The prodigal son’s sin and problems are easily identifiable. His sin, consequence of sin, and subsequent repentance are all familiar stories to us. Ordinary believers have all gone through similar experiences. However, the elder son’s sin and problems are harder to identify. He had said to his father in Luke 15:30, “And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.” If I change some words but say the same things, then he must have said, “I have worked hard for so long. I have not complained to you. I have worked like your slave. Have you ever offered me any reward or any opportunity for me to enjoy with my friends. Have you ever thanked me, have ever considered to bring everyone to honour me with throwing out a party on my name? Look at you now and see what you are doing. That rebellious and disobedient son of yours. He squandered and wasted everything he had, and after all you gave everything to him. Haven’t you known that he had defiled himself with harlots? He has brought your name down, but are you giving him a reward?” Wow, can you imagine such complaints from the elder son? Are you sympathetic with him? Or do you have the same complaint in you? 

This particular story does not have to be about a household of two sons with rich parents. Let me suppose that you were born into a poor family. You had to work hard just to survive. You might not have had opportunities of higher education, though you desired to study and were capable of learning fast and well. There was another family with a child, lazy, rebellious, and disobedient to his parents. He did not respect them, but they were ever gracious and supported him by giving him even bigger opportunities. They were rich and loving. Are you jealous of him? The more you think of such seemingly unfairness in life, the more you murmur, lament, and get angry. The more you analyse your experiences and surrounding circumstances, the more you feel unhappy and begin to blame others including even God. The elder son accused his father of unfair treatment. Though there is no particular feeling about his younger brother mentioned, he did express his feelings against him when he said he had “devoured his life with harlots” (15:30). There was a condemnation against his brother. On the other hand, it was also a sign of self-righteousness on his part. He knew that he had not lived a life like his brother. It was more than possible that when his younger brother left with an inheritance, he felt great sympathy about his father and sorry for him. But, now he felt betrayed by that father for whom he felt sorry. The elder was a lost man in his own mind, his own world. When he took this course of complaint, he fell into a labyrinth of despair, depression, and self-destruction. The more deeply he contemplated of his father and younger son, the more strongly he felt opposition to them. He entered an enormous dark spiral of complaints. The more he could justify his thoughts and judgments, the angrier he became. Aha, we see an opposite end of self-destruction from the one the prodigal son experienced. If the prodigal son was lost in a distant country in a pig farm, the elder son was lost in his land, while being together with his own household. Both sons were lost in their own ways. 

The elder son sent one of his servants to know what the sound of music and dancing from his home was about. The servant came back and gave him a report, “And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound” (15:27). This happy report made him exploded with anger. “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him” (15:28). The music and dancing did not bring him joy but more anger. His mind was closed and frozen to his father’s joy. The story of the elder son has really puzzled my mind, because Luke does not tell us about what happened to the elder son after the father pleaded with him. Was he finally persuaded by the father and entered the house and participated in the celebration? Did he embrace him and say that he welcomed his return? Did he apologize to his father? There is no usual ending or conclusion of stories. In a way, in terms of the elder son, there is an open end in this parable. If there is one sure shining truth out of everything is the father’s love. He loved the prodigal son and was merciful to him. He loved the elder son and reassured him that all He had was his. 

Luke 15 is a chapter about “lost and found” - lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son. Just before Jesus delivered these parables to His audience, Luke 15:1-2 is served as an introduction, which helps us understand the parable, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” Jesus spoke the parable to them (15:3). Jesus responded to the Pharisees and scribes’ murmuring, and there were the publicans and sinners. If the publicans were like the prodigal son, the Pharisees and scribes were like the elder son. The publicans and sinners came to hear Jesus, while the Pharisees and scribes rejected them and accused Him of receiving them. What the elder son did in the parable was the same as what the Pharisees and scribes did to Jesus and the publicans and sinners. This parable must have shocked the Pharisees and scribes, because the parable was directed to them. They had to decide whether they would join the publicans and sinners to hear Jesus, or they would refuse the invitation and stay outside. The chapter does not tell us about their response to the parable. It ends with an open conclusion.

Professing Christians who are passionate and zealous for God need to look inside of themselves occasionally to see if they are like the elder sons or not. Returning of the prodigal son was not easy but happened. It seems that his return from a lustful life was easier than the return home of the elder son from his self-righteousness, self-pity, judgmental spirit, complaints and murmurs, and anger. After all, the elder son was a hardworking and honest person. On the one hand, he was praiseworthy, but on the other hand, he was stubborn, self-righteous, and judgmental. What he said about his brother’s wanton and worldly lifestyle was right, and at the same time he was trapped in anger and refused to follow the father’s loving words. The same traits are often in the hearts of many faithfully serving Christians. They work hard and serve others selflessly. They are disappointed and discouraged by those who do not share the burdens of work but take all the benefits and pleasures of others’ services. They become weary and fall into despair, and then resentmen. The prodigal son must come to the father’s house. However, the elder son also needs to return home. Both are lost. I’ll continue….

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