Comments for March 23

1:10 We should not think that we are unaffected by those around us. The things we watch and talk about us can lead us astray from the things of God.

1:3 a truly wise man or woman, rather than showing off their knowledge, will ask questions and explore the subject they know well in order to understand even more. This must be our attitude to discussions on Scripture.

1:4-8   The words of early Genesis which speak of the way in which Adam and Eve and the serpent  communicated are echoed here . However the contrast between the source of the serpent and God’s wisdom could not be more stark.

Adam and Eve were in a sense “simple”. The serpent was “subtil”.  Adam and eve wanted to be “wise”. But being unwise they heard the words of the serpent. God, hearing them responded unwisely, punished them

The antidote to serpent like thinking is to listen to and hear the correct message.  “My son hear the instruction of thy Father” (:8).

1:8-9 The idea that wisdom learned from “mother” - that is God’s word – is seen in the way that the bride is described in the Song of Solomon  - 1:10, 4:9. It is not physical adornments that please our “groom” it is the meek heart and spirit instructed by the words of God.

1:8 Hear my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching

We are all busy. BUT the primary role of parents is instruction and teaching. Too often we neglect these things or subcontract them to others - Sunday school teachers, others in the meeting.

A suggestion: each family should reserve at least 20 minutes per day in the gentle instruction from the Bible and its relevance to that family, for that day. By doing so , we will go a long way to avoid the calamity of vv29, 30 where people hate and despise knowledge, counsel and reproof. They are rejected by God (v28).

v.11 - The parable of the prodigal son is told in the hearing of all the disciples. A chronology of the gospels puts this section of Luke between John 11 and John 12. Consider the effect of the parable on Judas, given that he was probably Lazarus' brother. v 32 must have made a particular impression on him. This could well be one of several occasions when Jesus tried to persuade Judas not to betray him.

v.3-32 Jesus told three parables one after the other. The lost sheep. The lost coin and the lost son. The thrust of these three parables which are unique to Luke is that God is seeking for those who are lost. Indeed it was the mission of Jesus [Matthew 15:24]

:4 In speaking of 'sheep' Jesus is using a familiar Old Testament which is used of God's people.
Psalm 74:1 79:13 95:7 100:3 119:176 Jeremiah 23:1 Ezekiel 34. etc:

:21 'I have sinned' quotes Psalm 51:4. Jesus shows the repentance of the son in the parable in the same light as the repentance of David after he had committed adultery. But notice in the parable the sons did not even have to say he had sinned - it was in his heart and his father was willing to receive him. Such is the grace of our heavenly Father.

The three parables in this chapter have one central theme. The Father's love for the lost. Why did Christ tell these parables in the listed order? First parable; one sheep out of a hundred is lost. Second parable; one coin out of ten is lost, and finally one son out of two is lost. Is there any significance in the order listed?

15:7,10 Do we think that literally there is 'joy in heaven' when repentance is seen? We ought to if we believe that the angels are 'ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation' Heb 1:14

Jesus came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 15:24).  He urged His disciples to reach out to them also (Matt 10:6).
What about the lost sheep of the spiritual house of Israel?
Do we reach out to them -  our brothers and sisters who have left the fold?  Let's make every effort.  There is not much time to recover them before the Lord returns. 

Parables Of Redemption:
Wherever Jesus went, he drew to himself  Publicans and Sinners - - - men looked upon as separated from the righteous by their means of livelihood and their way of life.  It was one of the Pharisees’ greatest problems.  They could not understand the attitude of Jesus in allowing these men even to approach him.  That he should talk to them, and sink to the depravity of excepting their hospitality, was horrifying.  They were overwhelmed with their contempt for these people and the sense of their own righteousness, which they felt was properly marked by separation from sinners.  This is the background to the circumstances that Luke describes in recording these “parables of redemption”.
Jesus’ words were so powerful, that even those who had previously disregarded the Word of God pressed in to hear him speak:
“Now all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near him to listen
 to him”. Luke 15:1
The Scribes and Pharisees did not like it and murmured among themselves: 
“…This man receives sinners and eats with them”. Luke 15:2
Jesus heard them and answered their remarks with these parables.
The five stories are hardly separate parables at all.  Luke records that he told them “this parable”.  (Verse 3)  Then follows with barely a break between them, Jesus’ words regarding “the Lost Sheep”, “ the Lost Coin”,  “the Lost Son”, “the Unjust Steward” and “the Rich Man and Lazarus”.
The Lost Sheep - Luke 15:3-7 
The Pharisees called those who did not keep the law “the people of the land”.  The barrier between the Pharisees and such people was complete.  These Religious leaders looked for such peoples’ destruction, not their restoration.
Contrasting their attitude to “lost” men and women was the attitude of a shepherd regarding even just one lost sheep out of a flock of 100.  A shepherd fulfilled his responsibility regarding loyalty to the flock.  He acknowledged his duty to account for every sheep entrusted to his care.  (Bible echo - John 17:6, 12)  He would leave the 99 secure sheep to go in search of the one that had strayed.
The village where he lived shared his concern for the lost sheep and would watch for his return.  When they saw him striding home with the lost sheep across his shoulders, they would shout with joy and with thanksgiving. 
 With Jesus in the position of the true Shepherd, we see an echo from Isaiah:
  “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;  but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him”. Isaiah 53:6
 The Pharisees saw themselves as the descendants of Abraham, “the friend of God”.  (Isaiah 41:8)  But they were not.  Abraham was a shepherd.  (Gen. 12:16; 13:2)  They were certainly not shepherds in the spiritual sense and Jesus had already condemned them for not doing the deeds of Abraham. (John 8:39)  They falsely saw themselves either as shepherds leading the flock, or as sheep who never strayed, 99 just persons needing no repentance.  (Luke 15:7).

The Lost Coin - Luke 15:8-10
Now Jesus presents the sinners as coins - a piece of silver, the price of redemption under the law. (Bible echo - Exodus 30:11-16;  38:25, 26)

The picture becomes a more intimate one.  The countryside has become the house.  The 100 sheep become 10 coins.  The shepherd has become the poor woman.  Lighting a candle, she sweeps the house and diligently searches until she finds it.  Then she calls her friends and neighbours bidding them to rejoice with her because she has found what she has lost.  Once again the emphasis is directed toward the love of God and of Jesus, the importance of those who were lost, and the joy of restoration. 

 A sheep can stray or become lost of its own accord, but a coin cannot.  The coin was lost through no fault of its own.  Someone else was to blame.  It was the careless Scribes and Pharisees who had lost the sinners in need of redemption in the first place.  Why didn’t they light up the house of Israel with the Word of God,  (Luke 8:16), and search for them? 

In Jesus a lamp had been lit, and sinners were gathered around to hear the word of redemption spoken in their midst.  The Pharisees whose holiness and righteousness was a hypocritical conceit, did not rejoice.

The Lost Son - Luke 15:11-32 
We now see another change of figures.  The Scribes and Pharisees are a sullen elder son resenting the return of the repentant “Publicans and Sinners”.  In this parable, these repenting sinners are the erring younger brother.  
 Like the Pharisees in Luke 15:1,2, the elder brother stood outside the feast and grumbled about what went on within.  (verse 28) 
 It is true that the Publican and Sinners had turned away from God.  They had deliberately become lost.  But they “had come to their senses”  (verse 17), and had turned to come back to the Father. (verse 18)
The younger son was repentant.  The Scribes and Pharisees (the elder son) were not repentant.  Outwardly they made a show of serving God, but Christ’s words opened their hearts for all to see the loveless motives of their “service”.
The detail Jesus provided in this parable laid before the Pharisees an unmistakable picture of themselves.  As we look at the reaction and words of the elder son, we see them clearly reflected:
The Pharisees were trying to place God in their debt:  “for so many years we have been serving you” (verse 29).  Their whole attitude shows that their years of obedience to the Father had been years of duty, in which they sought to place God in their debt.  These were not years of loving service.  The professed love of God was a mask for love of self.  (Compare Luke 17:10;  Romans 4:4)
They were egotists.  Notice the personal pronouns “I”, “me”, “my” - the elder brother’s assessment of himself.
They disclaimed any association with these repentant sinners.  Notice how the elder son refers to his brother as “your son”, not as “my brother”. (verse 30)
They were disobedient liars.  They refused to obey the Father’s request to join the feast (verse 28), but claimed to be sinless: “I have never neglected a command of yours”. (verse 29)
They were ready to think the worst about others.  Notice that there is no mention of association by the young brother with “harlots” until the elder brother declares it”.  (verse 30)
They were envious of the sinners’ way of life:  “…you have never given me a kid, that I might be merry with my friends;”  (verse 29).  He obviously had friends not among those whom his father had invited.  The Scribes and Pharisees, though publicly disdainful of the Publicans and Sinners, were inwardly longing for their way of life.  

The real prodigal was not the repentant son, but the surly elder brother.  The real sinners were not the people gathered around Jesus, but the Pharisees.  
This parable not only condemned the Pharisees, it comforted the sinners, showing that the father awaited anxiously for the return of the errant son.  If they would “come to themselves”, and turn to God,  He would see them “from a long way off” and would welcome them.  All He required of them was that journey toward Him.  (Luke 15:18-23)

The Pharisees heard this story with some grimness.  They could not miss its meaning, nor its invitation to join the Publican and Sinners, in joining Jesus in order to share in the blessings of his Father’s love.  But the elder brother maintained his position.  He preferred to continue in his hurt self-righteousness and, therefore, maintain his position of praise and acceptance with others which he so dearly loved.

Jesus saw that the appeal of his word pictures was lost upon them.  He turned to his Disciples and described these men to them, to further bring out the inconsistency and hypocrisy of these Religious leaders. {from the Life of Christ Seminar}

FACT OR FICTION?
 
When the youngest son went off from his father's house, the narrative tells us that he "got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living." (Luke 15:13)
 
I remember one of our teachers at a week long Bible School discussing this parable of the prodigal son. As he went through the parable, he got to this verse, stopped, turned to the chairman and asked, "Do you have any idea what wild living is, brother chairman?" The chairman said that he didn't know, so the teacher continued, "Neither the chairman nor myself have any idea what wild living is."
 
Removed as we are from the situation in this parable, we could lightheartedly speculate on the sort of wild living that went on, but we are not told exactly what he did. However, a jealous older brother who also had no idea what the younger brother had been up to, came up with an answer. He accused him of squandering his father's property with prostitutes. (v.30) 
 
It is easy to judge when we think we know that person well enough to do so, and especially when we have a bad attitude towards them. Let's stick to facts. We don't know what the younger brother did and neither do we know what our brothers and sisters get up to. Let's not judge them by gossip or out of our own imaginations, but treat them as the Father would, with compassion, love and forgiveness.

15:4  The point is obvious, but we should note it. These parables are all about ‘lost’ things. :4,8,24

It is important to bear in mind that it is not only those who stray away from the ecclesia (the lost sheep, the prodigal son) who are lost, but also those who get "lost" within the ecclesia. Either though the negligence of the ecclesia (the lost coin - how well are we caring for our brethren and sisters?), or the attitude of individual brethren and sisters to others (what is our own attitude to the ups & downs of our brethren and sisters? Do we begrudge the forgiveness of the Father by a self-righteous attitude?)

15:1 In Luke 14:27-34 Jesus has been explaining the importance of counting the cost. Whilst the Pharisees did not want to pay the cost the ‘publicans and sinners’ did – the came to hear him having heard the challenge of the previous chapter.

In today’s chapter we have three super stories, all with the same theme: a lost sheep; a lost coin, and a lost son – well actually, two lost sons, for neither pleased his father with a good heart. The sheep caused a lot of extra work, but was found. The coin cannot be blamed for getting lost, as it has no sense or feeling – but the great thing about this parable is that it was still “in the house”. If the lost sheep represents a member who walks away from the ecclesia, the lost coin surely symbolizes one who still is in the house (or ecclesia), but whose heart is not there. That Brother or Sister is as much in need of saving as the one who leaves. Both bring joy in Heaven when they return.  The third parable incorporates both of these meanings – the younger son who left and went far away, while the older one stayed at home, but not with a good heart. Jesus was indeed a wonderful story teller, and His lessons were very carefully thought out. Of-course it is quite possible to see several other types in these parables.

I have a humorous rendition of the Prodigal Son.  If you care to see, it e-mail me.

15:18 ‘I will arise and go …’ quotes Hos 2:7 which depicts Israel, realising her sinfulness, seeing to return to God.

15:11-32 The parable of the Prodigal son was spoken by Jesus after the raising of Lazarus. Judas and Lazarus may well have been brothers. If this was so then they may well be represented by the two sons, Lazarus being the prodigal. Thus the parable would be an appeal to Judas.

15:1-2  An example of where a chapter division is not helpful. Jesus had called men to ‘count the cost’ (14:26-33) and now we learn that the publicans and sinner wanted to hear him but the Pharisees did not.

15:29 The elder son’s implied attitude is that his father was indebted to him because of his service.  Our heavenly Father is in no way indebted to us whatever we do for Him. This is an important principle to understand.

15:11The repeated use of ‘certain ... man’ here andLuke 16:1, :19 is one of the links which ties these three parables together.

Summary Of Luke

15:1-32          Publican came to hear Jesus – Pharisees murmured

                       :4        Parable – lost sheep

                       :8        Parable – Lost coin

                       :11      Parable – prodigal son

Luke 15:11-32.

In the non-inspired heading of this section of my N.I.V. Bible is the heading, "The Parable of the Lost Son". Some Bible students when describing this parable of Christ's actually use a variation of this title, calling it "The Parable of the Lost Sons". What might be the point for making that somewhat subtle distinction?

One sister wrote in with the following...

Well, he had 2 sons, but one ran away, then he returned and his father accepted him back. That is the difference, because some might assume he only had 1 son, when he actually had 2, but the other one obeyed his father.

.......................

my comments adding on to what our sister said.......While the younger son is the one most would consider "lost" during his time away from the father and family - due to his riotous living and the father's statement in v. 32 that he was lost and is found - a strong case can be made that the elder son was just as lost, though in a quite different way, as his brother. Note back in vv. 1,2 the sinful attitude that the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law had toward Jesus due to his association with the tax collectors and those called "sinners" (by those same religious leaders? but obviously not called out as such by Jesus!). That kind of critical, judgmental thinking can too be seen in what the elder son shows toward his repentant brother and even toward his forgiving father.

In fact by the end of the parable, it seems clear that the only brother who is, at that point in time, "lost" is the older one. He had a totally distorted view of his own "righteousness" - "All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders" (v. 29). But how likely was that to have been true (I know it is just a story!)? But everything we read concerning the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law indicate that that was how they looked upon themselves and their strict adherence to the Law and the traditions of the elders. And then there's his statement in v. 30 when referring to his younger brother (when speaking to his father) as "this son of yours" and not "my brother", which says a lot about his ego and unforgiving attitude. Yet the father in his last words to him lets him know that "this brother of yours" was dead and is alive again.

I did read something on these 3 parables of Lk. 15 (lost sheep, lost coin, and lost sons) that made a lot of sense to me. In the first parable (Luke 15:3-7) of the lost sheep, the sheep is lost while going away from the other 99. In the 2nd parable (Luke 15:8-10) the coin is actually lost in close proximity to the other 9 coins - within the house. Each story describes various aspects of a religious person being lost: those that totally leave the fellowship of believers and also those who appear to be part of them but are, in effect, as "lost" as the others. So then in the final parable, Jesus combines both parables with this exquisite one of the lost sons: the younger corresponding to the lost sheep who was lost away from the main group but willingly accepts his shepherd's receiving him back. And then the elder matching up with the lost coin "in the house". Note that Jesus concludes this last parable with a big question mark hanging in the air - how did the older son receive his father's rebuke and wisdom concerning his sinful attitude and behavior toward his repentant brother? Would he see it for what it was and acknowledge the correctness of that viewpoint? Or would he proudly maintain his righteousness and his father's gullibility? Hopefully some of those Pharisees and Teachers of the Law "got it" and ended up as followers of Jesus. But we don't know, do we?

Luke 15

In this chapter we read about three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. “Parable” is the Greek word, parabole, # <3850> and comes from paraballo, # <3846>. It simply means, “a fictious narrative (of common life conveying a moral)… comparison.” 

The first parable reveals how Christ, the Shepherd, reaches out to sinners and goes after the lost sheep to bring them into his fold; the third parable reveals a loving Father’s yearning for the lost and His forgiveness toward the prodigal, but repentant son. The second parable differs in that it reveals a disgraced bride. The parable of the lost coin is in contrast to the two other parables in that it is not about repentance unto initial salvation. Here the woman is a married woman who lost something she already had. She represented the fallen away bride!

A silver coin was equivalent to a day’s wage and homes of the poor classes were small houses with dirt floors and very few windows. It would be very difficult to find a lost coin in a dark and dusty place. In Jesus’ day, the groom during the wedding ceremony would sometimes give his bride ten silver coins as a token of their vows. The bride would be kneeling and lifting up her cuffed hands to receive the coins as her groom stood over her. These coins carried the image of the king. By this act, the bride understood that she fully belonged to the groom; she was bought with a price (cf. 1Cor 6:20). These coins would be made into a garland worn on her head or neck. To lose one of these coins was regarded as carelessness and lack of affection and respect for her husband. If the woman (gune # <1135>, wife) had not found the coin, she could be cast out by her husband. Her full expression of love required she wear all ten pieces. This is why the woman made such an exhaustive search for just one coin.

The bride had forgotten the intrinsic value of that gift of total commitment to her husband and failed to guard it sufficiently. She forgot who she was and what she was called to become. In finding the lost coin, she repented of her failure to live up to the expectations of her husband. Her silver-coined garland or necklace was once again complete and there was great rejoicing. 

We, the bride of Christ, have been redeemed with a price, the shed blood of our Bridegroom (Eph 1:7). We must reflect our King’s image in every way; otherwise we will lose what was once so precious to us (cf. Rev 2:4-5).

15:6  The publicans and sinners had come to listen to Jesus. They answer to the ones who were invited to share in the joy of the found sheep. The Pharisees and scribes would not have shared in the joy of the recovery of a lost person. The contrast doubtless would not be lost on those listening to Jesus’ parable. 

Using stories to highlight emotional reactions

Jesus cleverly tells the first two stories using examples that are abstract and unlikely to provoke an illogical emotional response from us. Obviously we would search for the sheep. Obviously we would search for the coin. Why would we not, if those things were of value to us? Yet when it comes to forgiving and restoring people who have wronged us or wronged others, we have a harder time seeing the clear value of doing so. In v32 Jesus explains that the lesson of this third parable is just the same as the other two:

"It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."

15:30 The way in which the elder son speaks of his brother as “thy son” echoes the way in which Joseph’s brothers spoke of hi to Jacob – Gen 37:32

WOULD YOU BE HAPPY?

I wonder if you have ever had the neighbour who would call the police on you because your car was parked in the wrong place, or a work colleague who bullies you, or someone who makes your life miserable just because you are a Christian. Sometimes, when people like that are persistent in their antagonism, they remove almost all the ability we have to be nice to them. They can even consume our lives with fear, plans of revenge, or just miserableness as our minds and bodies try to cope.

How would you feel if that person turned up at your church next Sunday after all the nasty things they had done to you? And how would you feel if they had repented, if they got baptised and became a devoted member of your church? The right answer would be that we feel happy for them and rejoice. But the honest answer may be that we don't trust them, we despise them for choosing our church, and feel envious of the attention everyone else gives them.

Let's learn from the example of the oldest son in the parable of the Lost Son. He was not happy that his repentant younger brother should get such attention. But his Father said,"We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; we was lost and is found." (Luke 15:31). What would you do?

15:17  The prodigal who is described as “came to himself” contrasts with the unjust steward – Luke 16:3 who “said within himself”. Whilst the prodigal recognised his error and decided to trust his father the steward, on realising his dishonesty had been found out, thought he could sort out his own problems.

15:2The demanding nature of the son seen here with “give me” is gone when he returns home. Rather it is “make me” – a servant. The lesson, in the parable, had been learnt. It is not what I want that matters. It is the desires of the master – hence the request to be made a servant.

15:19   Notice the changed attitude Jesus presents in the son. In:12 he said “give me” but here he is now a different person – “make me” are the words of one who does not claim any rights.

Luke 16:18

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery."

“Christ’s words (Matt 5:32, and Luke 16:18) relate to divorce for insufficient cause (as was at that time common among the Jews). He recognizes no divorce as lawful ‘save for the cause of fornication.’ This severs the bond.” Robert Roberts, 1891

Put away is # <630>; putteth away is # <630>, apoluo, "to send away, dismiss..." If there is no legal divorce, the couple is still married despite the separation.  Therefore, to remarry is adultery. This is what this verse states. Divorce must be on Scripturally sanctioned grounds; this is correct. It is incorrect to apply "apoluo" to mean divorce, though. Please read 2018 notes on Matt 5:31,32; Matt 19:3 expounding further on this.

15:6      The rejoicing of the one who found the lost sheep contrasts starkly with the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day who made those they “saved” worse than they were before – Matt 23:15

15:25  the “elder son” represented the Pharisees who thought that they always obeyed their heavenly Father.

15:14 The “mighty famine” superficially seems a `lazy’ storytelling device which is introduced from nowhere to further the `plot’. But the father was watching, for he saw his son “when he was yet a great way off” (Lk. 15:20) and we can safely assume he had also been praying for his son. The famine can be explained as an answer to the father’s prayers that his son would be caused to repent and return. 

15:25 the “elder son” represented the Pharisees who thought that they always obeyed their heavenly Father.

Luke 15:11-32

The Tale of Two Brothers

Unlike the previous two parables (vv. 1-10), wherein searches took place to recover what was lost, the parable of the two brothers is a parable aimed directly at the Scribes and Pharisees in response to their criticism of Christ’s association with tax collectors and sinners.

The older brother (vv. 28-30), like the religious leaders of their day, was self-righteous with absolutely no compassion toward his brother, but rather became angry, jealous, criticized his brother’s choice of life style making no allowance for repentance, nor could he rejoice at his return and went so far as to even criticize his father whose graciousness overshadowed the sinfulness of the younger son (vv, 22-24).

The big difference between the two classes: the religious leaders and the sinners whom Jesus associated with is repentance. The self-righteous religious leaders with their hard and impenitent hearts were above repentance, while sinners knew they needed to repent (Matt 9:13; Luke 5:32). “… I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent” NLT. The prodigal son returned to his father in abject repentance (Luke 15:18-21), and the father rejoiced because his lost son came home; he was spiritually dead, and is alive again (vv. 31,32).

Let us take this a bit further in our every day application in the Truth, as this parable is deep and profound and has application to our day too. At one time we each were a prodigal in our own way, but the Father’s tender love, His compassion, readily to forgive and celebrate our repentance and submitted to His Truth, may be overshadowed by the “older brethren” who feel entitled coming from third/fourth generation Christadelphia. They display this superior attitude and hard-heartedly and un-righteously judge with no compassion or mercy, find fault, disdainfully murmur without any consideration of repentance to the young and repentant in the Truth – especially if they came out of the world. The very Father they claim to serve receives sinners gladly; the angels rejoice (Luke 15:7,10), but in their self-righteousness, they can’t and receive them coldly. I know this to be true, though, I must add that depending on the individuals, some are warmly received, especially if they are biologically family or friends prior, but in doing so, they make themselves  respecter of persons (Rom 2:11; Acts 10:34). Such behaviour lowers and bedraggles the beautiful message of the Gospel into the mire of human sentiment.

What a literary masterpiece this parable truly is in being a distillation of God’s plan of salvation and in giving us a sobering insight into human nature of which we are to be aware and take heed!

15:16 here is another link with another parable Jesus told to the same audience as part of a series of parables –  16:3 on both occasions the one spoken of is in need of food.

15:20 The way in which the son “came to his father seeking forgiveness contrasts markedly with the “steward” we see in the next chapter. His solution was to try and ingratiate himself to the very ones that could not save him –  16:4. In fact there are a number of parallels between the two parables that you might notice as you read.

15:21 here the father intreats the “son” seeking reconciliation. However in 16:25-26 “Abraham” speaks to the “son”. But on this occasion there is no room for repentance. This is the progression that runs through the three elements of the parable – sheep coin and son in this chapter. There had come a point of no return for the Pharisees who would not listen to Jesus’ teaching.

15:30,32 When this son of yours came ... this your brother

The older brother is contemptuous of his brother, simply styling him "this son of yours" almost to impugn his father. He is distancing himself relationally from his brother. Yet the father gently corrects him by referring to his youngest son as the "brother" of the older son.

Despite the gentle imploring of the father, there is no indication that the older brother came in to the house to rejoice at the return of his younger brother.