This is a story of a man who lost
both sons. Although the selfishness of the older brother is less
obvious than the younger son, he could not empathise with his father's joys and sorrows. So here is a story of two lost
sons. Only one is found and experiences the father's joy.
A younger
son said to his father give me my share of the estate so
he divided the property. It would be unusual to divide an estate
between the sons before the father's death, but it is only a story. It is, of
course, possible that the son is taking a share of the family property (one
third) and so foregoing his inheritance. The parable illustrates the
father's generosity and leaves us wondering whether the younger son will show
himself worthy of the father's trust. The root meaning of property is life, but
here the word is being used in the sense of means of family income, that which
gives life to the family.
After a few days later the younger son went on a journey to a
distant country. He squandered his inheritence in wild, reckless, and loose living. After he had spent everything he began to needy
so he hired himself out to feed pigs. To fill his stomach, he ate pods
possibly St. John's Bread, a sweet meal, but with little nourishment, or the
wild carob, bitter with even less nourishment. These were used for famine food, or possibly corn cobs. No one gave him anything. When he came to his senses and had no food he decided to return to his father.
So he got up and went home. While he was still a long
way off, his father saw him and was filled with
compassion and he ran, threw his arms around him and hugged
him. He put on him the best robe, possibly the son's
former robe or one of the father's robes, or a robe kept for an honored guest- a
ring, possibly the father's signet
ring, but at least a ring whereby the father bestows authority on his wayward
son, sandals. The mention of
sandals is somewhat strange, but, given that servants tend not to wear anything
on their feet, the parable is probably making the point that the father is not
treating his son as a servant. The
fattened calf was killed. Meat was only prepared for extremely important (usually
religious) occasions. This is about preparing a banquet in celebration for the
lost son's return to the family.
Meanwhile his older brother in the fields
when he came near to the house on his way home, heard music and dancing. So he called
one of the workers he asked what the commotion was all about. They told him and the brother got very angry. He is angry with the father welcoming back his waistral son, and possibly that he is about to commit usufruct, so the property that belongs to the older son is given to the younger son. He refused to go in so his
father went out and pleaded
with him to share the joy of his brother's restoration.
The elder brother is offended by the fuss
made of the wayward brother, particularly as the elder brother regards himself
as a faithful son and yet his father never gave him a feast and speaks of "this son of yours" - The language distances the elder brother from his brother who in his opinion is beyond redemption.
The father calls his son - my child. The words here describe an affectionate, but offended response
by the father. How could the elder son think that mercy toward the wayward son
has in any way affected the standing of the elder son? The father said "You are
always with me. Everything I have is yours - everything of mine is
yours". The elder brother's status is unchanged by the father's welcome of the
wayward son. I thought your brother was dead - and he's
alive. I thought he was lost - and he is found.
In Luke 15 the theme is lostness. The first two parables
teach that being lost and found makes God very happy. In the third parable, the
parable of the Lost Son or the Prodigal Son, Jesus makes the same point, but in
this parable the focus shifts from the tax collectors and sinners to the
Pharisees and scribes, those who have, for all these years been working like a
slave for you, and never disobeyed your command-its about a heart attitude. The
parable invites the religious not to be self satisfied but preoccupied by those
who are lost and return to the fold.
We all have been given an inheritance, our faith
is an inheritance and as God's people we can squander
it; our society has been given an inheritance and we can end up selling off the silver or treat it wisely as one who has been entrusted with sacred things to pass on to our children and grandchildren. We need to choose wisely.
