For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. Now, twice his son. "He was lost" - both to his Father and to himself, lost to his Father's service and satisfaction, lost to his own dignity, peace, profit. But he "is alive again" - to all these.
But what of the older brother all this time? That we are now about to see.