This parable involves two sons. First, it includes the story of the scandalous son (15:11–24). Men are lost like sons are lost—through rebellion, pride, self-will, and deliberate choice. The parable of the prodigal focuses on the publicans and sinners; the story of the elder brother depicts the scribes and Pharisees. We can be sure that both groups easily recognized themselves in the story. First, there were the far horizons. “A certain man had two sons,” Jesus said, “and