Though it has taken some work to get to this point, this story of the compassionate brother sounds remarkably similar to a story offered up by Jesus. Though Esau generally gets a bad rap, and though there is precious little positive talk of Esau in Scriptures, perhaps the man who regularly dined with tax collectors and sinners, who offered up stories commending unjust stewards and good Samaritans, and generally opened up the kingdom of God to all the wrong people, had the story of Esau as the compassionate brother in mind when He offered up the parable of the compassionate father (often incorrectly labeled as the parable of the prodigal son).
In that story, we hear about a man with two sons. The younger of the two demanded that his father give him the assets that would eventually come to him upon his father’s death. This is the equivalent of wishing his father dead. The father, who would be immensely dishonored by this action, accedes to his son’s wishes. Though this is not precisely what happened with Isaac and his two sons, Isaac insisted on blessing Esau, the older son, indicating that he wanted to do so before he died. However, rather than Esau receiving the blessing as the firstborn, the blessing fell to Jacob. In the parable, as stated, the son has dishonored his father by his request, just as Jacob has dishonored his father. In both cases, the father has every right to take vengeance on his son, but he restrains himself. There is compassion in evidence.
In the parable, the actions of the son would have quickly spread through the community, creating a growing hostility towards this presumptuous and shameful son with his life possibly in jeopardy (as was Jacob’s), so it is quite likely that he quickly sells the assets in order to gain liquidity and leaves. As did Jacob, with death looming, the son leaves on a journey to a distant country. Jesus informs His hearers that the son “squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle” (Luke 15:13b). Jacob did not squander his wealth, though as we have seen, life was a bit wild. Like the prodigal, in his exile from his father’s house, fortune had eluded Jacob though others had gotten rich at his expense. The son of the parable experiences the effects of destitution, as a famine grips the land. Seeking whatever income he could find, he attaches himself to a citizen of that country, much like Jacob was attached to Laban because of the need to pay him for all of the wives, and is sent to feed the citizen’s pigs. Naturally, as the hearers of Jesus’ parable were predominantly Jewish, and because they would naturally assume that the family in the story is Jewish, they would see this as an attempt by the man to get rid of an unwanted hanger-on, expecting that the young Jewish man would resolutely refuse to lower and defile himself in such ways. We saw this as a possibility in Laban’s business deal with Jacob, which, based on Laban’s actions after striking the deal, indicated a desire to rid himself of Jacob.
Eventually, while feeding the pigs, but while still hungry, the young man in the parable is said to have come “to his senses,” saying “How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough and to spare, but here I am dying from hunger!” (15:17) Similarly, Jacob comes to his senses, and with the documented hostility that he is experiencing, wonders why it is that he remains where he is, when he could return to his father’s house, rather than continuing to serve under a man who clearly did not want him around. The younger son, however, knowing that he has shamed himself and his family, and knowing that harsh consequence, up to and including the possibility of death, await him if he returns to his father’s house. Owing to that, considering the fact that his father’s hired workers make earn enough to feed themselves with money to spare, he devises a plan that will allow him to pay back his father over time, and in the process allow him to regain the honor that he had lost. He says “I will get up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.’” (15:18-19) This is the same thing that we saw with Jacob. He cannot simply return. He has a brother that has declared his desire to kill him, and a father that he dishonored. Therefore, he must devise a plan, and clearly, because his father, though it was done unwittingly, passed the convenantal blessing on to him, his primary concern is with the wrath of his brother. Thus, we see the planning taking place with the division of the families, and then the gifts of animals, with the messengers of the servants. Effectively, with the language that we see on the lips of Jacob, bowing as he refers to himself as Esau’s servant while also referring to him as “my lord” and telling him that seeing his face is like seeing the face of God, we are hearing Jacob say something like “I have sinned against heaven and against you; treat me like one of your hired workers.”
In the parable, the younger son returns, knowing that he is taking his life in his own hands, for if he is seen and recognized by the community, he is possibly going to be subject to stoning. However, “while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him: he ran and hugged his son and kissed him” (15:20b). Like Esau, the father ran. Like Esau, rather than inflicting suffering on Jacob, the father shamed and dishonored himself, rather than allow his son to suffer. As Esau hugged and kissed his brother, taking shame and extending compassion, so too did the father hug and kiss his son, in a similar demonstration of merciful compassion. The son attempted to execute his plan, but before he was able to deliver his prepared speech, the father cuts him off, restoring him to the position of honor as if he had never wronged his father, his family, or his community. Likewise, we saw that Jacob’s planning and preparations were wholly unnecessary, as Esau welcomes him with open arms, celebrating a joyous reunion, with no thought of retribution or a need to re-pay.
The father in the parable exclaims that “this son of mine was dead, and is alive again---he was lost and is found!” (15:24a). Esau, who had wished his brother dead, and to whom he was effectively dead, celebrates the return of his brother---alive again. Here we have a compassionate brother and a compassionate father, dealing with a brother and a son whose stories shared some common features. Both had been dishonored and both had been shamed. Both had the right to take vengeance. Both exercised compassion. Both stories, as told to and for a people of the covenant, creative, and providential God that seeks to reconcile His image-bearers and His world to Himself, reveal a God that revels in compassion---willing to take the pain and shame and suffering that rightfully belong to others upon Himself (there was no greater shame than the curse of the cross) so as to set His world to rights and show forth His kingdom and His glory.
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