A little over a year ago, I was preparing for a long-awaited journey, a ten-hour flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina to pursue an intensive semester of theology at a local Bible college. As I said my tearful good-byes to my friends, family, and then-boyfriend (now husband), I received a care package. Inside was a cat calendar, chocolate bars, and a book entitled “The Prodigal God” by Timothy Keller. At the time, I was thrilled to add another book written by one of my favorite authors to my small traveling library, but little did I know what a source of encouragement and wisdom that book would be in the three months of theology courses, dorm rooms, and dropped international WhatsApp calls that followed.
In “The Prodigal God”, Keller unpacks the famous parable of, “The Prodigal Son” found in Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. Many of us are familiar with this story, but that can work against us. Often, this parable is only told with an emphasis on the younger son. Keller invites us to see it instead as the story of a man who had “two sons”. He encourages us to read beyond the narrative of the flighty younger brother and take into account the elder brother's act of defiance so that we can grasp the fullness of how this parable relates to the Gospel.
Keller asks us to view the parable as two acts: Act One entitled “The Lost Younger Brother” and Act Two “The Lost Elder Brother”. In Act One, we see the Fathers' youngest son very explicitly reject and dishonor his father by demanding his inheritance and setting off into the world. This is the portion of the story we are familiar with: the wayward son’s journey as he squanders his inheritance and is left with nothing, at the end of himself, he decides to return to his father as a hired man in order to repay his debts. However, we see the father “filled with compassion for him” (Luke 15:20b NIV), as he runs to meet him, and displays an extravagant homecoming welcome toward his youngest son. It is only after this joyous event that we get a glimpse into the elder brother’s attitude toward his younger brother’s return.
In Act Two of the parable, we see the elder brother become enraged at his father’s response to his brother’s irresponsibility, refusing to partake in the celebration that was taking place in the youngest son’s honor. The father goes out to the field where his eldest son is working to plead with him and the elder son’s response is “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends” (Luke 15:29 NIV). Here we see a disgruntled son, very clearly indignant that his obedience has never gone rewarded, even as he sees his father merrily receive his disobedient brother after the series of scandalous sins he’s committed.
In drawing our attention to both sides of the coin of defiance, Keller hopes to communicate this truth: there is more than one way to be spiritually blind. It can come in the form of straying from home or becoming so self-righteous that we cannot fathom grace. By teaching this parable in the presence of sinners and Pharisees, Jesus shows the crowd their need for a Savior. Christ's point is that salvation will not come through acts of diligent obedience without recognition of grace, or through the worldliness of a wandering life of selfish detachment. Keller is right, both of these approaches to the Christian life are spiritual dead ends. Jesus calls those of us who have come home to act as true elder brothers, following His commands in response to His transforming grace, recognizing the need for the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in us, and lovingly guiding our younger brothers back home where they’ve strayed.
Interestingly, Keller has chosen to name the book, "The Prodigal God" rather than, "The Prodigal Son." He explains this by offering Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary definition of the word, "Prodigal."
1. Recklessly extravagant
2. Having spent everything.
Seen in this light, it's clear that the most lavish character in the story is the father himself. His prodigal character is displayed by forgiving of his youngest son’s outright rejection, receiving his humble homecoming, and pleading with his eldest son to partake in the family celebration.
By comparison, our Heavenly Father displays the most bountiful acts of superseding grace. He is the one who holds forever those He loves and extravagantly exhibits his gracious character to His children, teaching us to love others well and obey his commands in response to His redeeming work. In my journey toward answering the call to ministry, Timothy Keller's “The Prodigal God” comforted me in ways that reminded me of why I serve: to be a true elder brother, allowing the Lord to transform me by the beauty of His mercy, and leading those who have lost their way home into a hope redefined by our Savior, Christ Jesus.