ALL THE PUBLICANS AND SINNERS (παντες ο τελωνα κα ο αμαρτωλο). The two articles separate the two classes (all the publicans and the sinners). They are sometimes grouped together (Luke 5:30; Matthew 9:11), but not here. The publicans are put on the same level with the outcasts or sinners. So in ve... [ Continue Reading ]
BOTH... AND (τε... κα). United in the complaint.MURMURED (διεγογγυζον). Imperfect active of διαγογγυζω, late Greek compound in the LXX and Byzantine writers. In the N.T. only here and Luke 19:7. The force of δια here is probably between or among themselves. It spread (imperfect tense) whenever... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS PARABLE (την παραβολην ταυτην). The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7). This is Christ's way of answering the cavilling of these chronic complainers. Jesus gave this same parable for another purpose in another connection (Matthew 18:12-14). The figure of the Good Shepherd appears also i... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WILDERNESS (εν τη ερημω). Their usual pasturage, not a place of danger or peril. It is the owner of the hundred sheep who cares so much for the one that is lost. He knows each one of the sheep and loves each one.GO AFTER THAT WHICH IS LOST (πορευετα επ το απολωλος). The one lost sheep (α... [ Continue Reading ]
ON HIS SHOULDERS (επ τους ωμους αυτου). He does it himself in exuberant affection and of necessity as the poor lost sheep is helpless. Note the plural shoulders showing that the sheep was just back of the shepherd's neck and drawn around by both hands. The word for shoulder (ωμος) is old and comm... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE WITH ME (συνχαρητε μο). Second aorist passive of συνχαιρω, an old and common verb for mutual joy as in Philippians 2:17. Joy demands fellowship. Same form in verse Luke 15:9. So the shepherdCALLS TOGETHER (συνκαλε, note συν again) both his friends and his neighbours. This picture of the... [ Continue Reading ]
OVER ONE SINNER THAT REPENTETH (επ εν αμαρτωλω μετανοουντ). The word sinner points to verse Luke 15:1. Repenting is what these sinners were doing, these lost sheep brought to the fold. The joy in heaven is in contrast with the grumbling Pharisees and scribes.MORE THAN OVER (η επ). There is no c... [ Continue Reading ]
TEN PIECES OF SILVER (δραχμας δεκα). The only instance in the N.T. of this old word for a coin of 65.5 grains about the value of the common δηναριυς (about eighteen cents), a quarter of a Jewish shekel. The double drachma (διδραχμον) occurs in the N.T. only in Matthew 17:24. The root is from δρασ... [ Continue Reading ]
HER FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS (τας φιλας κα γειτονας). Note single article and female friends (feminine article and φιλας). Hεως ου ευρη here as in verse Luke 15:4, only ου added after εως (until which time) as often.WHICH I LOST (ην απωλεσα). First aorist active indicative of απολλυμ. She lost th... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS JOY (γινετα χαρα). More exactly, joy arises. Futuristic present of γινομα (cf. εστα in verse Luke 15:7).IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ANGELS OF GOD (ενωπιον των αγγελων του θεου). That is to say, the joy of God himself. The angels are in a sense the neighbours of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD (ειχεν). Imperfect active. Note εχων (verse Luke 15:4), εχουσα (verse Luke 15:8), and now ειχεν. The self-sacrificing care is that of the owner in each case. Here (verses Luke 15:11-32) we have the most famous of all the parables of Jesus, the Prodigal Son, which is in Luke alone. We have had... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PORTION (το μερος). The Jewish law alloted one-half as much to the younger son as to the elder, that is to say one-third of the estate (Deuteronomy 21:17) at the death of the father. The father did not have to abdicate in favour of the sons, but "this very human parable here depicts the impat... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT MANY DAYS AFTER (μετ' ου πολλας ημερας). Literally, after not many days. Luke is fond of this idiom (Luke 7:6; Acts 1:5).TOOK HIS JOURNEY (απεδημησεν). First aorist active indicative of αποδημεω (from αποδημος, away from home). Common verb. In the N.T. here and Matthew 21:33; Matthew 25:14;... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HAD SPENT (δαπανησαντος αυτου). Genitive absolute. The verb is here used in a bad sense as in James 4:3. See on δαπανη Luke 14:28.HE (αυτος). Emphasis.TO BE IN WANT (υστερεισθα). The verb is from υστερος, behind or later (comparative). We use "fall behind" (Vincent) of one in straiten... [ Continue Reading ]
JOINED HIMSELF (εκολληθη). First aorist passive of κολλαω, an old verb to glue together, to cleave to. In the N.T. only the passive occurs. He was glued to, was joined to. It is not necessary to take this passive in the middle reflexive sense.THE CITIZENS (των πολιτων). Curiously enough this co... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WOULD FAIN HAVE BEEN FILLED (επεθυμε χορτασθηνα). Literally, he was desiring (longing) to be filled. Imperfect indicative and first aorist passive infinitive. Χορτασθηνα is from χορταζω and that from χορτος (grass), and so to feed with grass or with anything. Westcott and Hort put γεμισα την κ... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HE CAME TO HIMSELF (εις εαυτον δε ελθων). As if he had been far from himself as he was from home. As a matter of fact he had been away, out of his head, and now began to see things as they really were. Plato is quoted by Ackerman (_Christian Element in Plato_) as thinking of redemption a... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL ARISE AND GO (αναστας προρευσομα). This determination is the act of the will after he comes to himself and sees his real condition.I DID SIN (ημαρτον). That is the hard word to say and he will say it first. The word means to miss the mark. I shot my bolt and I missed my aim (compare the... [ Continue Reading ]
NO LONGER WORTHY (ουκετ αξιος). Confession of the facts. He sees his own pitiful plight and is humble.AS ONE (ως ενα). The hired servants in his father's house are high above him now.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HIS FATHER (προς τον πατερα εαυτου). Literally, to his own father. He acted at once on his decision.YET AFAR OFF (ετ αυτου μακραν απεχοντος). Genitive absolute. Μακραν agrees with οδον understood: While he was yet holding off a distant way. This shows that the father had been looking for him... [ Continue Reading ]
The son made his speech of confession as planned, but it is not certain that he was able to finish as a number of early manuscripts do not have "Make me as one of the hired servants," though Aleph B D do have them. It is probable that the father interrupted him at this point before he could finish.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEST ROBE (στολην την πρωτην). Στολη is an old word for a fine stately garment that comes down to the feet (from στελλο, to prepare, equip), the kind worn by kings (Mark 16:5; Luke 22:46). Literally, "a robe the first." But not the first that you find, but the first in rank and value, the fin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATTED CALF (τον μοσχον τον σιτευτον). The calf the fatted one. Σιτευτον is the verbal adjective of σιλευω, to feed with wheat (σιτος). The calf was kept fat for festive occasions, possibly in the hope of the son's return.KILL (θυσατε). Not as a sacrifice, but for the feast.MAKE MERRY (ευ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IS ALIVE (κα ανεζησεν). First aorist active indicative of αναζαω, to live again. Literally, he was dead and he came back to life.HE WAS LOST (ην απολωλως, periphrastic past perfect active of απολλυμ and intransitive, in a lost state) and he was found (ευρεθη). He was found, we have to say,... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE CAME AND DREW NIGH (ως ερχομενος ηγγισεν). More exactly, "As, coming, he drew nigh," for ερχομενος is present middle participle and ηγγισεν is aorist active indicative.MUSIC (συμφωνιας). Our word "symphony." An old Greek word from συμφωνος (συν, together, and φωνη, voice or sound),HARMONY... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVANTS (παιδων). Not δουλο (bondslaves) as in verse Luke 15:22. The Greeks often used παις for servant like the Latin _puer_. It could be either a hired servant (μισθιος, verse Luke 15:17) or slave (δουλος).HE INQUIRED (επυνθανετο). Imperfect middle, inquired repeatedly and eagerly.WHAT THESE... [ Continue Reading ]
IS COME (ηκε). Present indicative active, but a stem with perfect sense, old verb ηκω retaining this use after perfect tenses came into use (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 893).HATH KILLED (εθυσεν). Aorist active indicative and literally means,DID KILL . Difficult to handle in English for our tense... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE WAS ANGRY (ωργισθη). First aorist (ingressive) passive indicative. But he became angry, he flew into a rage (οργη). This was the explosion as the result of long resentment towards the wayward brother and suspicion of the father's partiality for the erring son.WOULD NOT GO IN (ουκ ηθελεν... [ Continue Reading ]
DO I SERVE THEE (δουλευω σο). Progressive present tense of this old verb from δουλος (slave) which the elder son uses to picture his virtual slavery in staying at home and perhaps with longings to follow the younger son (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 879).TRANSGRESSED (παρηλθον). Second aorist activ... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS THY SON (ο υιος σου ουτος). Contempt and sarcasm. He does not say: "This my brother."CAME (ηλθεν). He does not even say, came back or came home.DEVOURED (καταφαγων). We say, "eaten up," but the Greek has, "eaten down" (perfective use of κατα-). Suggested by the feasting going on.WITH HAR... [ Continue Reading ]
SON (Τεκνον). Child.THOU (συ). Expressed and in emphatic position in the sentence. He had not appreciated his privileges at home with his father.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WAS MEET (εδε). Imperfect tense. It expressed a necessity in the father's heart and in the joy of the return that justifies the feasting. Ευφρανθηνα is used again (first aorist passive infinitive) and χαρηνα (second aorist passive infinitive) is more than mere hilarity, deep-seated joy. The fat... [ Continue Reading ]