How does Luke 15:28 illustrate the elder brother's attitude toward forgiveness and grace? Setting the Scene Luke 15 presents three parables about lost things—a sheep, a coin, and a son. Each ends with celebration when the lost is found, underscoring heaven’s joy over repentance (Luke 15:7, 10). By the time we meet the elder brother, the audience is primed to expect the same rejoicing—but he refuses. Zooming in on Luke 15:28 “ ‘But he became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and entreated him.’ ” What the Elder Brother’s Anger Reveals • Resentment over Undeserved Grace – Instead of delighting in his brother’s restoration, he seethes. – Grace that pardons others feels like a threat to his own perceived merit (cf. Jonah 4:1). • Withdrawal from Fellowship – “Refused to go in” pictures a conscious choice to remain outside the circle of joy. – Sinless in his own eyes, he positions himself apart from both father and brother. • Self-Righteous Scorekeeping – Verses 29-30 show his résumé: years of service, rule-keeping, no festivities for him. – Like the laborers who grumbled at equal wages (Matthew 20:11-15), he measures fairness, not grace. • Anger at Mercy Exposed – His fury unmasks a heart that never grasped the father’s love; obedience had become transactional (cf. Isaiah 29:13; Luke 18:11-12). Contrasting the Father’s Response • The father “came out”—just as he earlier ran to the younger son (Luke 15:20). • He “entreated” him—persistent, patient grace extended to the resentful as well as the rebellious. • The same kindness that welcomed the prodigal now pursues the proud (Romans 2:4). Lessons About Our Own Hearts • We can be near the Father’s house yet far from His heart when service replaces relationship. • Refusal to celebrate another’s forgiveness exposes hidden legalism. • God’s grace confronts both obvious sin and respectable self-righteousness; every child must enter by mercy alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Scriptures That Echo the Same Theme • Matthew 18:21-35 – the unforgiving servant, forgiven much yet choking a fellow servant. • Luke 7:36-50 – Simon the Pharisee judges the repentant woman instead of rejoicing. • Galatians 2:21 – “If righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.” Takeaway Luke 15:28 lays bare a heart untouched by grace—angry, distant, merit-focused—while the father’s gentle pursuit models heaven’s persistent invitation to join the feast of forgiveness. |
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