1 Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to
hear him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured,
saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3 And he spake unto them this parable saying, 4 What man of you,
having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not
leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that
which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he
layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home,
he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto
them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7
I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth, _more_ than over ninety and nine righteous
persons, who need no repentance.
8 Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one
piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek
diligently until she find it? 9 And when she hath found it, she
calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with
me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10 Even so, I say
unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over
one sinner that repenteth.
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 and the younger of
them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of _thy_
substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together
and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his
substance with riotous living. 14 And when he had spent all, there
arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that
country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he
would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did
eat: and no man gave unto him. 17 But when he came to himself he
said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to
my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in thy sight: 19 I am no more worthy to be called thy
son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and
came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw
him, and was moved with 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: I am no more worthy to be
called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring
forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on
his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 and bring the fatted calf,
_and_ kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: 24 for this my son
was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they
began to be merry. 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as
he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26
And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these
things might be. 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 But he was angry, and would not go in: and
his father came out, and entreated him. 29 But he answered and
said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I
never transgressed a commandment of thine; and _yet_ thou never
gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30 but
when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots,
thou killedst for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him,
Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. 32 But
it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was
dead, and is alive _again_; and _was_ lost, and is found.
The precious and matchless parable of the Prodigal Son belongs naturally
to Luke. Its literary charm, its tender beauty, its deep human interest,
its breadth of sympathy, its perfect picture of the grace and love of God,
all are in peculiar accord with the purpose and genius of this Gospel.
The parable is linked with two others, the teachings of which it includes
and completes: the parables of the Lost Sheep and of the Lost Coin. The
occasion of all three parables was the censure passed by the Pharisees
upon Jesus because of his association with social outcasts and his cordial
welcome to penitent sinners. Jesus rebuked his enemies by showing that it
is natural to rejoice in the recovery of a lost sheep or a lost coin or a
lost son: much more, then, must God rejoice in the recovery of a lost
soul. Evidently they who fail to share his joy must be out of sympathy and
fellowship with him.
The first parable reveals the love of God in depicting his compassion for
the distress and helplessness of the sinner. The second shows how precious
a lost soul is in the sight of the loving God. Both of them picture his
yearning and patient effort for the recovery of the sinner and his
abounding joy in the restoration of the lost. The statement that “there
shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over
ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance,” is not to be
interpreted too literally. It does not mean that God finds more
satisfaction in a repentant sinner than in a sinless saint. Jesus was here
referring definitely to the penitent publicans and to the self-righteous
Pharisees. God did not take delight in the sins of the former, nor did he
regard the state of the latter as perfect, even taking the Pharisees at
their best and regarding them as faithful to the laws of God. Whatever its
motive, morality is always better than lawlessness and impurity. However,
a repentant sinner who understands the grace and mercy of God is always
more pleasing to him than the Pharisee, proud, critical, and unloving,
however correct he may be in his moral behavior.
This truth is made more plain in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Here we
have perfectly described the experience of the repentant sinner and also
the unsympathetic attitude of the disdainful Pharisee. The first is
represented in the story by the prodigal and the second by the conduct of
his elder brother.
In describing the waywardness of this younger son, Jesus gave a complete
picture of the character and consequences of sin. Some have thought that
the parable of the Lost Sheep indicates that sin is due in part to
ignorance and folly and that the parable of the Lost Coin shows that it
may be occasioned by misfortune or accident. The parable of the Prodigal
Son, however, shows that it is usually due to willful choice and to a
desire for indulgence. Its results are sketched in appalling colors. We
are shown all its disillusion, suffering, slavery, and despair. As a
picture of the inevitable consequences of sin, no touch could be added to
the scene of the prodigal in the far country when he had spent all, when
the famine had arisen, when he had sold himself to feed swine and was
unable to be satisfied even with the coarse food he was providing for
beasts.
Nor is there any more beautiful picture of repentance than was drawn when
the Master described the prodigal as “he came to himself,” his sin had not
been mere folly, it had been madness. He remembered a former time of joy
and plenty in his early home. He realized his present desperate need; he
resolved to arise and go to his father. Most of all, he saw that his
offense had been not only against a loving, earthly parent but against
God, and that he was wholly undeserving of fellowship with his father.
Repentance is not only sorrow for sin; it is an acknowledgment that the
offense has been committed against a holy God; it is a change of heart
toward him, and a resolution for a new life which manifests itself in
definite action. “He arose, and came to his father.”
Strictly speaking, this is the end of the parable of the Prodigal Son. In
another sense the most beautiful part immediately follows. It is a
description of the matchless love shown by God to every repentant soul.
The father had never ceased to love the prodigal or to hope and yearn for
his return. He had been eagerly looking for his wayward son. The first
sight of the prodigal filled his heart with compassion; he “ran, and fell
on his neck, and kissed him.” The prodigal was ready to confess his fault,
but the father scarcely heard his words as he commanded the servants to
“bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on
his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring the fatted calf, and kill it,
and let us eat, and make merry.” It is a picture not only of pardon but of
complete restoration. It assures the sinner that as he turns to God he
will be received into the closest fellowship of a son and heir and that
his return will give joy to the heart of God who will regard him as one
that “was dead, and is alive again,” as one who “was lost, and is found.”
The picture of the elder son is exquisitely sketched. It was
unquestionably intended to describe the loveless Pharisees who envied the
joy of the repentant publicans and sinners. It furthermore brings a
message to all persons in every age to whom religion is merely a matter of
unwilling obedience and of loveless faithfulness to the laws of God. It
depicts souls out of fellowship with God, feeling no real joy in his
service and sharing none of his gladness in the salvation of lost souls.
The elder brother knew nothing of the experience of a true son. He was
merely a slave. When the prodigal returned he was not watching with his
father, he was “in the field;” when he learned that his brother had been
welcomed to the home he was filled with anger. He refused to enter the
house and when his father came out to entreat him, he accused him of
partiality and unkindness. His words described admirably the
self-righteousness of the Pharisees, “I never transgressed a commandment
of thine;” they also show how little he appreciated his true privileges,
“thou never gavest me a kid.” The reply of his father intimates the
possibilities which he never had appreciated and the privileges which he
never had enjoyed, “Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is
thine.” It had always been possible for the Pharisees to enjoy the grace
and mercy and love of God; but to them religion had been a mere burdensome
round of rites and duties. It had given no satisfaction, no gladness, to
their hearts. Something of their experience is paralleled even by
Christians of the present day. Failing to appreciate the gracious pardon
of God and his willingness to supply every spiritual need, forgetting the
possibility of living in daily communion and fellowship with him, knowing
nothing of his joys in the salvation and repentance of lost souls, they
are seeking in their own strength, wearily and joylessly, to do the things
that they believe to be right and to obey the commands of God, but their
lives are like those of servants, not like the free, joyous, loving
experience of true sons.
Possibly the most artistic touch in the parable is its abrupt close. We do
not know whether the elder son yielded to the entreaty of his father or
not. It was an appeal to the Pharisees; would they accept the grace of God
and further his plans for the salvation of the lost, or would they
continue to criticize and envy the repentant sinner? Shall we live as
servants or as sons?