The Parable of the Two Lost Sons is split into two Acts. We saw in Act 1 the shocking display of love from the father, both in giving the rebellious younger son the inheritance due at the father's death and also receiving this son back into the home with open arms. "Grace to spare" is Tim Keller's summation of these events, which is a neat way of putting it.
And so we come to Act 2, where we finally meet the other son mentioned at the beginning of the story. As all of the events at the end of Act 1 unfold -- the stunning welcome home followed by the throwing of a huge party --we read the eldest son was in the field, no doubt working. He heard the rambunctious goings on from afar and so asked one of the servants what was happening. The servant informs him of two things: his brother has returned, and his father has decided to celebrate as a result. Now the elder brother is faced with a decision, and much like his younger brother he decides to disgrace his father.
As I've noted before, this parable is really about the father. The elder brother doesn't refuse to join the party because he has no respect or love for his once stray brother (though that is surely implied). It is the father who has angered him. Why? Because the father has grace to spare.
The climactic moment in this parable is the father running out to his youngest son and lavishing upon him all sorts of unconditional love. Here is the moment when the father's heart is revealed, and it is a heart that bleeds forgiveness and grace. This is the central image of the story, and we have initially seen it through the eyes of an exile who has been reinstated into the family. This is grace, and it looks good from this point of view.
But there is a second lens which we must now look through. In the second Act we are given a new pair of eyes through which we must see things. We see the same image -- that of a father celebrating the return of his rebel son -- but this time anger is the dominant motif. The eldest son is furious with his father's shameless display of grace. Through him we see grace as something which doesn't make any sense. His father tries to usher him into the party, but the son replies,
And so we come to Act 2, where we finally meet the other son mentioned at the beginning of the story. As all of the events at the end of Act 1 unfold -- the stunning welcome home followed by the throwing of a huge party --we read the eldest son was in the field, no doubt working. He heard the rambunctious goings on from afar and so asked one of the servants what was happening. The servant informs him of two things: his brother has returned, and his father has decided to celebrate as a result. Now the elder brother is faced with a decision, and much like his younger brother he decides to disgrace his father.
As I've noted before, this parable is really about the father. The elder brother doesn't refuse to join the party because he has no respect or love for his once stray brother (though that is surely implied). It is the father who has angered him. Why? Because the father has grace to spare.
The climactic moment in this parable is the father running out to his youngest son and lavishing upon him all sorts of unconditional love. Here is the moment when the father's heart is revealed, and it is a heart that bleeds forgiveness and grace. This is the central image of the story, and we have initially seen it through the eyes of an exile who has been reinstated into the family. This is grace, and it looks good from this point of view.
But there is a second lens which we must now look through. In the second Act we are given a new pair of eyes through which we must see things. We see the same image -- that of a father celebrating the return of his rebel son -- but this time anger is the dominant motif. The eldest son is furious with his father's shameless display of grace. Through him we see grace as something which doesn't make any sense. His father tries to usher him into the party, but the son replies,
"Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!"
In other words, "I've earned a celebration, whereas this son of yours hasn't. What you're doing isn't fair!"
Judaism as a religion was not built on what we might describe as "works righteousness". The Pharisees Jesus was addressing would have known this. They would have known that God led the children of Israel out of Egypt before He ever gave them the Ten Commandments. Contrary to the vibe I get from Keller, I can't quite commit to the idea that Jesus is here addressing people who think a relationship with God is earned, though the application can surely be made, especially given the eldest son's words and the fact that the story finishes with him still outside the party.
However, we must not overlook the (once again) shocking statement by the father:
Judaism as a religion was not built on what we might describe as "works righteousness". The Pharisees Jesus was addressing would have known this. They would have known that God led the children of Israel out of Egypt before He ever gave them the Ten Commandments. Contrary to the vibe I get from Keller, I can't quite commit to the idea that Jesus is here addressing people who think a relationship with God is earned, though the application can surely be made, especially given the eldest son's words and the fact that the story finishes with him still outside the party.
However, we must not overlook the (once again) shocking statement by the father:
"Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours."
His eldest son disgraces him by refusing to join the celebration, yet the father still speaks so tenderly to his beloved son. His hard heart seemingly has not cost him anything. He still has his relationship with the father ("Son, you are always with me", and he still has his inheritance ("all that is mine is yours"). But to go back to that central image again, the father has shown both his sons a fresh portrait of himself. Though they were both with him (one for longer than the other) neither son really knew who their father was. But because of this stunning welcome home the youngest son has now seen his father for who he really is, and can't help but celebrate. The elder brother has also seen, but he now faces a choice: put away the distorted images of his father which he has held for so long and join the party, or turn away from the father's heart and refuse to celebrate the embracing grace.
I have only dipped my feet into Keller's wonderful little book, but I hope you have gained something of a renewed insight into the father heart of the One Christians call "God"; the prodigal God who has grace to spare.
I have only dipped my feet into Keller's wonderful little book, but I hope you have gained something of a renewed insight into the father heart of the One Christians call "God"; the prodigal God who has grace to spare.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. - Luke 15:20
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