6

'Gathered all together.' Collected his property. If he had received flocks or grain, he sold them and converted them into money. 'Into a far country.' A country far off from his father's house. Wasted his substance.' Spent his property. "In riotous living.' He lived extravagantly, and in dissolute company. See ver. 30. By his wandering away, we may understand that sinners wander far away from God; that they fall into dissolute and wicked company; and their wandering so far off is the reason why they fall into such company, and are so soon and so easily destroyed.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

A mighty famine.' A great want of provisions. Famines were common in eastern nations.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

'Joined himself." Entered the service of that citizen. Hired himself out to him. 'A citizen.' One of the inhabitants of one of the cities or towns of that region. Into the fields.' Out of the city where the owner lived. To feed swine.' This was a very low employment, and particularly abominable to a Jew. They hated swine, and were forbidden by the law to eat them. No employment, therefore, could convey to the mind of a Jew an idea of any thing more degrading. And no circumstances could more strikingly show the loathsomeness and degradation of sin, than those which our Saviour has chosen here.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him.

He

'He would fain.' He would gladly. He desired to do it. 'The husks.' The word used here denotes not only husks, but also leguminous plants, as beans, &c. It is also used to denote tne fruit of a tree, called the carob tree, common in Syria. Its fruit is used to fatten swine, and also it is food for the poorer people. It is mealy, and has a sweetish taste, and grows in hedges, and is of little account. 'No man gave unto him.' did not go a begging his master was bound to provide for his wants. But the provision which he made for him was so poor that he would have preferred the food of the swine. Nothing could more strikingly show the evil of his condition, and nothing more clearly the deep degradation, and pollution, and wretchedness of sin.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many

hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

'He came to himself.' This is a very expressive phrase. It denotes that the folly of the young man was a kind of derangement-that he was insane. So it is true of every sinner. Madness is in their hearts, Eccl. ix. 3, they are estranged from God, and led by the influence of evil passions, contrary to their better judgment and the decisions of a sound mind. 'I perish.' I, who had property, and a kind father, and who might have been provided for, and happy.

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

'I will arise. This is a common expression among the Hebrews, to denote entering on any business. It implies that he meant immediately to return. This should be the feeling of every sinner who is conscious of his guilt and danger. To my father.' To his father, although he had offended him-had treated him unkindly and had provoked him, and cast him off. So the sinner. He has no where else to go but to God. He has offended him, but he may trust in his kindness. If God does not save him he cannot be saved. 'I have sinned.' I have been wicked, have been dissipated, ungrateful, and rebellious. Against heaven.' The word heaven,' here, as it is often elsewhere, is put for God. I have sinned against God. See Matt. xxi. 25. It is also to be observed, the genuineness of repentance is evidenced by the feeling that our sins have been committed chiefly against God. When the sinner sees their true character, when his heart is properly affected by them, he sees that his sins against man are of little consequence, compared with those against God. See Ps. 'Before thee.' This means the same as against thee.' The offences had been committed against God by his dissipation, &c., but against his father in wasting property which he had given him; in neglecting his counsels, and plunging himself into ruin. He felt that he had disgraced such a father. A true penitent will be as ready to acknowledge his offences against his fellow-men as those against his Maker.

li. 4.

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

No more worthy.' I am not fit to be honoured by being called the son of a father so kind and virtuous. 'Make me as one,' &c. Treat me as a servant. Let me come again into your family, but I do not ask to be treated as a son. I am willing to come in if you will give me only the support that you give to a servant. This evinced confidence in his father, that he would treat

him kindly even if he treated him as a servant. Such confidence all returning penitents feel in God. They are assured that God will treat them kindly, that whatever he gives them will be more than they deserve; and they are, therefore, willing to be in his hands.

20 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. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

A great way off.' This is a beautiful description-the father saw him clad in rags, poor, and emaciated, and yet he recognised his son, and all the feelings of a father excited him to go and embrace him. 'Had compassion.' Pitied him. Saw his condition-his poverty and wretched appearance-and was moved with compassion and love. And ran.' This is opposed to the manner in which the son came. The beauty of the picture is greatly heightened by these circumstances. The son came slowly -the father ran. The love and joy of the old man were so great, that he hastened to meet him and welcome him to his home. 'Fell on his neck.' Threw his arms around his neck and embraced him. 'And kissed him.' This was a sign at once of affection and reconciliation. This must at once have dissipated every doubt of the son, about the willingness of his father to forgive and receive him. A kiss is a sign of affection. 1 Sam. x. 1. Gen. xxix. 13. In this verse of inimitable beauty, is contained the point of the parable, which was for the Saviour to vindicate his own conduct in receiving sinners kindly. Who could blame this father for thus receiving this repenting son? Not even a pharisee could blame him. And our Saviour thus showed them, so that they could not resist it, that God received returning sinners, and that it was right for him also to receive them and treat them with attention.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

'The best robe.' The son was probably in rags. The joy of the father is expressed by clothing him in the best raiment. The robe here mentioned is probably the outer garment; and the father told them to put on him the best one that was in the house, one reserved for festival occasions. See Gen. xxvii. 15. A ring on his hand.' To wear a ring on the hand was one mark of wealth and dignity. Compare James ii. 2. To give a ring was a mark of favour, or of affection. Compare Gen. xli. 42. Esther

viii. 2. 'Shoes on his feet.' Servants were not permitted to wear shoes. They walked barefoot, Isa. xx. 3. When, therefore, the father commanded them to put shoes on him, it expressed his wish that he should not be treated as a servant, but as a son. And the meaning of all these images is the same, that God will treat those who return to him with kindness and affection. These images are beautifully thrown in to fill up the narrative, and to express with more beauty and force the general truth that God will treat returning penitents with mercy and with love.

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

'Be merry.' The Greek denotes simply joy-let us be happy, or joyful.

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be

merry.

'Was dead.' He was dead to virtue-he was sunk in pleasures and vice. The word is not unfrequently thus used. See 1 Tim. v. 6. Matt. viii. 22. Rom. vi. 13. Hence to be restored to virtue is said to be restored again to life. Rev. iii. 1. Eph. ii. 1. See ver. 32. Was lost.' Had wandered away from home, and we knew not where he was.

25 Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

'In the field.' At work. This eldest son designed to represent the pharisees, who had found fault with our Saviour. 'Music and dancing. Dancing was not uncommon among the Hebrews, and was used on various occasions. Thus Miriam celebrated the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, in dances as well as songs, Ex. xv. 20. David danced before the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 14. It was common at Jewish feasts, Judges xxi. 19-21; and in public triumphs, Judges xi. 34; and at all seasons of mirth and rejoicing, and was a measured solemn movement. 11. Jer. xxxi. 4. 13. Ps. cxlix. 3; cl. 4. In this case it was an expression of rejoicing. It is an expressive image used in accordance with the known customs of the country to express joy. It is further to be remarked, that if the example of persons in scripture be pleaded for dancing, it can only be for just such dances as they practised-for sacred or triumphal occasions, very different from, indeed totally opposite to, the promiscuous dances and midnight assemblies of modern times.

Ps. xxx.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him,

Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

'Safe and sound.' In health.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.

'A kid.' A young goat. This was of less value than the calf; and he complains that while his father had never given him a thing of so little value as a kid, he had now given his other son the fatted calf. 'Make merry with.' Entertain them-give them a feast. This complaint was unreasonable, for his father had divided his property, and he might have had his portion; and his father had uniformly treated him with kindness.

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

"This thy son.' This son of thine! This is an expression of great contempt. He did not call him his brother, but his father's son, to show at once his contempt for his younger brother, and for his father for having received him as he did. 'Thy living.' Thy property. This is still designed to irritate the father, and set him against his younger son. It was true that the younger son had been guilty, and foolish, and ungrateful; but he was penitent, and that was of more consequence to the father than all his property; and in the joy felt because he was penitent and was safe, his ingratitude and folly were forgotten. So should the elder son have felt and acted.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

'All I have is thine.' The property was divided. What remained was in reality the elder son's. He was heir to it all, and nad a right, if he chose, to use it. He had, therefore, no right to complain. We have here an impressive exhibition of the wants and woes of a sinner. 1. He had spent all. He had nothing. So the sinner. He has no righteousness, no comfort. 2. He is far from God; away from his father, and in a land of strangers. The sinner has wandered, and has no friend. His miseries come