The father represents Jehovah God; the older son, the scribes and Pharisees, and the younger son, the sinners and tax collectors. Being Jews, the sinners, tax collectors, Pharisees and scribes were all brothers and members of a nation that was in a covenant relationship with God.

7. What did the younger son of Jesus’ illustration do, and how did he fare as a result?

⁷ “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of the property that falls to my share.’ Then he divided his means of living to them.