Luke 15:25 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Luke 15:25

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(Synoptics: Luke 15:25-32)This is another one of those great chapters of promise, holding out a definite felt, transforming experience to those who turn to God. The Christianity which we believe in, the message of this Bible, does not condone, advocate, or teach in the slightest a form of religion which cannot be felt. There is too much religion in this world which is nothing but theoretical cant. There is too much which makes no difference to people, and which has nothing to do with a personal experience of God. Christianity is not some sort of a creed or some ethical system which you merely believe in with your head. It is a message which has all the power of God attending it, and which introduces us to a very personal and definite experience of the Lord. The Parable of the Prodigal Son represents the entire human race under the image of two sons, who have a good and kind father, but both of whom are unworthy, though in different respects. This is one of the most familiar passages of the Bible and yet one of the most misunderstood. In the first part it is a picture of how man scorns his God, his father, and all he wants from God are the benefits of life without giving any recognition, gratitude or praise to his Creator. It is true of every single man born. We set out wanting absolutely nothing to do with our heavenly Father, and we are like a son who goes to a wealthy earthly father and says, ‘I hate you, and I wish you were dead. All I want is the wealth which would fall to me if you were gone’, and that is precisely the attitude of every one of us to God before we are converted. But then comes the second part of the parable, which is about the elder son. The elder son had stayed with his father when the younger son had gone off on his rebellious wanderings. Outwardly, he had behaved better than his younger brother, and yet his heart was cold towards his father, and this became evident on the repentance of the prodigal, and his return home. The curious thing about this elder son was that he was totally unsympathetic to what was going on, and he became angry and offended that his younger brother had come home and his return was being celebrated, and he had been forgiven by his father. There is a great deal which we have to learn from this, because there are always some who are pictured by this elder son. The clue to the meaning is given in the first two verses of the chapter: ‘And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.³ And he spake this parable unto them, saying …’ He has already spoken some parables for their benefit, and undoubtedly, after having spoken of the prodigal son who returns and repents, he is now speaking of people who won't return, who won't repent.

Application

This applied to the entire Jewish nation, which thought it had been loyal the God of Israel through many centuries, and resented the gospel going out to the ‘unclean’ Gentiles. But it applied to the Pharisees in particular, and it applies to all who do not feel any need, who do not like anybody to tell them that they need to be pardoned, they need to be born again, and who find that somewhat offensive. If you are moved to seek God and you are anxious to be forgiven and to find him, then you are pictured by the prodigal son, but if you have no relationship with God, and you consider yourself above all this, then you are pictured by the older brother.

You say, ‘I am good enough as I am. What's this suggestion, that I am not good and acceptable as a Christian person. I admit I don't attend a place of worship; I don't practice in that sense. I don't go over the top; I don't go to morning and evening service every week, but when I consider myself, I think I am perfectly fit to be accepted by God.’ You would be surprised that more people think like that than the other way, far more people. In every generation preachers and pastors have always been quick to notice that the vast majority of the population are offended by a message which says they need their sins washed away, and they need to be changed by the power of God, because they think they are good enough, even if they are not worshippers, even if they have no great interest in spiritual things. Deep down the vast majority of people think that they are good enough, and if we are in that class, it is to us that the Lord speaks this part of the parable about the elder son. He has heard somebody say that as long as he lives a good life – and he imagines he lives a good life; he doesn't look very deeply into himself – he is all right. His pride teaches him he is all right, but anybody who thinks he is all right in the sight of God without having an experience of conversion is pictured here by the elder brother. He may be a worshiper who has no personal experience of God; he may be a non-worshiper who nevertheless thinks he is all right because of his moral standing.

The first thing that the picture tells you here is this: you are not in touch with the God any more than the elder son was in touch with his father. You can't speak to him; you don't seem to be in sympathy with him.

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Luke 15:25 Commentary and Bible Study