The Word for Writers

Brother Needs Brother

by Terry Barlow
09/18/15
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   Neither of the brothers in the New Testament book of Matthew the 21st chapter had it quite right. One had the right attitude of respect toward his father’s request but didn’t follow through on his own word.  The other seemed to lack respect but later acted from pangs of conscience to satisfy his father.  You might say with Matthew Henry that one had buds and blossoms and the other fruit, but neither of those is the complete package.  The complete package involves buds, blossoms and fruit as well, and each in its own developmental stage.

What that tells me is that each brother had something to learn from the other.  And each had something to teach the other which is why we as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ need each other.  We will never have the maturity of Jesus  in a complete package apart from each other and an experiential unity among ourselves.  Might this also be true of the story of the prodigal son?  This parable isn’t only about correctly relating and responding to the father,  but it’s also about bringing the brothers together into an interdependence with all of their strengths and weaknesses.