“Who’s This Story About?”

September Newsletter

The very familiar parable Jesus told in Luke 15 about a father and his two sons has been

referred to in different ways. Most often, this is called the “Parable of the Prodigal Son.” Less

often, it’s called the “Parable of the Forgiving Father.” I don’t know that I’ve ever heard it referred to as the “Parable of the Older Brother.” Or even more, the “Parable of the Resentful

and Jealous Brother Who Couldn’t Be Happy that His Brother Who Was Lost Was Now

Forgiven and Restored.”

Jesus tells this parable as the third of three parables all in a row with a similar

theme—Heaven rejoices when the lost is found. First it’s a shepherd who finds a lost sheep and

then calls others to rejoice. Then it’s a woman who finds a lost coin and calls others to rejoice.

Finally, it’s a more in-depth story about a father whose son is lost and then found and he calls

others to rejoice.

But it’s the last part of the last parable that is so interesting. That seems to be the point

especially aimed at Jesus’ listeners. Scripture tells us that Jesus’ audience was scribes and

Pharisees. As they were listening to Jesus, they grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners

and eats with them.”

In these stories about the lost and found, Jesus makes it clear that they’re about sin and

forgiveness. The refrain each time is about “rejoicing over the sinner who repents.” The Pharisees seem to take issue with the level of forgiveness offered by Jesus and in these stories.

They are the older brothers.

The scribes and Pharisees were dutiful people who always looked to do what they should.

Their resumés were full of good works: steady giving and church attendance, regular

volunteering to help with a variety of things, steering clear of bad people and bad behavior,

supporting the Scouts and the schools, paying taxes, etc.

All these things are good. God loves His people to live faithful lives. But the problem

with the Pharisees and with the older brother is that they thought all their good living somehow

was the reason that they were loved by the father—that they had earned the inheritance that

would come to them and were worthy of the father’s love whereas other, “bad” people were not.

The older brother resented that the father would be so generous with his forgiveness. It even says he was angry. How could the father forgive that prodigal, wasteful, undeserving brother?

Do we unwittingly play the role of the older brother? It is all-too-easy for people like

many of us, who so often try to “do the right thing” (and often do!), to be resentful that God

forgives so many “bad” people. We too easily put ourselves in the place of judge on how

much God should forgive others. How can Jesus forgive “tax collectors and sinners”? That is,

neighbors or co-workers or kids in school or even others at church who don’t live up to what we

decide is the way they should live. We excuse our sins of judgment and unforgiveness while

condemning their sins. God is more forgiving to them and to us than He should ever be!

In the end, we’re less certain about the older brother’s fate than the younger brother’s.

The younger brother had strayed and was restored. We’re not sure if the older brother got over

his resentment and actually came in to celebrate or not.

It’s a dangerous place to be: trying to tell God He shouldn’t be so generous with His

forgiveness. So instead we are freed to simply enjoy the abundant grace and forgiveness that

God has given and continues to shower upon us and everyone who repents. Revel in the joy in

heaven over you and me and everyone who lives in God’s forgiveness!