TWO BROTHERS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1925, Page 2

TWO BROTHERS

In speaking, last Sunday evening, oil wliat i.s commonly known at the parable of the Prodigal Son, Rev. IL Hutsou drew attention to the contrast beween the record itself and the genial opinion of commentators and preachers. He said that if any lawyer ever went into court with as good a case as the younger brother had against the commentators, he was bound to win, with any fair-minded jury. The request of the younger for his share of the living was evidently based upon the old Babylonian law, of Hammurabi, which provides for a son asking for his share of the property in the father’s lifetime, to receive it, and ever after to be as a stranger with no claim on the estate.

The narrator of the parable says that the younger son spent his money freely, hut there is no hint of anything beyond a thoughtless squandering of his living. Had there been such it would have rendered the parable untrue to the nature of tilings. The parable was spoken to show the unreasonableness of the Pharisee’s attitude regarding the effort of Jesus to “ restore the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” He scattered freely, that was all. The envious bigoted elder brother says. “This tliv son, who hath devoured thy living with harlots. Of this he had not one particle of proof. He also lays himself open to the interrogation, “ How do) you kilo" ? YY’ere you with him?” Hearsay is not evidence, much less envious assertion. The record declares that the servant said to the elder brother: “Thy brother is come, and thy father hath received him safe and sound.” ino word translated safe and sound, means “in perfect health.” On this point, even a standard commentary by bishops and other clergy of the Anglican Church, has this. note. “Safe and sound; properly in good health, is certainly to he taken in its literal and natural sense.” The speaker said that there was no mention of rags or soualor of the state of beggary. The fast had done him good. He went home because, having come to himself, he remem herd the abundance of bread provided for his father’s hired servants, and thought that was better than the husks, which he might, if he chose, share with the swine -and the other herdsmen. Ho realised that he had to serve, and he wisely chose the better master.

q'hc younger brother is the foil to set off tin' real lesson of the parable, which is that many self-righteous people ill church are farther from God than manv who are outside of all the churches. ' Levi, tl.e one time publican lias nut on record that he who claims to lie the Judge of all men said, “Verilv, I say unto you. that the publicans aiul harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” And Paul, who was trained after the straitest sect of the Jewish religion, a Pharisee, says that he. got into the kingdom, though he was the chief of sinners, because God had mercy on him.