In ‘The Prodigal God,’ author Tim Keller takes on perhaps the most famous and best loved of Jesus’ parables - the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15. Much like other authors before him such as Henri Nouwen, Keller argues that it weakens the overall message of the parable to understand it only as the story of one prodigal son. In fact, there is also a wayward older brother who is in just as much in need of receiving the father’s grace as the younger brother, and Keller places a heavy emphasis on this truth throughout. This is why Keller spends much of his time challenging his readers to abandon irreligion (younger son) AND religion (older son), meaning it is deeply challenging book on many different levels.
Keller deconstructs the traditional reading of the wickedly wayward younger brother, and redefines it to include the “godly wayward” actions of the overly self-righteous who lack compassion for others, and details how much both of these 'wayward' tendencies need a Father who will act in a holy, undignified way to redeem them. This is the reason for Keller’s provocative title, ‘The Prodigal Father,’ as he reminds us the definition of prodigal is “recklessly extravagant, having spent everything.” The father in this story 'spends' his dignity, pride, rights and privileges as part of a quest to draw his children into his grace, and in this sense is “recklessly extravagant” with his loving forgiveness.
As the subtitle of this book suggests, it is in this way that the heart of the Christian faith is recovered because sin, lostness and hope are redefined. Keller rightly points out the “elder brother-lostness” actually applies to so many experienced believers, who become filled with self-righteous anger toward God and end up with a joyless, fear-based obedience. Interestingly enough, as Keller points out, the younger brother tries to control God by power, while the elder brother tries to control God by praise.
As Keller makes this thought-provoking point, he then leads us into another - what we truly need, according to Jesus in this story, is a TRUE elder sibling. The one who will seek and save us even at great cost to themselves. Keller reminds us that in the two other parables in Luke 15, the lost coin and lost sheep are sought out (by the woman and shepherd respectively), but in this story the elder brother has no interest whatsoever in going out to look for his lost brother, despite the fact he must have been aware the younger brother’s loss brought pain to his father.
Keller writes: “By putting a flawed elder brother in the story, Jesus is inviting us to imagine and yearn for a true one.” Keller then uses the concept of yearning to redefine hope, by saying that true hope is the home given to us rather than a home created by us. The home, or place in God’s love specially created for us, is what our hearts truly yearn for and where our hope should be placed.
Keller is a thoughtful writer who communicates profound thoughts in simple and uncluttered language, while his illustrations are memorably crafted and culturally relevant. The book largely gets to grips with the essence of Jesus’ most famous parable as Keller reminds us of the nature of God’s grace and also warns us of the dangers of sinfulness and self-righteousness. At around 130 pages, it not long enough to intimidate even the most reluctant of readers. Warmly recommended to all.