Increase Our Faith

Greetings everyone.

Today, we are going to start Luke 17. In these first few verses Jesus talks about not creating stumbling blocks, forgiveness and faith, in rapid succession.  Here is my translation of verses 1-6: 

1 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to those through whom they come.” 2 It would be better for such a person for a millstone to be tied around his neck and thrown into the sea, than to be a stumbling block for these little ones. 3 Watch yourselves carefully.  If your brother sins, warn him strongly, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ then you forgive him.”

5 Then the Apostles said, “Lord, increase our faith.” 6 The Lord responded, “If you have the faith of a mustard seed, then you can say to the mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you. 

In vese 1, the Greek word that Jesus uses here is σκάνδαλα (skandala), while it sounds like our English word ‘scandal,’ it's often translated as ‘stumbling block.’  Alan Thompson clarifies it like this:  “an enticement to apostasy or more broadly, a temptation to sin.” (Thompson, 264.) Jesus says that these stumbling blocks are inevitable.  We will face stumbling blocks, enticements to apostasy and temptation to sin.  However, he issues a ‘woe” or a warning to those who cause them to happen. 

You may remember that Jesus issued six ‘woes’ to the Pharisees in chapter 11. That word 'woe' comes from the Greek word οὐαὶ (ouai), meaning “the judgment that will come because of what they do in contrast to what they ought to have done.”  (Thompson, 195.)

Here Jesus issues this warning to anyone who creates a stumbling block for “these little ones.” What little ones is he talking about?  Is he talking about children, or something else.  Some think that he is referring to young disciples, here.  Whatever the meaning of ‘little ones’ here, I think that it is safe to say that we should strive to never do anything that would lead anyone else toward sin or apostasy. The punishment for such an action must be severe,  Jesus describes a situation that would undoubtedly kill someone and says that this is better than what awaits the person who is a stumbling block.  To have a large millstone tied around your neck and to be thrown into the ocean would bring certain death by drowning.  

Jesus adds in verse 3, “Watch yourselves carefully.”  Good advice. If I am going to avoid actions that lead others into sin, I need to be very careful about what I say and do. Then, partway through verse 3, Jesus seems to move in a somewhat different direction.  How do you respond when a brother sins? Jesus says to ἐπιτίμησον (epitimēson). This word is often translated as rebuke.  I have translated “warn him strongly.” The Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament Words defines the word as “to express strong disapproval.” 

Disciples of Jesus have a strong commitment to righteousness, so we should not let sin go unchallenged. However, this assumes that "in all of this that the disciples have a certain quality in their relationships that allows this type of positive, honest, loving, confronting behavior to occur without destroying their relationships." (Bock, 1387.)

Jesus follows the first imperative with a command to forgive.  “And if he repents, forgive him.”  In fact, Jesus is so serious about the forgiveness part that he tells his disciples that if a brother sins against him seven times in a day, he is to continue forgiving.  (Note: Jesus does not tell his disciples to rebuke or warn seven times in a day. Forgiveness is more important.) 

Jesus' imperative of offering what amounts to constant forgiveness to a brother who has sinned against you, clearly challenges the disciples.  They immediately ask Jesus to increase their faith.  This makes sense.  When we are hurt by someone, forgiving them is challenging enough.  When the offense is repeated, it becomes all the more difficult. The disciples recognized that they would need some help to obey this command.

Jesus responds to their request, stating,  “If you have the faith of a mustard seed, then you can say to the mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.”Jesus is speaking in hyperbole.  Throwing trees into the ocean with our faith proves nothing.  Jesus' point for them was to have faith.  What might seem impossible, like offering that much forgiveness, is possible with God.  God is able to do a lot with just a little faith.  This concept works in our relationships as well.  God can work and does work in unexpected ways on our behalf.  

Mustard seeds are small, yet this is Jesus chooses to compare our faith to.  We often take this scripture the wrong way, I think.  We say, “This isn’t happening the way I want it to, so I don’t even have faith the size of a mustard seed.” But, Jesus is encouraging here, not discouraging.  He is simply saying to have just a little faith, and God can do great things with it.  Like He told Gideon, “Go on the faith that you have.” 

So, Jesus covers a lot of territory in this short conversation with his disciples.  We must be careful that we don't cause others to stumble.  If someone does cause us to stumble, we need to forgive them, as often as is necessary.  Forgiving people who sin against us is difficult, and requires faith.  But, with a little faith can accomplish amazing things, like being a forgiving person. 

He Whom the Lord Has Helped

Hello everyone, 

Today, we will look at the last part of Luke 16, verses 19-31.  It is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.  Here is my translation of the parable:

19 Now there was a man of great wealth, who dressed in purple clothing and fine linen, who lived in luxury and feasted every day.  20 There was also a poor man named Lazarus, who was covered with sores, who was placed at the rich man’s gate. 21 He longed to satisfy his hunger from what fell off of the rich man’s table.  Dogs came and licked his sores. 22 Then one day, the poor man died and he was taken away to be at Abraham’s side. Likewise, the rich man died and was buried.  23 While in Hades, in torment, he lifted up his eyes.  From far away, he saw Abraham, with Lazarus by his side. 24 He called out to Abraham, saying, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool off my tongue, because I am suffering terribly in these flames. 

25 Then Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your life, you welcomed all the good things, while Lazarus had only bad things. But now, he is here being comforted, while you are in torment.  26 But also, a great chasm has been established between us and you. Because of that, anyone wanting to cross over from here to there would not be able to.  Likewise, no one can cross to us from there. 

27 Then the rich man said, “Then I ask you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. 28 Since I have five brothers, he could warn them, so that they may avoid coming to this place of suffering.”

29 Abraham responded, “They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.”

30 The rich man answered, “No, Father Abraham, but if someone comes back to them from the dead, they will repent.”

31 Abraham responds, “If they are not listening to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded, even if someone rises from the dead.”

There are three important characters in the story: A wealthy man, a poor man named Lazarus and Abraham. Robert Stein makes the point that this parable is connected to Jesus’ previous words about loving money, as it tells the story of a man who loves money and the lifestyle that it can provide. (Stein, 421)

The wealthy man had a very good life by our worldly standards. We wore expensive clothes.  He dressed in purple, which was expensive.  Purple dye was made from snails, and could be hard to come by.  The word  Greek βύσσον (bysson) used here, means fine linen, and is probably referring to his undergarments.  This man had the best of everything, even underwear. Luke describes the man’s lifestyle with these four words. Εὐφραινόμενος καθ’ ἡμέρανλαμπρῶς  (Euphrainomenos kath’ hēmeran lamprōs) According to Allan Thompson, these words involve living in luxury and feasting and doing it every day. (Thompson, 259.) So the main character of  our story lived a life of extreme comfort and luxury. 

On the other side, Lazarus was a poor man who was laid at the rich man’s gate. Lazarus is the only person that is named in any of Jesus’ parables.  His name ironically means "he whom the Lord has helped.”  The irony is that the name doesn’t seem to fit who we are talking about at all.  Lazarus does not seem to be helped by God on any level.  Darrell Bock, however, points out the significance of the name, stating that Lazarus is totally dependent on God for everything. (Bock, 1365.) He is poor.  He is covered with sores. (the Greek word ἐβέβλητο (ebeblēto) may indicate that he was too ill to move on his own.) And while the rich man feasted, he lay within earshot of the feast, longing to be fed the table scraps that were fed to the dogs. 

The two men lived in close proximity to each other.  One lived in luxury, while the other lived in poverty and pain.  The rich man did not nothing to help alleviate the suffering of the poor man.  We can know that he was aware of Lazarus and his suffering, because later he calls Lazarus by name.  

Then, both men die.  Lazarus is carried by the angels to Abraham’s side, while the rich man finds himself in torment in Hades. The afterlife for Lazarus is a close fellowship with one of the all-time greats of the Old Testament - Abraham.  

The afterlife for the rich man was one of torment and pain.  Bock notes that now, in death, the man’s riches do not count for anything. (Bock, 1369.) This fits well with the points about money that Jesus had made earlier in the chapter.  

Now, the roles have reversed.  The one who enjoyed life's pleasures, without any consideration for the other, is now in torment.  The one who lived in misery, is now enjoying the banquet at Abraham’s side. 

The rich man, used to getting what he wants, begins making requests of Abraham. His first request is that Lazarus would come to him and dip his finger in water and cool his tongue. Is the rich man still trying to boss people around?  Even Abraham?  The man clearly recognizes Lazarus and calls him by name.  He asks for relief from his suffering, something he did not provide for Lazarus.  The rich man is longing for just a little water, similar to how Lazarus had longed for table scraps.  

Abraham tells the man that the tables have turned.  The rich man had everything, and Lazarus nothing, but now Lazarus is comforted, while he suffers. Think about how Jesus has talked about how we should view money, earlier in the chapter.  We should be generous and faithful with it, serving God and not money.  Undoubtedly, while in torment, the rich man wished he had lived by that standard previously. 

Abraham makes it clear that Lazarus could not cross over to the realm that the man is in, even if he wanted to. There is a chasm that separates the two places that cannot be crossed. The text doesn’t say whether Lazarus was willing or unwilling to go or not. 

Bock describes the scene like this, “In effect Abraham says that the rich man’s extravagant wealth and lack of compassion on earth has resulted in spiritual poverty and absence of mercy eternally. There is no mercy  in the afterlife for those who fail to show compassion in this life.” (Bock, 1372.) 

The rich man’s second request is that Abraham sends Lazarus back to warn his brothers, so that they will not end up in that place of torment as well. The rich man seemed to have no compassion for Lazarus in life.  It seems that the man is not without compassion, however.  He becomes very concerned for his family.  Why?  I would suspect that his five brothers live lives similar to his.  He recognizes their need to repent.  

His reasoning is that if someone were to return to them, that they know is dead, that they would listen and then repent, saving them from torment.  Abraham rejects his logic, telling him that they already have Moses and the Prophets.  They all had access to Moses and the Prophets to tell them how they should live and treat others.  If they aren’t listening to that, then they aren’t going to listen to Lazarus, returned from the dead. 

Abraham’s response to the rich man is very interesting in its context.  Jesus is telling this story and saying that those who don’t listen to God’s Word, aren’t going to change, even if a miracle comes along like someone returning from the dead.  Jesus does return from the dead and his detractors generally do not listen. 

One more thought. This parable rejects the false formulas that we often hold.  “Wealth = God is blessing you” and “Suffering = You have sinned.”  These formulas do not hold up in this story.  The one with the material blessing was not right with God and the one who suffered was.  Lazarus, though poverty-stricken, was honored by God.

      Alan J. Thompson, Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament: Luke, Nashville, Tennessee, B & H Academic, 2016. 
       Darrell Bock, Luke Volume 2 - 9:51-24:53, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Academic, 1996. 
       Robert Stein, The New american Commentary:Luke, Nashville, TN, B&H Publishing, 1993.  

Seemingly Unrelated Thoughts

Greetings everyone. 

Today, I will pick up where I left on on my last post in Luke 16:16-18.  Here is my translation:

16 The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since then, the good news of the Kingdom of God has been preached and everyone is urged insistently to come into it. 17 But it is easier for Heaven and Earth to disappear, then for one pen stroke of the law to come to an end. 
18 Anyone who divorces and marries again, commits adultery.  And a man who marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

In verse 16, Jesus takes the conversation in a different direction, seemingly unrelated to what has preceded it. He had been talking about money, then in addressing the scoffing of the Pharisees, Jesus talks about how the love of money and pride are detestable to God.  Now, he starts talking about a few different things, like the coming of the Kingdom, the permenancy of the Word, and divorce. 

First, Jesus says that the Law that Prophets had been proclaimed for centuries, but beginning with John, the good news of the Kingdom of God was now being proclaimed.  John began what Jesus is now teaching and preaching: The Kingdom of God. 

The phrase Καὶ Πᾶς Εἰς Αὐτὴν βιάζεται  (kai pas eis autēn biazetai)  is very difficult to translate.  According to both Allen Thompson and Darrell Bock, there are four different ways that it can be translated.  The antecedent to “it” here is “the kingdom of God.” (Thompson, 257.) (Bock, 1352-1353.)

• ‘All act violently against it.”
• “Everyone is forced into it.”
• “Everyone tries to force his way into it.”
• “All are urged insistently to come in.”  

It is the last of these that makes the most sense to me. Bock seems to agree. In his comments on this option, he says, “Why is Jesus warning and exhorting his opponents, so constantly? Because he is attempting to persuade them to respond morally. In a sense, his mission is bound up in his proclamation to and effort toward those most opposed to him…The opportunity is always placed before them. The risk is always expressed to them.” (Bock, 1353.) This is very well stated, in that Jesus’ call spells out both risk and opportunity very well. 

Verse 17 is also difficult, because it seems to contradict what Jesus has just said. The question arises, “How can the Law be in effect only until John, and yet never pass away?” Robert Stein answers this question by saying, “Luke placed this saying next to the preceding one to affirm the continuity of the OT and NT eras.”  (Stein, 419.)  Jesus is talking here about the permanence of God’s word.  It is easier for the entirety of Creation to vanish than it is for God’s word to go unfulfilled. Luke uses the word κεραίαν (keraian), which means the stroke of a pen.  Like the difference between an O and a Q. God’s word is permanent and will not go unfulfilled.  God will not leave promises unkept.  

Stein says that Jesus is speaking in hyperbole here. A pen stroke, by itself, cannot be fulfilled, or left unfulfilled, and what Jesus likely means is that the moral law will remain, while the ceremonial and civil law do not. (Stein, 419.) Within the context of the rest of the NT, this is the meaning that makes the most sense to me. 

Then in verse 18, Jesus goes into the topic of divorce and remarriage.  Here, Luke records Jesus in a very simple straightforward statement, that anyone that divorces and remarries, commits adultery.  (Matthew 5:32 qualifies a little further.  Jesus allows divorce and remarriage here in the case of marital infidelity.)  Stein says that there was much debate in the Jewish schools of thought regarding the meaning of Deuteronomy 24:1.  A man was allowed to divorce his wife if he found something indecent in her.  The meaning of ‘something indecent,’ is not clear.  The thoughts on what this meant varied from very broad (burning supper or finding another woman more attractive) to very specific ( only in cases of sexual unchastity.) (Stein, 419.)  Taken by itself, Luke’s would seem to indicate that God opposes all divorce, no matter the circumstance.  We know from other scriptures that this is not the case, and Jesus’ words here are not a one-size-fits-all treatise on divorce and remarriage that applies to every circumstance.  What it does tell is that God takes the vows made before Him in marriage very seriously and they should not be broken lightly.  

So, in the short passage of Luke 16:14-18, Jesus covers a number of topics, seemingly almost a different topic in each verse.   It is difficult to sum up because of the varied nature of the topics.  We should make sure that we are in God's Kingdom, and taking Word and our vows before Him seriously. 

Tom 

What God Values

 Greetings everyone.

I will continue my exegesis of Luke 16 today, by looking just at verses 14-15.  Jesus has just told the paarable of the corrupt manager and then offer some advice about money to his listeners.  In my previous post I listed three bits of advice that Jesus gave regarding money:

• Be generous with money.
• Be faithful with money.
• Serve God, not money.  

On that last point, Jesus even states that you cannot serve both, God and money.  One has to choose.  We will up the story from there.  here is my translation:  

14 There were Pharisees there, and upon hearing all of this, these Pharisees, who loved money, began to show contempt for Jesus. 15 So Jesus said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before people, but God knows what is in your hearts.  But men value things that are detestable to God. 

The Pharisees who heard Jesus make his statement that we cannot serve both God and money, began to show contempt for him. Perhaps they thought that you can serve God and money at the same time. Luke comments that they are Φιλάργυροι (philargyroi) or ‘lovers of silver.’  They didn’t like what Jesus is saying because they are greedy.  So rather than listen to Jesus and apply what he is saying, they resort to ridicule. Darrell Bock says that the Greek word here ἐξεμυκτήριζον (exemyktarizon) literally means “to turn one’s nose up” at someone, indicating strong contempt. (Bock, 1349.)

The Pharisees do not share in Jesus’ view of money, and he makes it very clear that he does not share theirs.  As they are showing their contempt for him, Jesus responds, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before people, but God knows what is in your hearts.  But men value things that are detestable to God.” God has a different value system.  What people tend to exalt, God finds detestable.  So, apparently, God has a different view of money.  Worldly wisdom is to accumulate wealth and material possessions.  God tells us to use our wealth to help people.  

God also doesn’t like their self exultation.  The Pharisees were shameless self-promoters.  Jesus calls them out on it, stating that they justified themselves before people.  They work hard to make themselves look good.  God, however, knew what was in their hearts.  They would not be able to fool Him. Self promotion and the love of money are not valuable to God.  He values humility and generosity. God knows what is in our hearts.  We have to check our own hearts to make sure that those detestable things are not in them.  

We are not to conform to thinking of the world.  Think about Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”   As we change the way that we think to be more in line with Jesus, our hearts become more in line with what God approves of. 

Jesus is teaching a new paradigm that gets rid of the might seem good, but that God actually finds detestable.  Unfortunately, the critics of Jesus refuse to listen, and turn their noses up at him.  They prefer their worldly wisdom.  Let us make sure that are ridding our hearts of those detestable things and living simple lives of humility and generosity. 

Tom 

Jesus Gives Financial Advice

Greetings everyone.

Today we will examine of Luke 16:1-13.  In this passage, Jesus tells a somewhat puzzling parable about a man whom Jesus seems to be commending for his dishonesty.  The man is a manager of a wealthy man’s estate.  The wealthy man hears reports of mismanagement, and confronts the manager.  The manager is being fired, and from his response, it seems that the charges are likely true. Here is my translation:

1  Then Jesus spoke to the disciples, “There was a man of great wealth, who employed a manager. Charges were brought against the manager, accusing him of squandering the man’s possessions. 

2 The wealthy man called out to his manager, “What is this I am hearing about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager.” 

3 The manager said to himself, “What do I do, since my master is taking my management job away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I would be too ashamed to beg. 4 I know to do, so that when I am removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.” 5 He called upon each of his master’s debtors personally.  To the first one, he said, “How much do you owe my master?” 

6 He responded, “About eight hundred gallons of olive oil.” 

So the manager said to him, “Quick, take out your bill and make it four hundred.” 

7 Then he said to another, “How much do you owe?” 

He responded, “A thousand bushels of wheat.” 

The manager told him, “Quick, take your bill and make eight hundred.” 

8 The master commended the corrupt manager because he had acted so shrewdly. For the children of this age are far more shrewd in dealing with their own kind, than are the children of light. 9 And so, I’m telling you, use your worldly wealth to make friends, so that when it is all gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The one who is faithful with little things, is also faithful with bigger things.  The one who is dishonest in little things, will also be dishonest in bigger things. 

11 Therefore, if you have not been faithful with your worldly wealth, who will trust with true riches? 

12 And if you cannot be trusted with that which belongs to other people, who will give you something for yourself? 

13 No one is able to serve two masters, because he will hate one of them and love the other. He will be loyal to one and despise the other.  It is impossible  to serve both God and money. 

The manager devises a scheme in hopes that in the end, he has a place to go.  He reasons that he is unsuitable for manual labor, and does not want to end up begging. The manager’s plan involves removing some of the debt of those that owe the wealthy man money, so that when he is unemployed, these other men will look upon him favorably and give him somewhere to go. The manager recognizes that his future lies outside of his current job, and acts accordingly.  

The manager goes to his boss’s debtors and has them reduce their bill.  He is obviously trying to earn their favor.  Is he also trying to cheat his current boss?  It is difficult to say.  Later the owner praises him for his shrewdness.  

There is speculation that the corrupt manager was taking his commission off of the amount owed. Also, there is speculation that the manager was taking off interest charges that would bring the business owner more in line with Mosaic law. Both of these things are good. However, Jesus doesn't specify either of those things. 

The first man owes 100 baths of olive oil.  In our standard measurement system, that comes out to about roughly 800 gallons of oil.  The manager has the man cut the debt in half.  The second man owes 100 cors of wheat, which comes out to roughly 1000 bushels.  He is told to make it 800.  

In his commentary on Luke, Darrell Bock says that the first debtor's debt was equal to about three years worth of wages.  The second owed somewhere in the vicinity of 8-10 years wages.  (Bock, 1332.) Within the context, it seems that the idea that the manager is getting rid of his commission makes the most sense.  In the story the owner commends the man for his shrewd behavior, and Jesus seems to be commending the man as well. 

If the man is indeed giving up his commission, that throws an interesting twist on the story.  If a man loses his job, he would likely want to hold on to every bit of money that he can.  However, he would be very forward-thinking here, as he is giving up his own income now, in exchange for favorable treatment in the future.   

The man had been tabbed as corrupt at the beginning of the story.  So when Jesus called him corrupt in verse 8, it is possible that Jesus was referring to his prior actions in verse 1, rather than his reduction of the debts.  It seems very unlikely that Jesus would praise the man for continuing to be corrupt.  Giving up his commission seems to make the most sense here. 

Any way, Jesus uses this story as a springboard to make some practical implications for the use of money, which he does in verses 9-13. Here is Jesus' advice. 

• Be generous with your money. Jesus tells his disciples that they should use their worldly wealth to make friends.  Not that Jesus is recommending buying friendship, but using money generously to influence people.  
• Be faithful with money. We will be faithful or unfaithful, while handling big and small things the same way. How we handle money is an example of our faithfulness (or unfaithfulness.) God will reward those who prove themselves faithful with money, entrusting them with more important things. 
• Serve God, not money.  Money cannot be the ultimate priority. We cannot chase after both successfully.  At some point, we will be forced to choose between God or money. We choose God over money when we give our money to serve and meet the needs of others.  We all serve something or someone.  The wise choice is to serve God.

Seeker of Lost Things, Part 4

Greetings everyone.

Today, I will finish up my examination of Luke 15 and the story of the prodigal son.  The parable of the prodigal son is the third of three parables told by Jesus, in response to the complaints of the Pharisees and scribes that Jesus associates and eats with the wrong kinds of people, the tax collectors and the 'sinners.' 

We see the pattern of these three parables.  Something has been lost.  When they are found, there is celebration.  Jesus tells these parables to defend his association with these ‘sinners.”  These “sinners” are people who have gotten lost and Jesus is trying to help them find their way back to God.  Rather than stand in condemnation of them, like the Pharisees, Jesus is trying to help them. 

In our third, we have already discussed the younger son and how he hit rock bottom and returned to his father and a celebration. Now the older brother enters the picture.  He, too, is separated from his father, but in a less obvious way.  While all of this is happening with the younger brother, the older brother is in the field working.  When he returns home. He hears the sound of the celebration.  He inquires as to what is going on, and he learns that his younger brother has returned. This son refuses to go in to the celebration. His father may have forgiven his brother, but he cannot.  

When the father comes out to appeal to his older son to enter the party, the son reveals his true heart.  He says, “Look, I have been enslaving myself for you for so many years, and I have never disobeyed a command from you, and you have never even given me a goat so that I could celebrate with my friends. Yet, when this son of yours, who took what you worked for your whole life, and squandered it with prostitutes, comes home, you slaughter a fattened calf for him.” (Luke 15:29-30)

The  response of the older son is telling. We can see what he really thinks. First, he views his service to his father as slavery.   Even though everything the father has worked for belongs to the son, the son does not enjoy it and sees himself as being put upon, while his wasteful brother is celebrated.  

He also claims to have never disobeyed his father. This seems to be referring to the Pharisees, who claim strict obedience to the Law. They view themselves as the obedient ones, and don’t understand why Jesus wastes time eating and drinking with these sinners.  He has nothing but disdain for his brother.  He doesn’t even refer to him as “my brother,” but as “this son of yours.” 

The father is full of love.  He does not rebuke his older son for his bad attitude.  He merely explains the situation through the lenses of his fatherly love.  The father does refer to the younger son as ‘your brother.’  His point is that the son was dead to him , but is now alive again, and this is reason for celebration. 

Jesus leaves the story open-ended.  Does the older brother repent and join the celebration?  Does he remain obstinate and continue to refuse to go in?  Jesus doesn’t say.  By Luke 15, the story of the Pharisees is not yet written. They are given many opportunities to repent. Some Pharisees, like Nicodemas, Joseph of Arimathea and Saul of Tarsus become disciples of Jesus, while most of them remain like this picture of the older brother and are estranged from God. 

Whatever the feeling of the Pharisees, Jesus presents his Father as a great father, abounding in love for both the obvious sinner, and the sinner whose sin might not be so obvious.  We all fit into one of those two categories, and either way, we can be assured that we have a Father who loves us in spite of ourselves and who celebrates our repentance.