Luke 15:4. In the wilderness,— Uncultivated ground, used merely as common pasture, was called wilderness, or desart, by the Jews, in distinction from arable, or inclosed land, as we have had occasion more than once to observe. Some would read, Doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the wilderness after that which was lost?

Luke 15:7. Likewise joy shall be in heaven— Greater joy will be in heaven over one converted sinner, than over, &c. The design of this parable being to represent divine things by images taken from the manners of men, what is here said of God and of the angels, (see Luke 15:10.) must be understood suitably to the nature of human passions, which are much more sensibly affected with the obtaining of what they have long vehemently desired, or with the saving of that which was looked upon as lost, than they are with the continuance of goods long enjoyed. However, it is clear from Luk 15:10 that the angels are, either during their ministrations here below for the children of God, or by immediate revelation or otherwise, informed of the conversion of sinners, which must, to those benevolent spirits, be an occasion of great joy; nor could any thing have been suggested more proper to encourage the humble penitent, to expose the repining Pharisee, or to animate all to zeal in so good a work as endeavouring to promote the repentance and conversion of others. Indeed, this part of the present and the following parable is beautifully drawn up. The angels, though high in nature, and perfect in blessedness, are represented as bearing a friendly regard to their kindred essences, and as having a knowledge of things done here below. It may be necessary to observe, that it cannot be our Lord's meaning here, that God esteems one penitent or newly-converted sinner more than ninety and nine confirmed and established believers, who are, as it appears to me, the persons spoken of as needing no conversion, — no μετανοια, or universal change of heart and life; for it would be inconsistent with the divine wisdom, goodness, and holiness, to suppose this: but it is plainly as if he had said, "As a father peculiarly rejoices, when an extravagant child is reduced to a sense of his duty, and when one whom he had considered as utterly ruined by his follies, and perhaps as dead, returns with remorse and submission; or, as any other person who has recovered what he had given up for lost, has a more sensiblesatisfaction in it, than in several things equally valuable, but not in such danger; so do the holy inhabitants of heaven rejoice in the conversion of the most abandoned sinners; and the great Father of all so readily forgives and receives them, that he may be represented as having part in the joy." Though, by the way, when human passions are ascribed to God, it is certain they are to be taken in a figurative sense, entirely excluded from those sensations which result from the commotions of animal nature in ourselves. Some have supposed that our Saviour, by the word just persons, meant to glance at the Pharisees, who trusted in themselves that they were righteous.

Luke 15:9. She calleth her friends, &c.— Her female friends, —τας φιλας . It might seem hardly worth while to ask the congratulation of her friends on so small an occasion as finding a drachma; (for that is the piece of coin here mentioned, in value not above nine-pence;) but it is represented as the tenth part of her little stock; and the impressible and social temper of the sex may perhaps be thought of, as adding some propriety to the representation.

Luke 15:11. A certain man had two sons:— Our Lord next delivered the parable of the lost or prodigal son, which of all his parables is perhaps the most delightful; not only as it enforces a doctrine full of inexpressible comfort, but because it abounds with the tender pardons, is finely painted with the most beautiful images, and is to the mind what a charming diversified landscape is to the eye.

Luke 15:12. And the younger of them, &c.— Our Lord with great propriety makes use of the youngest son as an example of a depraved mind, youth being naturally impotent in self-government, not only through natural depravity, but through want of experience; hurried away by the impetuosity of the passions; not only deaf, but even too often rude, to the interpositions of advice, and too frequently totally abandoned to the pleasures of sense. It had been usual, in commercial states, to assign some portion to children when of age; and as the proportion was generally settled by law, the propriety of this circumstance, and of the expression, Give me that portion which falls to me, will appear in a strong and beautiful light. It seems to me, that no significant sense can be put upon the last circumstance mentioned in this verse, as referring to the dispensations of God to his creatures: it is one of those ornamental circumstances, which are frequently found in parables, and which it would be frivolous to endeavour to accommodate too scrupulously to the general design.

Luke 15:13. With riotous living.— The phrase Ζων ασωτως implies, that he lived in every degree of luxury and sensuality. The account before us is short.—The interesting and affecting passages with which sucha transaction would necessarily be connected, are left to be supplied by the heart. The story is silent,—but nature is not. Much kind advice, and many a tender expostulation would fall from the father's lips, no doubt, upon this occasion. He would dissuade his son from the folly of so rash an enterprize, by shewing him the dangers of the journey, the inexperience of his age, the hazards that his life, his fortune, his virtue would run, without a guide, without a friend: he would tell him of the many snares and temptations which he had to avoid or encounter, at every step; the pleasures which would solicit him; the little knowledge he could gain, except that of evil: he would speak of the seductions of women, their charms, their poisons; what hapless indulgencies he might give wayto, when far from restraint, and the check of giving his father pain.—The dissuasion would but inflame his desire.—He gathers all together. I see the picture of his departure; the camels and asses laden with his substance, detached on one side of the piece, and already on their way,—the prodigal son standing on the fore-ground, with a forced sedateness, strugglingagainst the fluttering movement of joy upon his deliverance from restraint:—the elder brother holding his hand, as if unwilling to let it go:—the father,—sadmoment!withafirmlook covering a prophetic sentiment, that "all would not go well with his child,"—approaching to embrace him, and bid him adieu.—Poor inconsiderate youth! from whose arms art thou flying? From what a shelter art thou going forth into the storm? art thou weary of a father's affection, or a father's care? or hopest thou to find a warmer interest, or truer counsellor, or kinder friend, in a land of strangers,—where youth are made a prey, and so many thousands are confederated to deceive them, and live by their spoils?

Luke 15:15. He went and joined himself, &c.— So he put himself into the service of one of the inhabitants, who sent him to his farm to keep swine. Heylin. It is true, that among the ancient Greeks, the chief swine-herd was looked upon as an officer ofnoinconsiderablerank, as evidently appears from the figure which Eumaeus makes in the Odyssey;—but this was an age of greater refinement; the unhappy youth was obliged to tend the swine himself; and if considered as a Jew, the aversion of that nationtothisuncleananimalmust render the employment peculiarly odious to him: and probably this circumstance was chosen by our Lord, to represent him as reduced to the most mean and servile state, from a life of the greatest luxury and extravag

Luke 15:16. He would fain have filled his belly with the husks— The version of 1729 renders the word κερατιων, by Carruways, or the fruit of the Carub tree, which bore a mean, though sweetish kind of fruit, in long crooked pods, which by some is called St. John's bread. But if the account which Saubert (who is a great favourer of this interpretation) gives of this plant be true, swine would hardly have been fed with any thing but the husky part of this in a time of extreme famine: possibly these were the husks of a fruit, something of the wild chesnut kind. The last clause signifies For no man gave him meat, the word φαγειν, or εσθιειν, being understood; as is plain from hence, that the clause contains a reason for his desiringto fill his belly with the husks, and not for his abstaining from them. His abstaining from the husks was owing to their being the food of beasts, and not tohis wanting permission to eat them; for this debauched youth cannot be supposed to have possessed such a principle of honesty, that he would rather die with famine, than without his masters leave take so small a matter as a few husks, which the swine seem to have had in great plent

Luke 15:20. When he was yet a great way off,— But he keeping yet at a distance. When he came within sight of home, his nakedness, and the consciousness of his folly, made him ashamed togo in; he skulked about, therefore, keeping at a distance, till his father spied him, and shewed the most affecting paternal kindness towards him. But see on Luke 15:24.

Luke 15:22. Bring forth the best robe,— It is observed by Ferrarius, that the στολη, or long robe, was a garment which servants never wore; so that his father's ordering any such garment, and especially the best, to be brought, was declaring in the most moving manner that can be imagined, how far hewas from intending to treat him like a servant. His mentioning the shoes and the ring (which were worn not only as signs of freedom, but of dignity and honour) speaks the same language. See Genesis 41:42.James 2:2; James 2:2.

Luke 15:23. Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it;— And sacrifice it. Elsner.

Luke 15:24. This my son was dead, and is alive, &c.— It is by a very common and beautiful emblem, that vicious persons are represented as dead, both by sacred and prophane authors; (Compare 1 Timothy 5:6. Ephesians 2:1; Ephesians 5:14.) and the natural death of their children would certainly be less grievous to pious parents, than to see them abandoned to such a course as this young sinner took. Nothing so powerfully calls home the mind as distress; (see Luke 15:17.) the tense fibre then relaxes,—the soul retires into itself,—sits pensive, and susceptible, through grace, of right impressions: if we have a friend, it is then that we think of him; if a benefactor, at that moment all his kindnesses press upon our mind.—Gracious and bountiful God! is it not for this, through thy grace and blessing, that they who in their prosperity forget thee, do yet remember and return to thee in the hour of their sorrow? When our heart is in heaviness, upon whom can we think but thee?—who knowest our necessities afar off, puttest all our tears in thy bottle, seest every careful thought, hearest every sigh and melancholy groan that we utter?—Strange! that we should only begin to think of God with comfort, (if we do then,) when with joy and comfort we can think of nothing else.—Man is surely a compound of riddles and contradictions: by the law of his nature he avoids pain; and yet, unless he suffer in the flesh, he will not cease from sin, though it is sure to bring pain and misery upon his head for ever. Whilst all went pleasurablyon with the prodigal, we hear not one word concerning his father; no pang of remorse for the sufferings in which he had left him, or resolution of returning to make up the account of his folly: his first hour of distress, through the gracious Spirit of God, seemed to be his first hour of wisdom: When he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, whilst I perish! Of all the terrors of nature, that of dying by hunger surely is the greatest; and it is wisely woven into our frame, to awaken men to industry, and call forth their talents.—It had this effect, through Divine grace, with the prodigal: he arose, to go unto his father—Alas! how shall he tell his story?—ye who have had this round, tell me in what words he shall give in to his father the items of his extravagance and folly?—Yet leave the story, it will be told more concisely: when he was yet a great way off, (Luke 15:20.) his father saw him.—Compassion told it in few words:—he fell upon his neck, and kissed him.—The idea of a son so ruined as this was, and yet returning, would double the father's caresses; every effusion of his tenderness would add bitterness to his son's remorse.—"Gracious heaven! what a father have I rendered miserable!" Luke 15:21. And he said, I have sinned,—and am no more worthy to be called thy son.—But the father said,—Bring hither the best robe.—O ye affections! how fondly do you play at cross-purposes with each other?—It is the natural dialogue of true transport; joy is not methodical; and when an offender—beloved—seems, if it were possible, to overcharge himself in the offence, words are too cold, and a conciliated heart replies by tokens of esteem. And he said,—Bring forth the best robe, &c.—and let us eat, and be merry.—When the affections so kindly and graciously break loose, joy is another name for religion: we look up, as we taste it. The cold stoic without, may ask sullenly, (with the older brother, Luke 15:26; Luke 15:28.) "what it means?" and refuse to enter; but the pious and compassionate fly impetuously to the banquet, given for a son who was dead, and is alive again; who was lost and is found. Was it not for this, that God gave man music to strike upon the kindly passions? but we must never forget, that no distress or sorrow is effectual to the salvation of the soul, but that which brings us, in brokenness of heart and genuine contrition for our sins, to our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, by whose grace and merit alone salvation can be obtaine

Luke 15:28. Therefore came his father out,— This act of condescension gives a great heightening to the character of the father, and adds an inexpressible beauty and elegance to the parable; and when we consider it as referring to the love and condescension of our Almighty Father, it must certainly diffuse the highest consolation through our souls, if we have a real desire to be reconciled to him.

Luke 15:29. Lo, these many years do I serve thee, &c.— This is the young man's own testimony concerning his dutifulness: in which respect it fully represented the self-righteous Pharisees. It is his testimony also concerning the returns which his father had made to him for his services; nevertheless his behaviour on this occasion, as well as that of his father, seems to fix on him the lie in both particulars. Indeed, this branch of the parable is finely contrived to express the high opinion which the Pharisees (here represented by the elder brother) entertained of their own meri