The Prodigal Son

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his inheritance. Since the elder brother is clearly more trustworthy and responsible, he should be the one the father can trust with his inheritance over the younger brother. The younger brother has already shown he can’t handle that kind of money or responsibility. He ran off to live extravagantly while the elder brother stayed true to the father. The younger brother could then learn from his mistake. He could see that his actions before were not acceptable and causes a small shift in him and his brothers relationship. He could understand how to act as a son when it comes to gaining any kind of inheritance. His behavior the first round wasn’t good, as in the title, “prodigal” meaning spending money wastefully and extravagantly, that’s exactly what he did.

You can compare the elder son and “Job” from the Book of Job. The elder brother from the beginning seems to be filial to his father. He is given some of his father’s inheritance. But when the brother runs away and has an exclusive lifestyle and returns home, the elder brother is upset. He has a hard time excepting it. When the father shows rejoice the elder brother claims that he himself have been a great son who has already been true to his father, and that his father is celebrating the return of a son who did wrong. This showed that though his father gave him part of the inheritance, he was still true to his father, and stayed to be filial son while his younger brother fled off.

Job in the Book of Job is righteous because he is blessed with lots of wealth and many kids. Job would rise up in the morning and offer “burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1.5). Satan tells God that Job is happy because he is rich and has what he has, but if it is taken away he will curse God. So God takes it all away-his health, his wealth, his children. His friends even tell him it’s because of his sinning and he should repent in order to be forgiven. His wife even tells his to curse God for the circumstances he is put in. Job however never God curses. This showed that his belief had nothing to do with what God have once blessed him with. His faith with God wasn’t based on his riches.

To compare these two, both Job and the elder brother in the “Prodigal Son” both were put in circumstances that tested their motives. Job could have cursed God but stayed true in that his relationship with God wasn’t based on the material things. The “Prodigal Son”, the elder son could have run off with the inheritance, but did not. He could of not forgiving his brother for his actions, but he did. They both showed who they really were as individuals.