Digging Deeper- The Non-Prodigal Son
“Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me my inheritance.” So, the father divided his property between them. Not many days later the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country. There he squandered his property in reckless living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to be fed the pods the pigs ate, but no one gave him anything. When he came to himself, he thought, “My father’s servants have more than enough bread, while I perish here from hunger. I will go to my father and tell him I have sinned against heaven and him. I am no longer worthy of being called a son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’” (Luke 15:11-19)
Most of the time we focus our thoughts on this prodigal (reckless, wasteful) son, and how after wasting his inheritance, his father welcomes him back home. That’s a good part of the story. It certainly describes how many of us have wandered recklessly in life, pushing away from God the Father, and eventually realizing we must humbly return to him in faith, as a servant. And he will welcome us!
If you are a fan, or at least familiar, with the Star Trek TV series you’ll know the character of Spock. As a Vulcan, he is purely logical, without emotion coming into play in his thought process. Some might look at him and think, “If we could only all be so logical, wouldn’t life be better.” But would it? The creators of this character got the idea from Greek philosophy, the stoic ideal of apatheia – which is seeking virtue by rejecting all passions. Many of the Greeks saw emotion as fleshly and evil, opposed to reason. In their mind, a supreme God would not express emotion. That’s not the God we see represented in this story of the prodigal son.
Our story continues… “The son arose and went to his father, but while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, put it on him, put a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet. Kill the fatted calf, let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead, but now is alive; he was lost, but now is found.’ And they began to celebrate!”
The God of the Bible is represented by the father in this story, and he is overjoyed when his son, who had rejected him, now returns in repentance. Jesus says, “I say to you that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety and nine who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
All of this is good, but the real focus of this story by Jesus is a second son. “The older son was in the field, and he heard music and saw dancing. He asked a servant what this meant. The servant said, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf as he receives him back safe and sound.’ The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came and entreated him, but the son answered, ‘All these years I have served you, never disobeying, and you never gave me a party to celebrate with friends. But this son who rejected you returns, and you celebrate?’ The father replied, ‘Son, you are always with me, all that I have is yours, but it is fitting to celebrate, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is now found.’” (Luke 15:25-32)
Those in the audience when Jesus told this parable included Pharisees, who took great pride in their meticulous ways of obeying God the father. They looked down on those “sinners” who struggled to obey as they did. But we are all sinners (including the Pharisees) and should receive from God the Father graciously his blessings. Jesus is depicting the Pharisees as the older brother in this story, angry because those less worthy than them are being celebrated. And his point is that regardless of our status in life, we all need the father’s forgiveness, and as we yield to him in faith, all that he has will belong to us. So, rejoice when a wayward brother repents and returns to the father. He is only different from us in degree. But God’s grace is available to all, as we pursue him in faith.
Cross Point: Jesus told this parable to the Pharisees because they grumbled that he ate with “sinners” while the Pharisees pushed them away. May we trust and obey the Lord without neglecting others who need him. For other similar writings by Rick, go to: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com.
Most of the time we focus our thoughts on this prodigal (reckless, wasteful) son, and how after wasting his inheritance, his father welcomes him back home. That’s a good part of the story. It certainly describes how many of us have wandered recklessly in life, pushing away from God the Father, and eventually realizing we must humbly return to him in faith, as a servant. And he will welcome us!
If you are a fan, or at least familiar, with the Star Trek TV series you’ll know the character of Spock. As a Vulcan, he is purely logical, without emotion coming into play in his thought process. Some might look at him and think, “If we could only all be so logical, wouldn’t life be better.” But would it? The creators of this character got the idea from Greek philosophy, the stoic ideal of apatheia – which is seeking virtue by rejecting all passions. Many of the Greeks saw emotion as fleshly and evil, opposed to reason. In their mind, a supreme God would not express emotion. That’s not the God we see represented in this story of the prodigal son.
Our story continues… “The son arose and went to his father, but while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, put it on him, put a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet. Kill the fatted calf, let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead, but now is alive; he was lost, but now is found.’ And they began to celebrate!”
The God of the Bible is represented by the father in this story, and he is overjoyed when his son, who had rejected him, now returns in repentance. Jesus says, “I say to you that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety and nine who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
All of this is good, but the real focus of this story by Jesus is a second son. “The older son was in the field, and he heard music and saw dancing. He asked a servant what this meant. The servant said, ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf as he receives him back safe and sound.’ The older brother was angry and refused to go in. His father came and entreated him, but the son answered, ‘All these years I have served you, never disobeying, and you never gave me a party to celebrate with friends. But this son who rejected you returns, and you celebrate?’ The father replied, ‘Son, you are always with me, all that I have is yours, but it is fitting to celebrate, for your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is now found.’” (Luke 15:25-32)
Those in the audience when Jesus told this parable included Pharisees, who took great pride in their meticulous ways of obeying God the father. They looked down on those “sinners” who struggled to obey as they did. But we are all sinners (including the Pharisees) and should receive from God the Father graciously his blessings. Jesus is depicting the Pharisees as the older brother in this story, angry because those less worthy than them are being celebrated. And his point is that regardless of our status in life, we all need the father’s forgiveness, and as we yield to him in faith, all that he has will belong to us. So, rejoice when a wayward brother repents and returns to the father. He is only different from us in degree. But God’s grace is available to all, as we pursue him in faith.
Cross Point: Jesus told this parable to the Pharisees because they grumbled that he ate with “sinners” while the Pharisees pushed them away. May we trust and obey the Lord without neglecting others who need him. For other similar writings by Rick, go to: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com.
Posted in Cross Points