The Parable of the Two Lost Sons
Luke 15:11-32 presents a powerful depiction of the truth that there’s more than one way to be lost. The familiar story of the prodigal son is often misunderstood, with many people focusing solely on the wayward younger son who squanders his inheritance and eventually returns home. However, Jesus’ intention is to target the religiously devout, not the wayward.
A Heat-Seeking Missile Aimed at the Self-Righteous
The context of the chapter is crucial: Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and scribes who grumble about his association with tax collectors and sinners. The parable is a response to their self-righteousness, and its dramatic final scene is often overlooked. The older son, who has served his father faithfully, is angry and refuses to join in the celebration of his brother’s return. His father’s response is telling: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
The True Meaning of the Parable
Tim Keller, in his book “The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith,” captures the essence of Jesus’ teaching on this parable. Keller credits a sermon by his mentor, Ed Clowney, which altered his understanding of Christianity. He notes that the parable is one of the clearest spots where we can see all the way to the bottom of Jesus’ teaching. What makes this parable so powerful is its ability to shatter our categories and challenge our assumptions.
Two Ways to Be Alienated from God
The two brothers in the parable represent two different ways to be alienated from God: the way of moral conformity and the way of self-discovery. These approaches are strikingly resonant with the late-modern West, where we often divide the world into two basic groups: the moral and the immoral. However, Jesus is not beholden to these false dichotomies. Both brothers are lost, but only one knows it. The elder brother’s outward goodness and resultant pride have erected a barrier between him and the father’s love.
The Sobering Truth
It’s sobering to notice that when the older son protests his obedience, the father doesn’t disagree. His firstborn has been obedient, but it’s keeping him from the feast. An elder-brother mindset can haunt us all, leading us to focus on our own righteousness rather than the father’s love. As Keller notes, “Jesus’ purpose is not to warm our hearts but to shatter our categories.” The parable of the two lost sons is a powerful reminder that apart from Jesus Christ, flagrant lawbreaking and fastidious rule-keeping are dead ends.
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