Luke 15:1-2; 11-32
The story of the Prodigal Son is a very popular passage of
scripture. The Pharisees and scribes were upset about Jesus receiving and
eating with sinners. Jesus used the a few examples to try to explain the heart
of what he was doing. It is clear that Jesus is explaining through this parable
God’s joy of the lost children who repent. But something about the story of the
Prodigal son sticks out to me tremendously — there are two sons in the house.
The two sons are contrastingly different.
First there is the young (neo – newer) son. The younger son
was obviously adventurous, headstrong, savvy and
confident in himself. He fits the typical mold of young people who think they
know it all. He was a on a fast track to nowhere but clearly thought with his
resources he was on his way to the top of the world. He had big ideas, big
dreams, grandiose plans, and the only thing standing between him and his status
change was the Father holding on to what was promised to Him. He found pleasure
in the lifestyle of another country. Obviously he had to have been exposed to
it either from visitors or visits with his father to the foreign country. His
primary goal was to get his inheritance, his promise, those things that were to
be given to him and consume them with riotous (wildly extravagant, wreckless,
licentious, unrestrained, excessive) living.
Then there was the elder (presbyteros - advanced in life)
son. The son
who desires to be honorable, pleasing to the father, does his best to follow
the customs and rules, adheres to the standard of the father’s house, and finds
pleasure in the house. He is the hard worker, faithful, and looks to do the “right
way.” You can describe him as the son who has lived a little, experienced some
things, and realizes the benefits of the Father and the Father’s house.
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