Defense of the Prodigal Son’s Brother
“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
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.” (Luke 15:25-32)
In the story of the prodigal son, a young man asks his father for his part of the inheritance. He gets it, goes to a far country, and wastes it on sinful living. A famine comes. The son is broke and hungry. He gets a job feeding pigs, but it doesn’t sustain him. He realizes his father’s servants are better off than he is. He decides to go back, admit his sin against God and against Dad, and ask to be a hired servant. Dad sees him coming, greets him joyfully as his son, and throws a party.
Our passage is Part 2 of the story, about the prodigal’s older brother. He had been working in the field. When he comes back, he hears music and dancing. A servant tells him his dad is celebrating his brother’s return. He’s angry and doesn’t want to come in. Dad goes out to speak with him.
It can be said that the older son had a bad attitude, but before we look at what he did wrong, let’s look at what he did right. First, he stayed loyal to his father. No doubt he also knew about the far country and the sinful things that went on there, but he didn’t go. If you’re a Christian and raise your kids in church, you don’t want them to quit going to church and head for the bars and casinos once they’re adults, right? The older brother didn’t do that.
The older son was also obedient and serving. For a Christian parent, it is a joy to see your children serving the Lord as adults when they can choose not to. The older son also wasn’t breaking Dad’s heart and causing him grief like his younger brother. Finally, the older son was in a place where his father could fellowship with him. Dad didn’t go out to the far country to get his younger son out of a bar somewhere, but he did go out to where his obedient older son was to talk with him.
The older son wasn’t right in some areas, it’s true, but we can look at those in another essay. The main focus of the story is the father’s heart toward the returning, repentant son. It’s a picture of God’s heart toward a sinner who comes to Jesus in repentance and receives Him as Saviour. It’s also a picture of God’s heart toward a Christian who has gone into the “far country” and wants to return to fellowship with God. Jesus said in Luke 15:10, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
If want to see from the Bible how to have eternal forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven by receiving Jesus as Saviour, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links”, then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”
Brian Miller 2/17/2022
Cleveland Baptist Church 4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 216/671-2822