The interpretation of this parable is a little more straightforward than the previous two. It’s a microcosm of Israel. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. Here the younger son represents those who realize they are sinners and need forgiveness. Did you notice that the younger son “came to his senses?” He comes back to the Father and the Father doesn’t make him a slave: he reinstates him as a son! However the eldest son is not amused. He represents the Pharisees in the parable. They see themselves as righteous and deserving, just as the eldest son does. The eldest son can’t rejoice that his brother is home, because he is angry, spiteful, and uncompassionate. He’s had access to everything the Father had, yet he wants more. The moral of the story? Both sons are lost, it’s just that one is lost close to home. Both need to repent, but only one does. Have you?
For worship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfBTRCC52ik
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