Who does the older brother in the Prodigal Son parable represent?
The older brother represents the Pharisees in Israel. Though under the covenant promises, they were self-righteous, filled with their own importance, and saw no need. They became angry when believers embraced Christ as the Messiah, resembling Saul of Tarsus, who sought to stamp them out.
Les teaches that the older brother is typical of the Pharisees in Israel. His words are the voice of the Pharisee. They had been under the covenant promises just like the other brother, but they were self-righteous, filled with their own importance and pomp and circumstance, and did not see their need. When they saw the little element of believers embracing Christ as the Messiah, it made them angry. Saul of Tarsus is typical of that mentality, thinking he could stamp them out by putting them to death and in prison. Les also connects this to Jesus' statement that the well do not need a physician but the sick do, and to Paul's plain teaching that no one can be saved while thinking they can make it on their own; one must come as a sinner.