Conclusion Of The Story of A Lost Son -The Lost Son Is Found

In the meantime, the father's "older son was in the field." See if you can identity whom he represents by listening to the rest of the story. Jesus says of the older son: "As he come and got near the house he heard a music concert and dancing. So he called one of the servants to him and inquired what these things meant. He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father slaughtered the fattened young bull, because he got him back in good health.' But he became wrathful and was unwilling to go in. Then his father came out and began to entreat him. In reply he said to his father, 'Here it is some many years I have slaved for you and never once did I transgress your commandment, and yet you never once gave me a kind for me to enjoy myself with my friends. But as soon as this your son who ate up your means of living with harlots arrived, you slaughtered the fattened young bull for him.'"

Who, like the older son, has been critical of the mercy and attention accorded sinners? Is it not the scribes and the Pharisees? Since it is their criticism of Jesus because he welcomes sinners that prompted this illustration, they clearly must be the ones represented by the older son.

Jesus concludes his story with the father's appeal to his older son: "Child, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours; but we just had to enjoy ourselves and rejoice, because this your brother was dead and came to life, and he was lost and was found.

Jesus thus leaves unresolved what the older son eventually does. Indeed, later, after Jesus' death and resurrection, "A great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith," possibly including some of these of the "older son" class to whom Jesus is here speaking.

But who in modern times are represented by the two sons? It must be those who have come to know enough about Jehovah's purposes to have a basis for their entering into a relationship with him. The older son represents some member of the "little flock," or "congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens." They had no desired to welcome and earthly class, the "other sheep," who they felt were stealing the limelight.

The prodigal son, on the other hand, represents those of God's people who leave to enjoy the pleasures that the world offers. In time, however, these repentantly return and again become active servants of God. Indeed, how loving and merciful the Father is toward those who recognize their need of forgiveness and return to him! Luke 15:11-32; Leviticus 11:7 8; Acts 6:7; Luke 12:32; Hebrews 12:23; John 10:16.

Next time: Provide For The Future With Practical Wisdom

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991