The Parable of the Prodigal Sons

Paul Anderson-Walsh makes some thought-provoking observations on the Lord Jesus' illustration which is commonly called "The Prodigal Son." Since "prodigal" means "wasteful" and both the sons in the parable were wasting their lives--but in different ways--perhaps it would be more accurate to call the talk the parable of the prodigal sons (plural). This is from Anderson-Walsh's book The Bonsai Conspiracy:

"The Prodigal Son is a well-known story. It is a play in three parts about two prodigal sons endeavoring, with varying degrees of success, to reconcile themselves to the absurdity of their father's Agape love for them. The word 'prodigal' means 'wasteful' and in this parable, both boys squandered their inheritance--one in the form of license and the other in the form of Legalism. Both did it because they perceived themselves to be slaves and not sons. However, at the end of the parable, we have the younger and profligate son restored and reconciled, having passed from death to life.

"In contrast, his elder brother is depicted as estranged and unable to reconcile himself to his father's love for his brother and consequently, is alienated from the family (of which he is fully a part) by a self-righteous pride which has driven him to be apart. The curtain comes down on the parable with the elder brother trapped in a self-imposed 'hell' with the father present in that hell with him, beseeching, inviting and loving his elder son back to life.

"It is a startling thought that the one who comes to his senses is the one who, from a religious perspective, is irredeemable. Both the sons see their father as a slave-driver for whom they work rather than as a senior partner in a business which they will one day inherit.

"This story is the third of a trilogy. The first is about a lost sheep and the second about a lost coin. However, these three stories differ materially in this one point--the father in the story of The Prodigal Son does not go out to find his 'lost' son. Instead, he waits patiently for his son and one must conclude that just as the father was prepared to wait in perpetuity for his younger son, he would afford the same patience to his elder son. This is very important because immediately, we see that this is a story focused on sons misusing their son-ship. There is nothing the father can do to make his sons more sons than they already are.

"In the same way, we have been made sons and daughters of God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Consequently, our Father can do nothing more to make us, His beloved saved children, more of a son or daughter than we already are.

". . . The progression of the elder son's logic goes something like this--'Look!' 'I have always been serving you.' 'I have not neglected a single command of yours.' He hears with the ears of a slave, not a son and is self-righteous and proud. He does not understand that acceptance has nothing to do with actions or behaviour but everything to do with the father's love. Acceptance is based upon who the father is and not what the son has done."