The Parable

This blog idea seems great Tim. Thanks for doing this. In fact, this is the first time I have ever blogged, so let me know if I am doing something taboo. I like questions, and to hear others points of view. So, if others comment then I will keep asking questions... Lord knows I have a billion... I mean trillion... of them.

Before chapter one begins the entire parable is written out. This is a great help. For one it helped me read it slowly and consider what was said and what was not said.

In light of that I have a couple of questions.

In verse 32 the father tells the son the reason (... this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.) why he had to welcome the younger son back with such joy. How do you think this affected the elder son? What do you think Jesus' purpose was for ending it there?

My first thoughts are these -
Question #1 ( How do you think this affected the elder son?):

The elder son could have had one of two responses.
1) The elder son was not affected by the fathers reason. His heart was hardened and thought father was acting foolishly by attracting attention to this disgraceful son.
2) The elder son was softened by the fathers reason. He saw what his father did from a different light and realized his own selfish viewpoint.

Question #2 (What do you think Jesus' purpose was for ending it there?) is a little more difficult:

Was Jesus wanting the religious leaders to wonder what should happen next, and consider what THEY would do after such a reason from the father, since they were probably aware he was talking to them? Almost drawing to himself those religious leaders who believed in this type of God... a type of God who loved those who humbly/repentantly came to him. At the same time exposing the hearts of the religious leaders who thought the father was foolish?

It is also interesting that the bible does not record the response from the tax collectors or religious leaders.