Luke 15:28

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. AND HE WAS ANGRY, AND WOULD NOT GO IN: THEREFORE CAME HIS FATHER OUT, AND ENTREATED HIM. As it is the older brother who now errs, so it is the same paternal compassion which had fallen on the neck of the younger that comes forth and pleads with the older. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him" ()....

28._Therefore his father went out. _By these words he reproaches hypocrites with intolerable pride, which makes it necessary that the Father should entreat them not to envy the compassion manifested to their brethren. Now though God does not entreat, yet by his example he exhorts us to bear with the faults of our brethren. And in order to take away every excuse from wicked severity, he not only introduces hypocrites as speaking, whose false boasting might be confuted, but even affirms that, though any man had discharged, in the most perfect manner, all the duties of piety towards the Father, yet he has no just reason to complain because his brother obtains pardon. It is certain, indeed, that the sincere worshippers of God are always pure and free from this malignant disposition; but the design of Christ is, to show that it would be unjust in any man to murmur on account of his brother ha...

25-32 In the latter part of this parable we have the character of the Pharisees, though not of them alone. It sets forth the kindness of the Lord, and the proud manner in which his gracious kindness is often received. The Jews, in general, showed the same spirit towards the converted Gentiles; and numbers in every age object to the gospel and its preachers, on the same ground. What must that temper be, which stirs up a man to despise and abhor those for whom the Saviour shed his precious blood, who are objects of the Father's choice, and temples of the Holy Ghost! This springs from pride, self-preference, and ignorance of a man's own heart. The mercy and grace of our God in Christ, shine almost as bright in his tender and gentle bearing with peevish saints, as his receiving prodigal sinners upon their repentance. It is the unspeakable happiness of all the children of God, who keep close...

Verse 28. _HE WAS ANGRY_] This refers to the indignation of the scribes and Pharisees, mentioned Luke 15:1. In every point of view, the anger of the older son was _improper_ and _unreasonable_. He had already received _his_ part of the inheritance, see Luke 15:12, and his profligate brother had received no more than what was his just dividend. Besides, what the father had acquired _since_ that division he had a right to dispose of as he pleased, even to give it all to one son; nor did the ancient customs of the Asiatic countries permit the _other_ children to claim any share in such property thus disposed of. The following is an institute of the GENTOO _law_ on this subject: (CODE, chap. ii. sect. 9, p. 79:) "If a father gives, by his own choice, land, houses, orchards, and the e...

SAFE AND SOUND - In health....

EXPOSITION LUKE 15:1 The _Lord speaks his three parable-stories of the _"lost," _in which he explains his reason for loving and receiving the sinful._ LUKE 15:1, LUKE 15:2 THEN DREW NEAR UNTO HIM ALL THE PUBLICANS AND SINNERS FOR TO HEAR HIM. AND THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES MURMURED, SAYING, THIS MAN RECEIVETH SINNERS, AND EATETH WITH THEM; more accurately rendered, _there were drawing near to him. _This was now, in the last stage of the final journey, the usual state of things. The great outside- class came in crowds to listen to Jesus. These were men and women who, through home and family associations,

AND HE WAS ANGRY,.... Particularly that the fatted calf was killed, Luke 15:27 the preaching of a crucified Christ, and of free and full salvation by him, is highly displeasing and provoking to self-righteous persons; they are angry at it, that it should be free, that election to salvation should be of grace, that justification should be freely by the grace of God, and that pardon of sin should be according to the riches of God's grace, and salvation be by grace, and not by works; and that it should be discriminating, that God should appoint some, and not all unto salvation; that Christ should redeem some, and not all; and that all men are not called unto it, by his Spirit and grace; and that it should be full and complete, so as nothing can be added to it; and that it should be for sinners, and alone by Christ, and by him as crucified: it would be agreeable, was it taught that salvation...

This is a chapter that needs no explanation; it carries its key within itself, and the experience of every child of God is the best exposition of it. The three parables recorded here set forth the work of saving grace in different aspects. Luke 15:1. _Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them._ The Pharisees and scribes formed the outside ring of Christ's hearers, but the inner circle consisted of the guilty, the heavy-laden, and the lowly. They pressed as near to Christ as they could, that they might catch his every word; and besides, there was an attractiveness about his manner that drew them towards him. His mercy attracted their misery. They wanted him, and he desired them; they were thus well met. There will be an inner circle tonight when the

CHAPTER 15 __ 1. The Murmuring Pharisees. (Luke 15:1) 2. The Parable of the Lost Sheep. (Luke 15:3) 3. The Parable of the Lost Coin. (Luke 15:8) 4. The Parable of the Prodigal Son and the Elder Brother. (Luke 15:11 .) Luke 15:1 A blessed climax of the teaching of our Lord as the Saviour and the friend of sinners is reached with this chapter, a chapter which the Saints of God have always loved and will always love. Here we find the completest illustration of the key text of Luke “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save t

LUKE 25. THREE PARABLES SHOWING GOD'S LOVE FOR THE LOST, AND HIS JOY AT THEIR RESTORATION. The three parables in this chapter have no definite note of time or place. An introduction is supplied from Luke 5:29 f. (Mark 2:15 f.). Both the introduction (sinners crowding to hear Jesus) and the parables strike the new noto that Jesus came to sound the direct interest in and appeal to the outcast (_cf._ p. 622). This parable (Luke 15:3) must mean the parabolic discourse, embracing the three illustrations. The Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin form a pair, and represent the bewildered sinner and the unconscious sinner, while the story of the Prodigal Son forms an exquisite picture of the sinner who deliberately chooses his own path, an