This post is a Summary of the Parable of "The Prodigal Son". Or a more fitting title "The Parable of the 2 Lost Sons" as mentioned by Timothy Keller in his book the Prodigal God

Through this book and the parable I have learned the Basics of Christianity, and the True Gospel Message of Christ in a new light.

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

 Growing up I was taught to always look up words I didnt know, prodigal was not one of those words. Prodigal has a bad connotation, which I used to think meant wayward and evil in heart. It actually means reckless spending. Which still describes the young son but also describes the Father, as he is wreckless in his abounding love to both sons, when they disobey him. Some readings of this parable only get to what was just said in the previous sentence, that god is merciful and willing to forgive any sin we commit, but this parable is way more deep than this.

 When Jesus preached this parable, 2 kinds of people were gathered round him. Sinners who rejected cultural norms and chose the party or self discovery route, some even in Jesus inner circle, and Pharisees, those raised to follow the law of Moses, and who were teachers of religous laws. Tim keller parallels this with both moral conservatives and open minded liberals we see in america today. Both think there way of living is correct, but as Jesus shows both ways are wrong. Lets examine why this is.

First the Younger Brother. He asks his father, I want my inheritance now. This was shocking because the inheritance was divided once the father or patriarch of a family died. The son asking for his inheritance now is like the younger son saying, dad i wish you were dead right now, and i only want you for your money. Indeed this also would have brought great shame to the father as his standing in the community was tied up in his land. Having to sell land to a reckless son, would've indeed lowered the fathers stand in the community. Still the Father acquiesced. The younger son went his own way and tried to find his meaning in life outside of his moral upbringing. Finally we see once the younger son was prodigal in the use of his money he begins to be "in need". Indeed what the world offers us will never fill the void in our hearts, but jesus said if you drink of the water he offers, you will never thirst. Once the son remembers the good ole days in the fathers embrace he goes back and plans to ask for forgiveness and work as a hired servant, thereby lowering his standing in the family. But as soon as the father sees him he runs and kisses his lost son. He wants to add him back into the inheritance. He gives him free unmerited grace. He doesnt ask for restitution, he simply loves his son. The young son then enters the feast described in revelation, accepting the fathers saving race, and recognizing his need for him.

Next the older Brother. The older brother, instead of being happy his younger brother is back and safe, is furious, why? Many reasons. First he is now reintated back into his fathers will. This is significant because in those times, the eldest brother got 2x as much of his fathers inheritance as the younger sons of the father. In this case the oldest son would have gotten 2/3 of his dads estate. Now that his brother is back he has lost more of his share, since his brother is back in the will. While everyone is celebrating the younger brothers return the older brother is outside of the feast and refuses to enter, again disgracing the father. The older brother is mad because he doesnt feel loved by his father. He says you never threw a party for me and my freinds. He also feels justified because he never disobeyed the father, since he's been at his side working for him this whole time, unlike his depraved little brother. On the surface the older brothers complaints seem just, but looking at the brothers motives we see the older brother is just as lost as the younger brother, if not more. Unfortanately we never find out if the older brother was reunited with his father as Keller points out. Since we don't know if ultimately it is never stated if the older brother decided to go in to the feast. A momentous cliff hanger that is very telling of the nature of older brother lostness. 

Keller outlines 2 ways in which people try to find meaning in life. That of "moral conformity" and that of "self discovery". To quoute Keller he says moral conformist for the most part "beleive in putting the will of God and the standards of the community ahead of individual fulfillment. In this view we only attain happiness and a world made right by achieving moral rectitude." In sharp contrast those of self discovery reject the norms of the past and pursue their own goals and self actualization. Jesus shows both brothers sinned, since both had to be invited back into the fathers embrace, both have strayed from the way/ jesus. The younger brohter decides to shape his own path by flying in the face of moral norms and asking for his dads money prematurely, while the older brother although he stayed by the dads side the whole time, we still see he only obeyed for the dads money as well since he is mad when his inheritance is tampered with. What keeps the older brother from the feast is his pride, he thinks his moral record is so grandiose that he by his actions and righteosness deserves all of the family wealth, not "this son of yours". In the end Keller masterfully points out that it is the older brothers pride that keeps him from entering the feast. Indeed the older brother didnt recognize he was lost or sick. A person who doesnt know he is sick will never seek out a doctor. He thought that his actions were enough to save him, therefore nullifying the need for christ at all in his life. He says i earned this, now give me what is mine father. He tried to control the very person that brought him into the world. the older brother didnt obey the father to give him joy, he obeyed him to get a reward. The bible clearly teaches do things out of love, never expecting anything in return. Do things in the same way Jeuss showed love to us by emptying himself of all his glory, becoming a man, bearing the shame of the world, and ultimately conquering death to pay the huge debt that our sins required. A debt only Jesus could pay. This finishing act of self sacrifice for our sake so we can be redeemed is the ultimate work of christ, the ultimate act of love, that he shows to all who follow his wisdom and turn from their sin and realise there need for him. What was the point of Jesus death, if the older brother can save himself? He is just as lost since he doesnt see the need for God, he only sees the need of his works. We will never live up to the law, none of us are perfect not one, our righteousness are like dirty rags, the law is not enough to save us. We are saved through faith in jesus. A grace that jesus gives freely to those who believe, eventhough it cost him dearly.He is the perfect lamb, the perfect sacrifice that wiped away our debt in full, and offers us eternal life to those who believe in Jesus. The function of relgion is, if I do good god owes me this. Whereas Jesus funtions as because I redeemed you, everything that is mine is now yours. The older brother didnt recognize his own foolishness he's too prideful and sees himself as God, when in reality we are imperfect we fail to meet gods perfect moral law. I've tried to stop sinning on my own it's impossible without god. I constantly need his love to give me peace and overcome the evilness of this world. Abiding in him is the only way we will truly produce fruit.