“小儿子 … 说：‘父亲，请你把我应得的家业分给我。’〔大儿子说〕：‘… 你并没有给我一只山羊羔 … 。’” - 路15:12, 29
在1960年代，有两个二重唱歌手兴起，成为著名的“正义兄弟”乐队。
今天我们读到的这个耶稣所讲的比喻，可以命名为“不义的兄弟。”
故事中的两兄弟都认为自己应该享有特权。小儿子显然是不义的，尽管父亲仍在世，他竟然要求父亲把他应得的家业分给他！大儿子虽然留在家里和努力工作，但他的为人也算不上美德的典范。看到父亲竟然在那不顾后果的弟弟身上浪费一头肥牛犊，他感到非常愤怒。
两兄弟都需要得到饶恕。小儿子知道这一点，所以他说：“父亲！我得罪了天，又得罪了你。”可是大儿子却完全不自知，他唯一的反应，就是以铁石心肠对待他的弟弟和宽容的父亲。
两兄弟都已经得到父亲慷慨的赐与。小儿子时候未到便已经得到他应得的产业，而他更不配得到一个欢迎他回家的庆典。父亲也提醒大儿子：“你常和我同在，我一切所有的都是你的。”一个儿子得到双重的赐与，而另一个则蒙应许得到所有的。就如一首雄伟的圣诗所说的：“真神慈悲宽广如海洋。”
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祷告
我们在天上的父，我们是不配的儿女。求你帮助我们彼此相爱和彼此饶恕，就像你爱我们、饶恕我们那样，奉我们的主和救主耶稣的名，阿们。
路加福音 15:11-32
11耶稣又说：“一个人有两个儿子。
12小儿子对父亲说：‘父亲，请你把我应得的家业分给我。’他父亲就把产业分给他们。
13过了不多几日，小儿子就把他一切所有的都收拾起来，往远方去了。在那里任意放荡，浪费资财。
14既耗尽了一切所有的，又遇着那地方大遭饥荒，就穷苦起来。
15于是去投靠那地方的一个人，那人打发他到田里去放猪。
16他恨不得拿猪所吃的豆荚充饥，也没有人给他。
17他醒悟过来，就说：‘我父亲有多少的雇工，口粮有余，我倒在这里饿死吗？
18我要起来，到我父亲那里去，向他说：“父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。
19从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子，把我当做一个雇工吧！”’
20于是起来，往他父亲那里去。相离还远，他父亲看见，就动了慈心，跑去抱着他的颈项，连连与他亲嘴。
21儿子说：‘父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子。’
22父亲却吩咐仆人说：‘把那上好的袍子快拿出来给他穿，把戒指戴在他指头上，把鞋穿在他脚上，
23把那肥牛犊牵来宰了，我们可以吃喝快乐！
24因为我这个儿子是死而复活，失而又得的。’他们就快乐起来。
25那时，大儿子正在田里。他回来，离家不远，听见作乐跳舞的声音，
26便叫过一个仆人来，问是什么事。
27仆人说：‘你兄弟来了，你父亲因为得他无灾无病地回来，把肥牛犊宰了。’
28大儿子却生气，不肯进去。他父亲就出来劝他。
29他对父亲说：‘我服侍你这多年，从来没有违背过你的命，你并没有给我一只山羊羔，叫我和朋友一同快乐。
30但你这个儿子和娼妓吞尽了你的产业，他一来了，你倒为他宰了肥牛犊！’
31父亲对他说：‘儿啊！你常和我同在，我一切所有的都是你的。
32只是你这个兄弟是死而复活、失而又得的，所以我们理当欢喜快乐。’”
The Unrighteous Brothers
“The younger one said . . . ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ . . . [The older one said,] ‘Look! . . . You never gave me even a young goat. . . .’” - Luke 15:12, 29
In the 1960s a musical duo emerged and became famous as The Righteous Brothers.
Jesus’ parable that we have read today could be titled “The Unrighteous Brothers.”
Both of the brothers in this story felt entitled. Clearly, the younger son was unrighteous, demanding his share of his father’s estate even before the father was dead! And the older son, though he stayed and worked hard for the family, was no paragon of virtue. He was furious that his father would waste even one calf on his reckless younger brother.
Both needed forgiveness. The younger brother realized it, saying, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” But the older brother didn’t have a clue. His only response was a heart of stone toward his brother and toward his forgiving father.
Both had received their father’s generosity. The younger brother was given his inheritance before it was due, and he did not deserve a welcome-home party. And as the father reminded the older son, “You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” The one son was blessed twice; the other son was promised everything. In the words of a grand hymn, “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy.”
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Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we are unworthy children. Help us to love and forgive each other, as you love and forgive us, for the sake of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Amen.
