior, and over what he has not, which is judged superior. Such a person is doubly removed from knowing the true blessings of grace."
Grace requires a person to be as patient with others as we want others to be with us. It assumes that deep in the heart of every one of us is the desire to be redeemed and for that redemption to bring about a greater good or a transformation. Such was the grace the youngest son hoped to find when returning home, and such was a grace he received. However, we quickly learn in the story that not everyone in the family is willing to offer such a warm and inviting reception, as the father. In fact, in verse 30 we read, "But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." The fact the oldest son says, "this thy son," to his father, is an indication that he has not receive his brother back as a member of HIS family . He does not refer to him as "my brother."
When jealousy and pride fester, the heart becomes cold and the rewards of grace cannot be experienced. Jesus reminds us of this in the 5th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, "So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24).
Several aspects of the story leap from its pages, especially when one considers the love and grace the father administers to his youngest son. First of all, in his return home the father greets him with open arms. The picture is beautiful and heartwarming! The reader can imagine the father sitting by the window day-after-day, awaiting the return of his youngest son, when from a distance, one day, he catches a glimpse of him and comes running out to greet him with a kiss and embrace. Secondly, the father gives the son a robe and a ring. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to a ring bearing the family seal, further emphasizing that the son is still a part of the family. And finally, there is the fatted calf. It was uncommon in those days for families to eat meat, unless it was a significant occasion. This was such an occasion - the father’s son had returned home. One cannot help but draw the connection to the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur or the "Day of Atonement." In much the same way, the best lamb would have been used for the Feast of Atonement. This was considered the youngest son’s Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement and fittingly the best calf was offered. It is evident that it is the nature and character of this father to be gracious, just as it is in God’s nature and character.
Humans have been conditioned to believe that either "you turn or you burn!" Philip Gulley tells the story of when a friend gave him a video of the Christian play Heaven’s Gates and Hell’s Flames, in the book he co-authored titled, If God is Love. He writes, "The title set off warning bells, but my friend assured me I’d enjoy it. She explained that her teenage daughter - a prodigal, had gone to the altar after attending the play." Gulley goes on to write, "The play was appalling. It was a series of vignettes in which persons either accepted or rejected the ‘plan of salvation’ and were then unexpectedly killed in car accidents or in construction-site disasters. They would arrive at heaven’s gates where an angel would look for their names in the Book of Life. Those who were saved were warmly welcomed, while the unsaved were dragged from the gates by cackling demons."
Some would argue that "you reap what you sow." And while, in many ways that may be true, your choices do, oftentimes, determine your circumstances. The idea of grace is, as Philip Yancey explains in his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?; "There’s nothing we can do that will make God love us more... or less." In the story of the Prodigal Son, the father never stopped loving his youngest son. I can imagine not a day, much less a minute, went by without the father thinking of his son’s well-being. Yet, it was the son who had to discover his father’s love and grace again, and this was done only by knocking down the wall of greed. In his emptiness he realized that his father still loved him. Jesus offers a picture of a God who embraces all of his children, those who stay at home and those who wander off. God’s grace is without limits or boundaries, all inclusive and inviting. However, as we learn through this story, man’s grace is not quite as boundless, inclusive, or unlimited.
The Apostle Paul writes; "Do not seek your own advantage, but that of others" (I Corinthians 10:24). The challenge then, is to emulate such a love. When Jesus called his followers to love their enemies, his gave examples. One can only hope that the father’s example of grace will encourage the eldest son to find his way and in the end embrace his youngest brother as Jacob did his brother, Esau.
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 2:04 PM
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