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A Tale of Two Sons: The Inside Story of a Father, His Sons, and a Shocking Murder
Previously published as A Tale of Two Sons
Charles Dickens. William Shakespeare. Garrison Keillor. They’re all part of the chorus of literary geniuses who expressed admiration for The Parable of the Prodigal Son as outstanding literature. After all, it is a powerful drama, rich in detail, powerfully succinct, and intensely personal. But beyond the literary critiques—besides being one of the most celebrated written works of all time—the message of this parable is one we can’t afford to ignore.
In The Prodigal Son, John MacArthur takes the story back to its roots, when Jesus’ words were absolutely revolutionary. As one of America’s most beloved Bible teachers, MacArthur leads us through the minefields of interpretation and restores the simple yet profound brilliance of this passage. Giving engrossing historical background, The Prodigal Son will reveal Christ’s original message as intended for the Pharisees, the disciples, and the world today.
Gain an enlightening perspective into the prodigal son’s story and embrace God’s love anew with The Prodigal Son.
Charles Dickens. William Shakespeare. Garrison Keillor. They’re all part of the chorus of literary geniuses who expressed admiration for The Parable of the Prodigal Son as outstanding literature. After all, it is a powerful drama, rich in detail, powerfully succinct, and intensely personal. But beyond the literary critiques—besides being one of the most celebrated written works of all time—the message of this parable is one we can’t afford to ignore.
In The Prodigal Son, John MacArthur takes the story back to its roots, when Jesus’ words were absolutely revolutionary. As one of America’s most beloved Bible teachers, MacArthur leads us through the minefields of interpretation and restores the simple yet profound brilliance of this passage. Giving engrossing historical background, The Prodigal Son will reveal Christ’s original message as intended for the Pharisees, the disciples, and the world today.
Gain an enlightening perspective into the prodigal son’s story and embrace God’s love anew with The Prodigal Son.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2008
143 people are currently reading
736 people want to read
About the author
John F. MacArthur Jr.
1,344 books1,918 followersJohn F. MacArthur, Jr. was a United States Calvinistic evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You and as the editor of the Gold Medallion Book Award-winning MacArthur Study Bible. MacArthur was a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker, and served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California beginning in 1969, as well as President of The Master’s College (and the related Master’s Seminary) in Santa Clarita, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 19, 2012
MacArthur breaks down the Parable of the Prodigal Son into 3 sections about the prodigal younger son, the gracious father and the self-righteous older son.
He interprets this parable to be about an unbeliever repenting which results in joy in heaven.
He goes into lots of cultural background and for the most part in my opinion, draws pretty good conclusions.
I am not sure this in ONLY about an unbeliever accepting the grace of the Father. I believe that it is also a picture of a believer sinning and repenting (or not) and about the mercy of the Father.
Sometimes I think that MacArthur makes too many interpretations from 'clues' that could or couldn't be true. Numerous thoughts such as his guess that the Father and his two sons acted out this parable in the middle of a village experience and how much that influenced things said in parable. Did the Father really run toward the returning younger son to shield him from the scour and shame of the rest of the village. Maybe. But if the home/estate was on the edge of town, this point is mute. Could be but I think it is a stretch and doesn't need to be said. Characteristically, MacArthur interprets with lots of emphasis and confidence.
Like in his radio preaching he also seems to like to pit the good against the bad, his views of good not necessarily good and his views of the bad not always bad. I don't like his often stated adversarial style. One can make point and counter point without setting oneself up as being the 'right' and the other sinful or wrong. There. I give my 2 cents on his style. For the most part I appreciate his study and most of his interpretations. I haven't exactly written 50-60 books but I do have an opinion.
He interprets this parable to be about an unbeliever repenting which results in joy in heaven.
He goes into lots of cultural background and for the most part in my opinion, draws pretty good conclusions.
I am not sure this in ONLY about an unbeliever accepting the grace of the Father. I believe that it is also a picture of a believer sinning and repenting (or not) and about the mercy of the Father.
Sometimes I think that MacArthur makes too many interpretations from 'clues' that could or couldn't be true. Numerous thoughts such as his guess that the Father and his two sons acted out this parable in the middle of a village experience and how much that influenced things said in parable. Did the Father really run toward the returning younger son to shield him from the scour and shame of the rest of the village. Maybe. But if the home/estate was on the edge of town, this point is mute. Could be but I think it is a stretch and doesn't need to be said. Characteristically, MacArthur interprets with lots of emphasis and confidence.
Like in his radio preaching he also seems to like to pit the good against the bad, his views of good not necessarily good and his views of the bad not always bad. I don't like his often stated adversarial style. One can make point and counter point without setting oneself up as being the 'right' and the other sinful or wrong. There. I give my 2 cents on his style. For the most part I appreciate his study and most of his interpretations. I haven't exactly written 50-60 books but I do have an opinion.
January 31, 2013
while i enjoyed this book, the reason i'm not giving it four stars is that i felt it could have been less repetitive (thus much shorter) and still had the same impact. and perhaps even more so, because the reader wouldn't get lost along the way (no pun intended).
i have previously read literature that expounded on this parable, as it could be understood in the cultural context of Jesus' time. therefore, much of the information presented in this book was a retread for me. however, if this book had been my first exposure to exegesis of the parable, i would have found the content more fresh. regardless, this book did give me additional insights and presented some thought-provoking ideas (e.g., the father in the parable as Jesus), which is why i'm glad i read it.
i have previously read literature that expounded on this parable, as it could be understood in the cultural context of Jesus' time. therefore, much of the information presented in this book was a retread for me. however, if this book had been my first exposure to exegesis of the parable, i would have found the content more fresh. regardless, this book did give me additional insights and presented some thought-provoking ideas (e.g., the father in the parable as Jesus), which is why i'm glad i read it.
July 19, 2024
Sou fascinado por essa história. Vale a leitura, mesmo para quem, como eu, não se declara cristão. Jesus, o que aparece nos evangelhos e conta essa parábola, é um grande mestre.
July 14, 2014
The Tale of Two Sons was my long-weekend read earlier this month - and it proved to be a great read!
Anyone brought up in Sunday School will know the story of the Prodigal Son (although I prefer to call him The Lost Son, for obvious reasons!), but most will not fully grasp the import of the story as originally told by Jesus, the Christ. The sub-title of this book, by John MacArthur, provides some insight into how the story would have been understood when originally spoken - the inside story of a father, his sons, and a shocking murder! And especially its meaning for self-righteous people!
The structure of the book is simple and clear. After setting the story in it's context the author deals in order with the main characters, namely, the prodigal, the father, and the elder brother. In each instance he brings to light the implications of their words and actions and in so doing opens up the story to our minds, and hearts!
I found the book insightful, helpful and informative. Also, I used it as a personal inventory on my attitudes to others who perhaps are more prodigal than I would ever want to admit for myself. I found myself in awe of the father, who despite how he had been treated by both of his sons, had a heart of love, grace and mercy towards them both. This is an important lesson that many of us evangelicals need to learn, instead of being so judgemental.
I would recommend this book to all and am off the opinion that it merits a reading every year! A truly 5-star read.
Anyone brought up in Sunday School will know the story of the Prodigal Son (although I prefer to call him The Lost Son, for obvious reasons!), but most will not fully grasp the import of the story as originally told by Jesus, the Christ. The sub-title of this book, by John MacArthur, provides some insight into how the story would have been understood when originally spoken - the inside story of a father, his sons, and a shocking murder! And especially its meaning for self-righteous people!
The structure of the book is simple and clear. After setting the story in it's context the author deals in order with the main characters, namely, the prodigal, the father, and the elder brother. In each instance he brings to light the implications of their words and actions and in so doing opens up the story to our minds, and hearts!
I found the book insightful, helpful and informative. Also, I used it as a personal inventory on my attitudes to others who perhaps are more prodigal than I would ever want to admit for myself. I found myself in awe of the father, who despite how he had been treated by both of his sons, had a heart of love, grace and mercy towards them both. This is an important lesson that many of us evangelicals need to learn, instead of being so judgemental.
I would recommend this book to all and am off the opinion that it merits a reading every year! A truly 5-star read.
February 1, 2020
É um excelente livro. Finalmente entendi essa parábola. Vai muito além do que eu sabia. As vezes o MacArthur arrasta o texto, mas isso se torna um detalhe diante da magnífica história do filho pródigo.
January 26, 2022
John MacArthur writes about what he calls the best known parable of Jesus and the “greatest short story ever.” It influenced Shakespeare, Rembrandt, and Rubens, among others.
Found only in Luke’s gospel (15: 11-32), the story contains familiar characters easy to identify with. The lesson of the elder brother is “the main reason Jesus told the parable.” The elder brother symbolizes the Pharisees. His “cold indifference is a visual representation of the same evil hypocrisy Jesus was confronting” from the scribes and Pharisees, who considered themselves morally superior to others. Jesus saw them as hypocrites who refused to recognize their own sins. The parable contrasts God’s delight in the redemption of sinners with the Pharisee’s inflexible hostility toward those same sinners.
MacArthur describes the elder brother as “embittered, self-centered” and having “hellish displeasure” over the Prodigal’s reinstatement. Is the elder brother “the real villain” here as the author concludes? Let’s examine the context.
First, when the Prodigal returns, he receives “full acceptance and restoration to full status of a beloved son” with “the highest honor and privilege.” MacArthur says the father was in effect saying, “The best of all that I have is yours. You are now fully restored to sonship, and even elevated in our household to a position of honor.” The father’s presentation of three gifts “carried profound and far-reaching legal weight.” It included usufruct, the full legal use of the father’s property.
There was one thing the father could not restore, MacArthur asserts, and that was the right to inheritance. The elder brother’s share was already legally locking in and could not be changed. Timothy Keller disagrees, however, in The Prodigal God (2008, Riverhead Books). “By bringing the younger brother back into the family,” Keller writes, the father “has made him an heir again with a claim to one-third of their (now greatly diminished) family wealth.”
Keller and MacArthur agree that the Prodigal was fully restored, but MacArthur inserts an exception to “fully” that Keller does not, claiming it would be illegal to restore the right to inheritance. Why does it matter? Because if Keller is right, then the reviled elder brother has a plausible defense, namely that the Prodigal’s forgiveness is coming at his expense in a zero-sum game without his consent. While God’s mercy is infinite, the father’s estate is finite; for one brother to gain by getting a double share, the other brother loses.
MacArthur does allow that by bestowing usufruct, the father was laying claim to everything he had promised the elder son and authorizing the Prodigal to use it as he wishes. “The elder son…should have sole usufructary rights.” In addition, the special robe the father put on the Prodigal would normally be reserved for the firstborn at his wedding. So even if MacArthur is correct about the law protecting the elder’s brother’s inheritance from being cut in half, the elder was still losing honor and privilege he would normally have received. Again, in a zero-sum arrangement, he was losing through no fault of his own.
Is it hellish to resent losing expected honors and privileges, and perhaps half of the property? Is refusing to celebrate such personal loss an evil hypocrisy? Is it proof of a sinful character?
MacArthur attacks the big brother’s motives. When the premise is that big brother is the main villain, then he gets no benefit of the doubt. It’s easy to attribute base motives to those we dislike in order to discredit them, even though we aren’t mind readers.
So the elder brother’s outward diligence and obedience were not motivated by love and were “just a sham.” Moreover, “his heart was completely devoid of all natural filial affection.” He was “despicable, cruel-hearted, sullen, impenitent, greedy, with a spirit of defiance.”
“What, really, did the elder son have to be indignant about?” MacArthur asks. The answer is in his book. The Prodigal received high honors that normally would go to the firstborn son. In addition, “the father (was) spending resources (on the massive feast) that would rightfully belong to the elder brother as soon as the father died – in effect diminishing the value of the ‘faithful’ son’s inheritance.”
My disagreements with MacArthur are these:
In the real world, people tend to have mixed motives rather than totally pure or totally evil ones.
The elder brother was paying for his father’s grace, and without his consent. The forgiveness was free for the Prodigal and his father, but it came at big brother’s expense. When he refused to celebrate his losses, he is castigated as a selfish hater.
The elder brother was undoubtedly an adult. Is it rebellion and hatred for an adult to disagree – one time in this case – with a parent, especially about a decision that adversely affects him, but about which he had not been consulted?
The father in the parable represents God. But God’s mercy is non-zero-sum resource. Forgiving one sinner does not deprive another of forgiveness.
Suppose mercy were finite instead of infinite, and giving a double share to the Prodigal would deplete the mercy available to the diligent brother? In other words, suppose the one brother had to suffer for his sins because the wayward sibling got a disproportionate share of a limited supply of mercy? In that instance, big brother’s objection would be more justifiable. The father’s estate was finite.
The elder brother clearly is no saint. He’s a sinner like the rest of us. The circumstances suggest, however, that he is not the vicious, greedy scoundrel he is depicted as. It’s a fine thing to forgive a repentant sinner. It is quite another to make someone else pay for it. -30-
Found only in Luke’s gospel (15: 11-32), the story contains familiar characters easy to identify with. The lesson of the elder brother is “the main reason Jesus told the parable.” The elder brother symbolizes the Pharisees. His “cold indifference is a visual representation of the same evil hypocrisy Jesus was confronting” from the scribes and Pharisees, who considered themselves morally superior to others. Jesus saw them as hypocrites who refused to recognize their own sins. The parable contrasts God’s delight in the redemption of sinners with the Pharisee’s inflexible hostility toward those same sinners.
MacArthur describes the elder brother as “embittered, self-centered” and having “hellish displeasure” over the Prodigal’s reinstatement. Is the elder brother “the real villain” here as the author concludes? Let’s examine the context.
First, when the Prodigal returns, he receives “full acceptance and restoration to full status of a beloved son” with “the highest honor and privilege.” MacArthur says the father was in effect saying, “The best of all that I have is yours. You are now fully restored to sonship, and even elevated in our household to a position of honor.” The father’s presentation of three gifts “carried profound and far-reaching legal weight.” It included usufruct, the full legal use of the father’s property.
There was one thing the father could not restore, MacArthur asserts, and that was the right to inheritance. The elder brother’s share was already legally locking in and could not be changed. Timothy Keller disagrees, however, in The Prodigal God (2008, Riverhead Books). “By bringing the younger brother back into the family,” Keller writes, the father “has made him an heir again with a claim to one-third of their (now greatly diminished) family wealth.”
Keller and MacArthur agree that the Prodigal was fully restored, but MacArthur inserts an exception to “fully” that Keller does not, claiming it would be illegal to restore the right to inheritance. Why does it matter? Because if Keller is right, then the reviled elder brother has a plausible defense, namely that the Prodigal’s forgiveness is coming at his expense in a zero-sum game without his consent. While God’s mercy is infinite, the father’s estate is finite; for one brother to gain by getting a double share, the other brother loses.
MacArthur does allow that by bestowing usufruct, the father was laying claim to everything he had promised the elder son and authorizing the Prodigal to use it as he wishes. “The elder son…should have sole usufructary rights.” In addition, the special robe the father put on the Prodigal would normally be reserved for the firstborn at his wedding. So even if MacArthur is correct about the law protecting the elder’s brother’s inheritance from being cut in half, the elder was still losing honor and privilege he would normally have received. Again, in a zero-sum arrangement, he was losing through no fault of his own.
Is it hellish to resent losing expected honors and privileges, and perhaps half of the property? Is refusing to celebrate such personal loss an evil hypocrisy? Is it proof of a sinful character?
MacArthur attacks the big brother’s motives. When the premise is that big brother is the main villain, then he gets no benefit of the doubt. It’s easy to attribute base motives to those we dislike in order to discredit them, even though we aren’t mind readers.
So the elder brother’s outward diligence and obedience were not motivated by love and were “just a sham.” Moreover, “his heart was completely devoid of all natural filial affection.” He was “despicable, cruel-hearted, sullen, impenitent, greedy, with a spirit of defiance.”
“What, really, did the elder son have to be indignant about?” MacArthur asks. The answer is in his book. The Prodigal received high honors that normally would go to the firstborn son. In addition, “the father (was) spending resources (on the massive feast) that would rightfully belong to the elder brother as soon as the father died – in effect diminishing the value of the ‘faithful’ son’s inheritance.”
My disagreements with MacArthur are these:
In the real world, people tend to have mixed motives rather than totally pure or totally evil ones.
The elder brother was paying for his father’s grace, and without his consent. The forgiveness was free for the Prodigal and his father, but it came at big brother’s expense. When he refused to celebrate his losses, he is castigated as a selfish hater.
The elder brother was undoubtedly an adult. Is it rebellion and hatred for an adult to disagree – one time in this case – with a parent, especially about a decision that adversely affects him, but about which he had not been consulted?
The father in the parable represents God. But God’s mercy is non-zero-sum resource. Forgiving one sinner does not deprive another of forgiveness.
Suppose mercy were finite instead of infinite, and giving a double share to the Prodigal would deplete the mercy available to the diligent brother? In other words, suppose the one brother had to suffer for his sins because the wayward sibling got a disproportionate share of a limited supply of mercy? In that instance, big brother’s objection would be more justifiable. The father’s estate was finite.
The elder brother clearly is no saint. He’s a sinner like the rest of us. The circumstances suggest, however, that he is not the vicious, greedy scoundrel he is depicted as. It’s a fine thing to forgive a repentant sinner. It is quite another to make someone else pay for it. -30-
February 29, 2020
An exposition of the parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32. MacArthur gives much insight into the lives of the 3 characters in the parable, the prodigal son, the father and the older son. Much time is spent explaining the culture of the day and who these characters represent. The prodigal son represents those who have rejected Christ and then come to true repentance. The father is Christ and the older son are the Pharisees. The Pharisees are the religious leaders and claim to be very religious and pious yet don't have eternal live because they have rejected the One who was prophesied in the O.T. and have a form of righteousness but deny the power thereof. A very convicting and illuminating book. One I highly recommend.
July 14, 2020
Detailed look at what Charles Dickens famously called the greatest short story ever written. Drawing from Mishnah, origins of words, first century Middle Eastern culture, poetic syntax, and more, the author reveals how this ingenious parable was crafted to send a particular message to a particular group of people (Nevertheless, the many powerful parts of the story would leave no soul untouched) with the proposition to enter God’s joy through humility, repentance, and building a right and mutually loving relationship with the Father regardless of where you see yourself in the passage from Luke 15.
May 3, 2023
In this in depth Bible study, John McCarthur examines the question of why Jesus left the story
hanging without an ending. In the character of the older son, He reveals what the hearts of
the pharisees were really like. So the ending depended on their response. In real life they did
indeed put the Son of God Himself to death. In effect, Jesus was saying that each of us must decide
for ourselves how we will respond to the grace of God. The question is, will we come to the party?
September 19, 2017
This book is very helpful in understanding what we think of as a short parable of the Prodigal Son. The parable is actually more intrinsic when we understand the time and society of when Jesus used it. The meaning is far more than we know and the lessons are deeper. I recommend this book to everyone, especially to those who desire a greater, deeper, and more intimate relationship with God.
February 7, 2019
Me parece excepcional la investigación de MacArthur el desglosarnos paso a paso la parábola del hijo pródigo, en tres versiones desde la perspectiva del hijo pródigo, del padre y del hermano mayor. Nos abre un poco más el panorama sin perder el contexto y el verdadero significado de lo que Jesús buscaba transmitir.
September 22, 2020
Incredibly analysis of the parable of The Prodigal Son. There were many things I already knew, but there were many small details I never considered the significance of. There were many things I will use when I use the next time I preach from this passage. An excellent read for all pastors and laypersons.
March 22, 2021
This book gives insight into not only the cultural context of the story of the prodigal son, but also into several other thoughts as to the truth of our own humanity in light of the text. It was a tremendous read! Very well written! This book will have you looking at the story of the prodigal son in ways you have never looked at it before.
November 28, 2025
Loved the book Took 16 pages of notes Very understandable explanation of how Jews in Jesus time viewed sacrifice for sins committed.
Highly recommend the book and frankly the author overall
Highly recommend the book and frankly the author overall
July 26, 2017
MacArthur ... not a big fan. It's very basic. I can see how many would give it more stars though. MacWorship.
August 28, 2017
An important addition to material on the prodigal son.
December 30, 2019
A topical and a Scripture Index at end.
I enjoyed reading. Author brings out points of this familiar story that I never considered, such as the elder brother’s prodigality.
I enjoyed reading. Author brings out points of this familiar story that I never considered, such as the elder brother’s prodigality.
June 23, 2020
3.5 stars. Definitely interesting and worth reading. Realized I missed out on over half of the meaning behind the parable. But way too repetitive.
March 1, 2021
I enjoy his Doctrine. As I am doctrinal
April 11, 2022
This book was very good. I enjoyed the in-depth explanation of this familiar parable. It made me think about things that I have never thought about before. Very good!
July 4, 2022
An excellent study on the prodigal son!
May 15, 2023
I really enjoyed diving deep into this parable from the Bible. It helped to explain the culture at the time. I love to understand the Biblical world better through books like this.
February 25, 2024
Packed with historical insights and practical applications drawn from Jesus' parable of the lost sons in Luke 15. Definitely worth reading.
April 9, 2024
Author can trim a bit but great writing and thoughts along with practical life application. It is a bit heavy and slow to meditate reading.
September 23, 2024
This was a small book so a quick read. It was similar to the prodigal god by Tim Keller which was a better read. I did the audio book and the background dramatical music is overkill.
October 29, 2024
Loved learning about the cultural significances that exist in this parable!! Made me view this Bible story with fresh eyes. A little slow at times but overall loved it!
August 27, 2025
Una exposición clara y sensible de la parábola del hijo pródigo.
March 6, 2021
This book was given to me at some conference, and it was really good. So good I ended up giving my copy away to my Dad (who also enjoyed it). My Dad later returned that copy to me, or a new one, which I thought was particularly touching, since it had a letter and notes in it from him.
September 5, 2017
This book was originally published in 2008 as A Tale of Two Sons. It changed the way I thought about the best known of Jesus’ parables, the parable of the prodigal son, and is one of my favorite books.
The author, a respected pastor, states that of all of Jesus’ parables, this one is the most richly detailed, powerfully dramatic, and intensely personal. He tells us that the central message of the parable is an urgent and sobering entreaty to hard-hearted listeners whose attitudes exactly mirrored the elder brother’s. He tells us that the lesson of the elder brother is often overlooked in many of the popular retellings, and yet it is, actually the main reason Jesus told the parable.
MacArthur tells us that the central lesson of the parable is that Jesus is pointing out the stark contrast between God’s own delight in the redemption of sinners and the Pharisees’ inflexible hostility toward those same sinners. Themes included in the parable are grace, forgiveness, repentance, and the heart of God toward sinners.
The author tells us that there’s a good reason this short story pulls at the heartstrings of so many hearers - we recognize ourselves in it. For believers, the prodigal son is a reminder of who we are and how much we owe to divine grace. For those who are conscious of their own guilt but are still unrepentant, the prodigal’s life is a reminder of the wages of sin, the duty of the sinner to repent, and the goodness of God that accompanies authentic repentance. For sinners coming to repentance, the father’s welcome and costly generosity are reminders that God’s grace and goodness are inexhaustible. For unbelievers (especially those like the scribes and Pharisees, who use external righteousness as a mask for unrighteous hearts), the elder brother is a reminder that neither a show of religion nor the pretense of respectability is a valid substitute for redemption. For all of us, the elder brother’s attitude is a powerful warning, showing how easily and how subtly unbelief can masquerade as faithfulness.
MacArthur tells us that throughout Luke 15, Jesus is describing and illustrating the celebratory joy that fills heaven over the repentance of sinners. That is the single, central theme and the major lesson that ties all of Luke 15 together.
The elder brother in this tale symbolizes the Pharisees. The parable is a rebuke of the attitude of the religious leaders who resented Jesus’ ministry, which was done for the joy of God. Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son primarily for the Pharisees’ benefit and as a rebuke to them. The parable demands repentance from prodigals and Pharisees. The elder brother’s most obvious characteristic is his resentment for his younger brother. But underneath that, it is clear that he has been nurturing a secret hatred for the father. Both sons were far away from the father. In the end, they both came home—but with totally different attitudes and to very different receptions. This firstborn son clearly had no affection for his younger brother, but the father was the one whom he most resented. The elder son is a perfect emblem for the Pharisees. He had no appreciation for grace because he thought he didn’t need it. But the truth is, this son was secretly much more of a rebel than the Prodigal had ever been.
The parable ends without a conclusion, MacArthur writes that everyone who hears the story writes his or her own ending by how we respond to the kindness of God toward sinners. This is a wonderful book about a parable that you think you may know well.
The author, a respected pastor, states that of all of Jesus’ parables, this one is the most richly detailed, powerfully dramatic, and intensely personal. He tells us that the central message of the parable is an urgent and sobering entreaty to hard-hearted listeners whose attitudes exactly mirrored the elder brother’s. He tells us that the lesson of the elder brother is often overlooked in many of the popular retellings, and yet it is, actually the main reason Jesus told the parable.
MacArthur tells us that the central lesson of the parable is that Jesus is pointing out the stark contrast between God’s own delight in the redemption of sinners and the Pharisees’ inflexible hostility toward those same sinners. Themes included in the parable are grace, forgiveness, repentance, and the heart of God toward sinners.
The author tells us that there’s a good reason this short story pulls at the heartstrings of so many hearers - we recognize ourselves in it. For believers, the prodigal son is a reminder of who we are and how much we owe to divine grace. For those who are conscious of their own guilt but are still unrepentant, the prodigal’s life is a reminder of the wages of sin, the duty of the sinner to repent, and the goodness of God that accompanies authentic repentance. For sinners coming to repentance, the father’s welcome and costly generosity are reminders that God’s grace and goodness are inexhaustible. For unbelievers (especially those like the scribes and Pharisees, who use external righteousness as a mask for unrighteous hearts), the elder brother is a reminder that neither a show of religion nor the pretense of respectability is a valid substitute for redemption. For all of us, the elder brother’s attitude is a powerful warning, showing how easily and how subtly unbelief can masquerade as faithfulness.
MacArthur tells us that throughout Luke 15, Jesus is describing and illustrating the celebratory joy that fills heaven over the repentance of sinners. That is the single, central theme and the major lesson that ties all of Luke 15 together.
The elder brother in this tale symbolizes the Pharisees. The parable is a rebuke of the attitude of the religious leaders who resented Jesus’ ministry, which was done for the joy of God. Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son primarily for the Pharisees’ benefit and as a rebuke to them. The parable demands repentance from prodigals and Pharisees. The elder brother’s most obvious characteristic is his resentment for his younger brother. But underneath that, it is clear that he has been nurturing a secret hatred for the father. Both sons were far away from the father. In the end, they both came home—but with totally different attitudes and to very different receptions. This firstborn son clearly had no affection for his younger brother, but the father was the one whom he most resented. The elder son is a perfect emblem for the Pharisees. He had no appreciation for grace because he thought he didn’t need it. But the truth is, this son was secretly much more of a rebel than the Prodigal had ever been.
The parable ends without a conclusion, MacArthur writes that everyone who hears the story writes his or her own ending by how we respond to the kindness of God toward sinners. This is a wonderful book about a parable that you think you may know well.
June 12, 2012
The title of MacArthur's book on Christ's parable on the Prodigal Son is not only riveting, but the subtitle is equally gripping: "the inside story of a father, his sons, and a shocking murder." Yes, the "shocking murder" aroused my curiosity, but I resisted the urge to peek at the end of the book to find out about this murder (it occurs on page 195). More on that later.
A Tale of Two Sons is a series of sermons MacArthur preached on the parable of the Prodigal from Luke 15. MacArthur does a masterful job in detailing the plot, the characters, and explaining cultural and historical backgrounds for the parable. He begins in his introduction by immediately laying out the central message of the parable:
"The central message of the parable, then, is an urgent and sobering entreaty to hard-hearted listeners whose attitudes exactly mirrored the elder brother's. The parable of the prodigal son is not a warm and fuzzy feel-good message, but it is a powerful wake-up call with a very earnest warning."
After the introduction, the book is divided into five parts:
1. The Parable
2. The Prodigal
3. The Father
4. The Elder Brother
5. The Epilogue
Interwoven throughout the book, MacArthur explains the method of interpreting parables. The 10-page appendix is actually an article entitled: "Storied Truth: Learning to find meaning in parables." This was an explanation of a historical-grammatical approach in handling parables. I felt it was an appropriate way to end the book. From that appendix:
"Whether the true meaning of this or that symbol is patently obvious or one that requires a little detective work, the point is still the same: Jesus' parables were all illustrative of gospel facts. The stories were not (as some people nowadays like to suggest) creative alternatives to propositional truth statements, designed to supplant certainty. They were not dreamy fantasies told merely to evoke a feeling. And they certainly weren't mind games contrived to make everything vague. Much less was Jesus employing fictional forms in order to displace truth itself with mythology" (200).
"But on the question of whether each parable actually has a single divinely inspired sense and therefore a proper interpretation--an objectively true sense--there has never been any serious dispute among people who take the authority of Scripture seriously. The corollary of that idea is an equally sound principle: every possible interpretation that contradicts the one true meaning of a passage is false by definition" (201).
And to the shocking murder at the end of the parable? MacArthur explains:
"Don't forget that Jesus told the parable--including the abrupt ending--chiefly for the benfit of the scribes and Pharisees. It was really a story about them. The elder brother represented them....The Pharisees' ultimate response to Jesus would write the end of the story in real-life. Since the father figure in the parable represents Christ and the elder brother is a symbol of Israel's religious elite, in effect, the true ending to the story, as written by the scribes and Pharisees themselves, ought to read something like this: 'The elder son was outraged at his father. He picked up a piece of lumber and beat him to death in front of everyone'" (194-95).
This work was a gripping and sound treatment of the parable. He brought out interesting cultural facets and exegetical tidbits to shed light on the parable. An engaging and recommended read!
A Tale of Two Sons is a series of sermons MacArthur preached on the parable of the Prodigal from Luke 15. MacArthur does a masterful job in detailing the plot, the characters, and explaining cultural and historical backgrounds for the parable. He begins in his introduction by immediately laying out the central message of the parable:
"The central message of the parable, then, is an urgent and sobering entreaty to hard-hearted listeners whose attitudes exactly mirrored the elder brother's. The parable of the prodigal son is not a warm and fuzzy feel-good message, but it is a powerful wake-up call with a very earnest warning."
After the introduction, the book is divided into five parts:
1. The Parable
2. The Prodigal
3. The Father
4. The Elder Brother
5. The Epilogue
Interwoven throughout the book, MacArthur explains the method of interpreting parables. The 10-page appendix is actually an article entitled: "Storied Truth: Learning to find meaning in parables." This was an explanation of a historical-grammatical approach in handling parables. I felt it was an appropriate way to end the book. From that appendix:
"Whether the true meaning of this or that symbol is patently obvious or one that requires a little detective work, the point is still the same: Jesus' parables were all illustrative of gospel facts. The stories were not (as some people nowadays like to suggest) creative alternatives to propositional truth statements, designed to supplant certainty. They were not dreamy fantasies told merely to evoke a feeling. And they certainly weren't mind games contrived to make everything vague. Much less was Jesus employing fictional forms in order to displace truth itself with mythology" (200).
"But on the question of whether each parable actually has a single divinely inspired sense and therefore a proper interpretation--an objectively true sense--there has never been any serious dispute among people who take the authority of Scripture seriously. The corollary of that idea is an equally sound principle: every possible interpretation that contradicts the one true meaning of a passage is false by definition" (201).
And to the shocking murder at the end of the parable? MacArthur explains:
"Don't forget that Jesus told the parable--including the abrupt ending--chiefly for the benfit of the scribes and Pharisees. It was really a story about them. The elder brother represented them....The Pharisees' ultimate response to Jesus would write the end of the story in real-life. Since the father figure in the parable represents Christ and the elder brother is a symbol of Israel's religious elite, in effect, the true ending to the story, as written by the scribes and Pharisees themselves, ought to read something like this: 'The elder son was outraged at his father. He picked up a piece of lumber and beat him to death in front of everyone'" (194-95).
This work was a gripping and sound treatment of the parable. He brought out interesting cultural facets and exegetical tidbits to shed light on the parable. An engaging and recommended read!
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