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Northwest Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“The Elder Son - Part I: |
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I. Introduction.
A. You might say that sinners fall into two basic categories.
There are those who are very open and straightforward in
their sins, those who really don’t care who sees, or knows,
what they do and the way they are. Then there are the more
secretive sinners, who prefer to sin when they think no one
else is looking. They try to cover their sins in various
ways, even with a pretense of goodness.1. Of the two types of sinners, the blatant sinner is
much more likely than the self-righteous sinner to
face the reality of their condition, to repent, and to
seek salvation. This person’s sin is undeniable. At
some point, they have to face up to it.2. Not so with the more secretive individual. He or
she will try, as long as possible, to camouflage their
immorality, deny their guilt, and disavow their need
for redemption.B. In the parable of the prodigal son, the wayward child
obviously represents the open sinner, the rebel, the immoral
person who makes no pretense of faith in God, or any love
for Him. He is representative of “. . . the tax collectors and
sinners . . .” in Luke 15:10. These people start out by
running away from God. They want nothing to do with His
law, or His authority. They’re not concerned about
fulfilling someone else’s expectations or demands – even
God’s. They have gone to that “. . . far country . . .”
(Luke 15:13) where they feel they’re unaccountable to
God.1. God’s attitude toward such people is made clear in
His word. In Ezekiel 33:11, it says: “. . . ‘As I
live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from
his way and live.’ . . .”a. Jesus laments in Matthew 23:37: “O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the
prophet and stones those who are sent to
her! How often I wanted to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her chicks
under her wings, but you were not willing!”b. Paul, in Romans 10:21, quotes the prophet
Isaiah (65:2), “. . . ‘all day long I have
stretched out My hands to a disobedient and
contrary people.’ ”c. It’s with a profound sense of divine sorrow
that God lets such people go, to pursue their
own willful rebellion against Him
(Romans 1:28): “And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them over to a debased mind, to do
those things which are not fitting;”).2. It’s equally clear that the second type of sinner is
represented, in the story, by the elder brother. He is
seemingly honorable, moral, and religious, in that
he remains obedient to his father. But, the outer
appearance covers an inward immorality and an
attitude just as wrong as open, outright sin.C. The elder son is the third major character in the parable
and, as the story unfolds to a conclusion, the individual
who represents the parable’s principal lesson.1. His most obvious characteristic is his resentment
toward his younger brother. But, go below that
superficial attitude, and you find something much
more ominous. He has a long-nurtured hatred for
his father.2. It’s easy to assume that the older son represents one
who believes in God, has been a faithful child of
God, and is resentful of his brother only because of
the surprise he gets from his father’s generosity
toward his younger sibling. In this case, his
resentment is only natural, and he just needs to
“get over it.”3. But, that shallow interpretation misses the point of
the parable. The elder son is not really devoted to
his father. He’s not the true believer, but, rather,
a hypocrite. And, he represents the scribes and
Pharisees in the story.D. Everyone, no doubt, believed he was the “good” son,
respectful and faithful to his father. He stayed home. He
appeared to be loyal to his father. But, in reality, he had no
genuine respect for his father, no interest in what pleased
his father, no love for the father’s values, and no concern
for his needy younger brother. The elder brother turns out
to be just as lost, just as enslaved to sin, as his wayward
sibling ever was. The difference is, he won’t admit it – to
himself, or anyone else. Jesus said of the scribes and
Pharisees, they, “. . . sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore
whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but
do not according to their works; for they say, and do not.”
(Matthew 23:2-3).II. A Different Kind Of Homecoming.
A. The prodigal son’s brother had been out in the fields that
day. Most likely, he was overseeing a crew of servants
who did the hard work, while he instructed them on what
to do. Sons of his economic class normally didn’t need to
do the work themselves. It would be beneath their dignity.
1. Being away from the household, this brother was
completely ignorant of what had happened that day.
He didn’t know about his brother’s arrival, and he
didn’t know about the celebration his father had
ordered.2. That celebration was already underway when the
older brother got back to the house. The invitation
had gone out to the village, people had already
arrived for the feast.B. To add to the impression of wealth in this family, the field
the older brother had been overseeing must have been some
distance from the house. This so suggested, too, by the
time of his arrival, late enough for the party to have already
begun.1. In all the excitement about the prodigal’s return, no
messenger had been sent to tell the older brother the
good news.2. His assistance in getting ready for the feast was not
sought. Planning such a celebration was not,
usually, a patriarchal duty. It would very naturally
have fallen to the firstborn son to take this
responsibility.3. Here is yet another point that suggests the
relationship between the father and his oldest son
was not good.C. The elder brother had done nothing to dissuade his younger
brother from leaving home.1. If he’d been the least bit interested in, or concerned
about, his father’s honor, he should have attempted
to do something to defend it.2. Instead he, too, took his inheritance. He benefited
from his brother’s open rebellion, while maintaining
his own respectability.D. The fact that the father did not summon the elder brother to
come to the house as soon as the prodigal son returned tells
us that the father really knew the truth about his firstborn’s
heart. Even if others saw this son as loyal to his disgraced
father, the father had no illusions about this son’s feelings
for him. So, the celebration begins without the brother.1. The elder son’s being away in a field is as
representative of his attitude as the younger son’s
being in a “far country.”2. Both sons now come home, but with totally
different attitudes and to very different
homecomings.E. As this older son approaches the house, “. . . he heard
music and dancing” (verse 25). The smell of roasting meat
filled the air. What does this mean?1. Rather than being excited about the good news of
his brother’s return, which he now learned from a
servant and not by going to his father, he was
stunned, confused, and clearly not pleased that a
party had started at the house without his
knowledge.2. The brother’s surprise is certainly understandable.
His anger is not so easily understood, or excused.3. If this son’s heart was right, if he had a good
relationship with his father and younger
brother, the story might go like this: “The elder
brother ran to the house to see what all the
excitement, and joy, was about.”4. If this son’s heart was right, he’d have gone
directly to his father to ask, “What are we
celebrating?” And, his father would have told him,
“Your brother’s home!”F. The elder brother must have been well aware of how much
the father loved his younger brother. He knew of the grief
his brother’s rebellion had brought on, and of the hope,
every single day from the time the boy left, that the
wayward son would come home again. If this stay-at-home
son had truly loved his father, whatever pleased the father
would please him; whatever brought joy to his father would
be cause for his own rejoicing, especially something like
this, so important to his father.G. But, this was not his reaction at all. He stayed outside,
away from the house and away from the celebration. He
found no reason for joy, but, rather, a reason to be angry,
and to refuse to go in to the house.III. A True Heart Revealed.
A. But, his pouting and his anger was really directed at his
father, not his younger brother. If he had no affection for
his younger brother, he had no respect or love for his
father. Only resentment at what he saw as misguided
forgiveness.1. Of course, the elder brother, at this point, knew
nothing of his sibling’s penitent attitude, nor of his
own desire to be regarded as a servant and not as a
son.2. All he knew at this point was that the wasteful son
had been reconciled with their father, he had been
received back home in peace, he’d been forgiven
his sins, and, now, a lavish party was being given
in his honor, by the man he had so disrespected and
dishonored.3. Apparently, his father was not requiring any
restitution, or making the rebel earn his place with
the family again.4. And, above all, the father was using resources for
this party that now rightfully belonged to the elder
brother, the “faithful” son’s inheritance. What
about his rights? What about his possessions?B. Here, the scribes and Pharisees were probably in agreement
with the elder brother’s thoughts and actions.1. Yes, that is exactly the right attitude. That is
precisely the way any self-respecting person ought
to feel2. He should be outraged. It’s about time someone
stood up for what is right.3. Go back to Luke 15:1-2 (read). The scribes and
Pharisees, like the elder brother, remained outside
while the celebration went on. They resented it.
They were angered by it. It was a scandal, and an
affront to righteousness.4. The elder brother, as we shall see, felt he’d earned
his father’s approval by his faithfulness and loyalty.
It wasn’t a matter of grace, or mercy. He didn’t
need that. And, if he didn’t need to ask for such
grace, and mercy, why should it be offered to
anyone else?C. Here was the true heart of the elder brother, and of the
scribes and Pharisees. The favor of the father was earned
by obedience to his commands. While he, and they, might
talk about grace and forgiveness, they didn’t really
understand it at all. You must merit such forgiveness and
earn such reconciliation to God. Forgiveness can’t be
free. Unmerited favor can’t be allowed. Such generosity
on the part of the father in the story, and the Father in
heaven, they saw as a deliberate slight to them.IV. Conclusion.
A. The sinful son was receiving honors the elder brother, the
faithful child, had never even been offered. He was being
insulted. And, the older brother resented such an insult.B. The self-absorbed, and self-righteous, scribes and Pharisees
felt self-satisfied in not dirtying themselves by associating
with “. . . sinners . . .” (Luke 15:2). But, being on the
outside was not the virtue they thought it was. In fact, it
was the self-condemnation they never thought of or
recognized.C. The lesson of the parable Jesus had been laying the
groundwork for all through His story was about to become
very clear in the true character of the elder brother, and of
the men for whom all three parables had been told.