‘Bring the best robe and put it on him’ Luke 15:22
Parents are filled with pride and joy when they are invited to a robing ceremony marking the graduation of their son or daughter. It is a moment of recognition and reward for an achievement and a very proud moment for the graduate when they are capped and gowned.
In Luke 15 we have the story Jesus told dubbed the parable of the Prodigal Son. This is one of a number of stories Jesus about the kingdom of God. The central character in this parable is not the youngest or eldest son, it is the father. If we miss this we miss the main point of the story. It was the father who was treated with disrespect by the younger son asking for his inheritance. For him the estate was more important than the relationship with his father. In effect he was wishing his father was dead. He wanted to be independent breaking the relationship, whatever the cost. It was the father who pleaded with his eldest son to share his happiness and join the party. It was the father who, contrary to patriarchal custom, ran to meet his wayward son with an embrace and a kiss. It was the father who quickly interrupted his son’s attempt at confession, saying to the servants “Bring the best robe (which would be the father’s own robe, a symbol of status and wealth in the community) and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet and kill the fatted calf, let’s have a party and celebrate”. Timothy Keller paraphrases ‘You are not going to earn your way back into the family. I am going to simply take you back. I will cover your nakedness, poverty and rags with the robe of my office and honour.’ What reckless extravagance the father showered on his son who was a soiled wastrel, smelling of the sty, altogether unworthy, a disgrace to the family and community. It was the father who without hesitation replaced his son’s rags with a quality robe.
Without doubt, in the mind of Jesus, the father in the story is God. Jesus is saying this is what God, with his plenitude of grace, will do for anyone who returns to him. What Jesus wanted the religious teachers and leaders to realize was that the outcasts of society, those who fell short of the demands of the religious Law, would, if they repented, be welcome in the kingdom he came to establish. The youngest son was separated from his father by his bad behaviour; the eldest son was separated by his good behaviour and pride. We have all broken the relationship. We are ‘soiled goods’ by our willful pride. None of us are worthy, but we are still members of God’s family. It is written in our DNA.
In the biography of Timothy Keller we are told of Billy, his younger brother, who strayed from God, avoided church, and died of Aids. Before his death he received counselling and experienced God’s love accepting him. At his funeral service Tim summed up his brother’s last hours, saying, “Billy took the robe – and went into the feast”.
When I read that I began to ponder, when we come to God what robe does he want to put on us? Is it the robe of unconditional acceptance? Behind the younger son lay years of wasted resources, energy, privilege and opportunity, but the father was so pleased to see his son he cut short his confession. In effect saying “Forget about that, I am glad you have come home.” That is what mattered; not what he had done or how he looked. God’s welcome is always warm and loving. This is the robe everyone attending church should be given.
Could it be the robe of cleansing? Eugene Peterson translates the verse, “Quick, bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and shoes on his feet”. Cleansing and proper attire was a requirement in religious ritual. John remembers Jesus speaking to the Pharisees emphasizing the need for inner cleanliness and then saying to his disciples “You are already clean because of the word I spoken to you” 15:3, later, out of his own experience, John writes ‘The blood of Jesus …. Cleanses us from all sin’ 1 Jn.1:7. We cannot cleanse ourselves from the stain of sin; it is indelible, unless deleted by the enzyme of God’s grace. We come as we are. He receives us.
It could be the robe of restoration. The father recognized his son when he was a long way off. Having recognized him he wanted not only to accept him, but to restore him fully to the family without reserve or conditions; the ring bore the family’s insignia. The years of absence had left their mark and would not disappear overnight, but he was a son and he was home again. That is what mattered. A full recovery became possible. Christs’ resurrection and the work of his Spirit ensures our restoration to a healthy relationship with God.
St. Paul might say the robe of righteousness is the best. In giving us this robe God is giving something of himself, or even better, Someone of himself – Christ. Paul said ‘For me to live is Christ’; a clear fulfillment of Jesus’ word to his followers “I in you and you in me”. Paul had tried to achieve righteousness by strict obedience to the Law, but after meeting Christ he realized it was a gift from God through what Christ had done. He puts us right with God, ‘In Christ we become the righteousness of God’ 2 Cor.5:21. God has a robe of righteousness for you in Christ. You cannot find a better one.