Our True Elder Brother

Somewhat related to my post yesterday, Keller describes Jesus as our true elder brother. He says:

"The point of the parable is that forgiveness always involves a price—someone has to pay. There was no way for the younger brother to return to the family unless the older brother bore the cost himself. Our true elder brother paid our debt, on the cross, in our place.”

And on the cross:

“There Jesus was stripped naked of his robe and dignity so that we could be clothed with dignity and standing we don’t deserve. On the cross Jesus was treated as an outcast so that we could be brought into God’s family freely by grace. There Jesus drank the cup of eternal justice so that we might have the cup of the Father’s joy. There was no other way for the heavenly Father to bring us in, except at the expense of our true elder brother.”