The parable of the lost son

[Vort]

This is on everyone's list of favorite parables. Normally called "the prodigal son", the parable actually has little to do with the younger son's prodigality (that is, his spendthriftiness, or willingness to spend all his money). It's the third of three parables—more accurately, it is the third of three stories in the Savior's parable about the importance of retrieving that which is lost—and is the most moving.

The strange part is that, while each story focuses on the value of the lost thing, whether sheep, coin, or son, the lost son story seems to put focus not on the son who was lost and then found, but on the faithful son. You could almost...allllllmost, but not quite...believe that the "lost" son was the one who stayed, and was lost in his own jealousy and bitterness. I don't know, maybe that's a subtext. What I find both curious and very comforting is the tenor of the father's words, the care and love with which he treated his elder son, and the mild way he responded to his embittered son's deprecations and accusations.

The older son was out of line. We all recognize that. Yet he is portrayed almost sympathetically. Who has ever read the account and not felt the righteous indignation of the son? Who hasn't at least secretly agreed with the son to some degree? Who hasn't felt the father's love and concern for his otherwise faithful son? The whole situation is absolutely understandable to every human being. We sympathize with the older son, and even if we don't agree with him (which we shouldn't), we feel sympathy for him. Malachi's words come, almost unbidden, to mind:

"Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name."

The Lord remembers, much better even than we ourselves remember. Known to God are all our works, and not just our wickedness, but our strivings for something better. We are not justified in envying God's mercy to our brethren, but we are understood. We must do better. We need to do better. But we are not condemned for our weaknesses. Not yet. God understands. When appropriate, God weeps for us. God does not now condemn us; rather, he calls to us and asks us to join  him. Only if we resist his love and turn our backs on him are we truly lost.

I suppose that Jesus had in mind to offer a parable of hope, not only to the foolish prodigals wasting their strength with harlots, but also to those who try to be faithful and don't understand why there is no fatted calf slain for them and their friends who stayed home to keep the animals fed and the fires burning.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Vort

[Carborendum]

The first two parables were a setup.  The third was the actual application.  And even so, many were not ready for it.

The first two parables were specifically given to help people to understand that just because someone sins, it is not the end of the world.  And we should not stop wanting them back.  We would want a lost coin back.  We would want a lost sheep back.  O, then how much more value has a man, a woman, a brother, a sister than sheep or coins!

When he tells the story of the prodigal son (just as he tells the story of the lost sheep and lost coin) he continues to focus on the thing that was lost and came back.  We're still focusing on the loss and return of something valuable.  And we would always celebrate its return.

The only role the elder son provided was an example of how we tend to treat the lost and returned person differently than a lost and returned coin or sheep.  We rejoice over the return of inanimate objects and an animal that hardly does anything but eat, sleep, and poop.  Yet, with a person who has returned, repentant, we look down our nose and complain "Oh, he's back again."

The first two make us feel like we're the central character -- the one who lost the thing and found it again -- by going out in search of it.

The third story is the only one with more than one person with an active role.  But by pattern, we tend to believe we're the father in the story.  The reality is that we are often the prodigal or the "faithful" son.  But it is our choice whether we are the father in the story or either of the two sons.

1. We sin terribly.  We repent.  We are forgiven.  We can enjoy the blessings the Lord has for us.
2. We are what we consider "basically righteous" so we feel we can condemn those who sin "worse than us."  Often, doing so means that we don't really repent.
3. We can be the ones who help others when we can, we go out to look for them (while the son was afar off).  We can celebrate the repentant sinner.  We can encourage them, sweep them up into our arms, and welcome them to the hospital that is the Church.

It's our choice as to which one we become in reality.  But just as the other parables imply that we are the person who lost the thing, found it, and rejoiced, it is pretty obvious that the Lord wants us to be that person in the third parable as well.

[rcthompson88]

During this last General Conference I appreciated Elder Uchtdorf's telling of the story. As he spoke about the elder son, and how the father told his son that everything he had was his (his son) I thought about Elder Philips' talk about his son Jasper. Elder Philips described his son toward the end of his talk, and stated that most importantly his son Jasper was his, and he loved him.

Perhaps part of what the father was telling his eldest son was that his eldest son had everything of his, including the younger son. Because of the potential for families to be bound together with each other and with Christ forever, the eldest son should also recognize and rejoice that a portion of his divine inheritance, the inclusion of his younger brother, had returned.

[JohnsonJones]

1 hour ago, rcthompson88 said:

During this last General Conference I appreciated Elder Uchtdorf's telling of the story. As he spoke about the elder son, and how the father told his son that everything he had was his (his son) I thought about Elder Philips' talk about his son Jasper. Elder Philips described his son toward the end of his talk, and stated that most importantly his son Jasper was his, and he loved him.

Perhaps part of what the father was telling his eldest son was that his eldest son had everything of his, including the younger son. Because of the potential for families to be bound together with each other and with Christ forever, the eldest son should also recognize and rejoice that a portion of his divine inheritance, the inclusion of his younger brother, had returned.

This is what I was thinking about as I read the Original post as well. 

[prisonchaplain]

The elder son may have been guilty of hypocrisy. He blamed the younger son for squandering the family's money, yet almost seemed jealous. He complains that he worked while the younger was off enjoying himself. Why couldn't he enjoy himself? Why didn't the father let him have some fun, like the younger did? We can only guess at all that was going through the elder son's mind, but I suspect that he caused the father as much heartache as the younger one did by his refusal to welcome the prodigal back--his refusal to celebrate his younger brother's restoration. 

[Ironhold]

14 hours ago, prisonchaplain said:

The elder son may have been guilty of hypocrisy. He blamed the younger son for squandering the family's money, yet almost seemed jealous. He complains that he worked while the younger was off enjoying himself. Why couldn't he enjoy himself? Why didn't the father let him have some fun, like the younger did? We can only guess at all that was going through the elder son's mind, but I suspect that he caused the father as much heartache as the younger one did by his refusal to welcome the prodigal back--his refusal to celebrate his younger brother's restoration. 

IRL? 

As I've mentioned before, my going anywhere was never much of an option. My maternal grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's during my senior year of high school, and with my dad still adjusting to retirement from the military, one brother just getting started in the military, and another about to enter graduate school I realized it would be a hardship on my parents if I left as well. 

I had gotten mailings from colleges as prestigious as BYU and Rutgers, but instead went to a series of local schools. 

Because I was the one who remained at home, I bore the brunt of everything that happened as we took care of her during those final two years and then the 2 - 3 years after as we tried to get her estate settled. 

Essentially, I gave up my future so that my brothers could have theirs. And I've paid a very, very dear price for it in terms of missed opportunities, including the prospect of my various mental and physical health diagnosis being made much sooner so I could have gotten treatment when I needed it. 

I think you can understand why some days I'm so very frustrated at the world and why a portion of me keeps going back to "what-if" scenarios despite my efforts not to. 

And yes, as my brothers succeeded they were cheered, while I *might* see my parents post their praise of me on social media whenever it was my birthday or I achieved what they regarded as a proper milestone. 

[prisonchaplain]

I don't think there is an IRL to give you. I just posted my response. 

[Traveler]

I love parables – especially the parable of the prodigal (lost) son.  Terms are interesting to me.  We call the parable of the prodigal – though the word prodigal is never used in the parable.  Something that expert scholars have added.  And yet many Saints refer to the parable with the prodigal description - sometimes I wonder if they realize why the parable is called prodigal and not wicked or evil.

The logic that Jesus references is so amazing.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the story we displace the logic that is used.  For example – none are more lost than those that are lost to themselves.  Often, we think of things that are lost because we do not know how to reclaim them – even if we know where it or they are.  On my mission I met a guy that though not displaying any outward trapping of a saint that was actually LDS – though somewhat incognito.  When I realized I said something like, “So you are a lost sheep?”  To which he responded, “No I am not lost – I am hiding.”  Some experiences leave an indelible impression that are hard to forget.  I have come to understand that many of the lost are lost only because they are hiding.  Mostly hiding from themselves.  Jesus uses this logic with the simple phrase, “When he came to himself”.

 

The Traveler

Edited October 18, 2023 by Traveler