The elder brother reveals himself to be exactly the same as the prodigal. He desired not the relationship with the father but his own way. Many parallels can be made here, Jew/Gentile, Legalist/Antinomian, etc... In the end analysis the Jew/Gentile and Legalist/Anitnomian are no different what so ever ALL justify themselves in a legal mode not in relationship again. The common thread between the legalist and antinomian is the same, both see the Law as a legal thing, not relational and not as love. Both miss the point of what they have fallen from, sin.

The elder brother reveals that he hates his father just as much as the younger brother, in fact he reveals a real jealousy in that the younger brother DID what he all along was shooting for, to have his own way without the father. When the father forgives the younger he does not see restoration of the relationship but an injustice of a legal way and it infuriates him.

Both the religious zealot and a promiscuous person commonly justify themselves, yet the religious zealot calls the promiscuous an antinomian and the promiscuous calls the religious zealot the legalist. Ironically, both are actually self righteous which is another way of saying unrighteous. The religious zealot only pretends to love God and His law, but his deception is revealed when God grants mercy to the promiscuous and the RZ is infuriated by it. In this he reveals his hand, he only loved the legistlation of law, he did not love which IS in fact the heart of the Law to which we are fallen. Like wise if the RZ is granted mercy the promiscous sees it only as a legal reward. BOTH function the same way.

Ldh

__________________
Larry Hughes
Geologist
Tates Creek PCA
Lexington, KY
PCA

Galatians 4:29, "But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also."