The Older Brother

The prodigal son’s older brother shows what can happen when people are around religion for a long time. Unlike the father, who had nothing but mercy for the lost son who had finally come home, the older brother was horrified at the celebration held in honor of his sinful brother. He was more than jealous. He was furious. The father killed the fatted calf just because his wayward boy was back, but he seemed to neglect the unwavering loyalty of his other son.

That was the attitude of the Pharisees who first heard Jesus tell this story (Luke 15:2, 3). It became the view of Jews in general as the Good News spread to the Gentiles (Acts 11:1–3). How could Jesus be so friendly toward sinners yet so distant from people who carefully practiced the finer points of the Law? How could God show compassion toward the Gentiles while bypassing the Jews, who had been His people for generations?

It might feel as if everyone overlooks people who make a lifelong habit of obeying God. It may seem like new followers of Jesus with gruesome pasts get all the attention. To everyone who feels underappreciated, Jesus’ parable supplies both a comfort and a challenge. The comfort is that God never forgets who His children are. He has great treasures stored up for them (Luke 15:31). The challenge is that they need to maintain the right perspective. We will never stop needing the Father’s compassion and mercy. And when we comprehend that, we will never tire of watching others connect or reconnect with the Father’s heart (15:32).

Taken from The Modern Life Study Bible