The prodigal son has been claimed oftentimes to represent the repentant soul, this makes its identity clear. I believe there is more to the story. The father said all things belong to the first child who has always been obedient to him. Who is the first child?
I wouldn't agree it's Jesus since he can't in any way be envious of people. It is related that the first child was envious when the father killed the fattest cow for the returned son. Who does he symbolize?
In the parable of the prodigal son, the forgiving father is a picture of God, and the parable highlights His patience and love towards those who are lost.
The younger son symbolises the lost and the elder brother represents the self-righteous. In Jesus' day the self-righteous would be the Pharisees. The parable is about the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the Father.
More information here: https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-prodigal-son.html
Although the elder son is dutiful, he obeys out of obligation rather than love. Because of this internal dynamic, the return of the younger brother is a catalyst that stirs up jealousy and resentment rather than joy. The character of the elder son reflects the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees.
And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” – v 2
If the younger son represents the humble soul who places himself at the father’s mercy,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired laborers.” – vv 18-19
… the elder son is the proudful soul who boasts of his own good deeds and expects to be rewarded, and who struggles to understand God’s generosity towards those they deem as undeserving (cf Mt 20:15).
“Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends” – v 29
There is more than one way to interpret the characters and symbolism in this story. If the elder son represents the scribes and the Pharisees, the younger son could be a representation of Christ, he who died yet is alive again (v32, cf 1 Cor 15:3-4). Though he was unlike the prodigal son in that he knew no sin, yet he was made to be sin for our sake (2 Cor 5:21). The younger son could also represent all who follow Christ and have been reconciled to God through him (cf Rom 3:21-28).
“This brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.” – v 32
The characters of the elder and younger son could represent specific types of individuals, or they could represent different aspects that exist within each person. We are like the younger son when we acknowledge and repent of our sins. We are like the elder son when, under the temptation of pride, we boast of our own deeds and righteousness. The only person who remains ever constant is the character of the father. The parable thus serves as a reminder that it is God who alone is good (cf Lk 18:19).
Jesus' parables use earthly concepts that reflect but cannot equate the spiritual truths they are meant to convey. In this story, the father’s wealth is divided between his sons, but God’s wealth is not comparable to any human estate. In reality, his riches are beyond measure and cannot be exhausted no matter how much he bestows upon his children. “All that is mine is yours” (v 31). Expressing God’s boundless love and mercy, I believe the words of the father to the elder son are addressed to every one of us as well.
In the parable of the prodigal son, who does the first son symbolise?
Sometimes, we lose the plot if we take every detail of a parable too far. We care too much about the leaves and lose the tree.
“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,” (Luk 15:1-3, KJV)
Sinners and publicans came to Jesus to hear him. The Pharisees and scribes were also there.
The Pharisees and the Scribes criticised and murmured about what Jesus did with the publicans and sinners.
Jesus saw and heard the murmurings of the Pharisees and the Scribes.
“And he spake this parable unto them, saying,” (Luk 15:3, KJV)
Here, we have Jesus's clear intention for giving the parable; all the parables were addressed to the Pharisees and the Scribes.
Hence, the following parables were addressed to the Pharisees and the Scribes:
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Luk 15:4, KJV)
Jesus says "What man of you...". That is a reference to the Pharisees and the Scribes. He was referring to their caring heart over their one lost sheep out of many. They love their one lost sheep but this care is not extended to the publicans and sinners. They do not see the publicans and sinners as lost. Hence, Jesus has a caring heart for the publicans and sinners unlike the Pharisees and the Scribes. Just as these Pharisees and scribes rejoice over one lost sheep found, heaven also has the right to rejoice over the publicans and sinners who were lost but found.
“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?” (Luk 15:8, KJV)
In KJV, verse 8 begins with the word 'either'. This gives a sense of comparison. In RV, ESV and ASV start verse 8 with 'or'. This is comparing two things. If we juxtapose "What man of you" in verse 4 with "or what woman" in verse 8, where has "What man of you.....or what woman...."
The introduction of a 'woman with ten pieces of silver' by Jesus appeals to their sense of judgment or sense of reasoning and imagination.
Hence, if you (Pharisees and Scribes) can make sense of the detailed searching and rejoicing of the woman over a coin lost but found, heaven is entitled to rejoice over publicans and sinners lost but found.
“And he said, A certain man had two sons:” (Luk 15:11, KJV)
Here, Jesus intends to reveal the heart of the Pharisees and Scribes to them by narrating a vivid scenario. In this vivid story, they would see themselves.
“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.” (Luk 15:28, KJV)
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” (Luk 15:20, KJV)
This verse says "...his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."
By extension, the prodigal son could be the lost sheep of Israel because the church or the New Testament had not begun. The wall of partition between the Jews and the Gentiles was yet to be pulled down at this time.
By extension, the elder son could be the religious Jews who did not have the heart of Jesus in seeking that which is lost in the sight of Jesus among the children of Israel.
By extension, Jesus's heart is the heart of God the Father; it is the heart of the Trinity.
Hence, the whole context of the parable was to address the Pharisees and scribes murmuring and criticising Jesus.
The repentance, forgiveness and acceptance is in the context of Israel. The younger brother is the northern kingdom of Israel (10 tribes ie the dispersed non-Jewish Israelites) and the elder brother is the southern kingdom (2 tribes / Benjamin & Judah ie the Jews).
This parable is about the reunification of Israel.
