SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:11
¶ Y dijo: Un hombre tenía dos hijos;
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And he said , etc.] The Syriac and Persic versions read and Jesus said again; he added another parable to the two former, at the same time, of the same import, with the same view, and on the same occasion; setting forth the different characters of the Scribes and Pharisees, and of the publicans and sinners; and what little reason the one had to murmur, at his conversation with the other: a certain man had two sons ; by the certain man is meant, God the Father: God indeed is not a man, nor is he to be represented by any human image; but inasmuch as man is the image of God, God is sometimes compared to man, and is called a man of war, an husbandman, etc. which no ways contradict his being a spirit; and true it is, that the second person only assumed human nature; and therefore, whenever a divine person is spoken of as man, Christ is commonly intended: but though the Father never appeared in an human form, yet he seems here to be designed; because the character of a Father, and having sons, more properly belong to him; and the reception of sinners, and the forgiveness of them for Christ's sake, agree with him: and besides, Christ is distinguished from the Father in this parable; and he and his blessings of grace, are signified by other things: by the two sons are meant, not angels and men, as that angels are the elder, and men the younger son; for though angels are called the sons of God, and may be said to be elder than men, with respect to creation; and good angels may be said to have been ever with God, and always serving him, and never sinned against him; yet they are never called the brethren of men, nor men their brethren; and besides, are never angry at the return and reception of repenting sinners; for this would be to represent them just the reverse of what they are said to be, in the preceding verse: nor are the Jews and Gentiles here intended, which is the more received and general sense of the parable: those who go this way, suppose the Jews to be the elder brother; and indeed they were so, with respect to external privileges; and were with God, being his household and family; all he had were theirs, that was external; and the character of the elder brother throughout the parable, agrees with the far greater part of that nation; and it is certain, that they did resent the calling of the Gentiles: and these suppose the Gentiles to be the younger brother, who indeed were brought into a church state, later than the Jews; and might be said to be afar off in a far country, and to have spent their substance in idolatry and wickedness; to have been in the utmost distress, and in the most deplorable condition: but to this sense it may be objected, that the Gospel was not as yet preached to the Gentiles; nor were they brought to repentance; nor were they openly received into the divine favour; nor as yet had the Jews murmured at, and resented the kindness of God to them: rather standing and fallen professors may be designed: since the former are very apt to carry it toward the latter, in like manner as the elder brother is represented in this parable, as carrying himself towards the younger: but the true sense, and which the context and occasion of the parable at once determine, is, that by the elder son are meant, the Scribes and Pharisees, and selfrighteous persons, among the Jews; and by the younger, the publicans and sinners among the same people; as it is easy to observe, the same are meant by the two sons in the parable in ( Matthew 21:28-32). Now these are called the sons of God because the Jews in general were so by national adoption; and the self-righteous Pharisees looked upon themselves as the children of God, and favourites of heaven, in a special sense; and God's elect among them, even those that lay among publicans and sinners, were truly so; and that before conversion; for they were not only predestinated to the adoption of children, but were really taken into the relation of children, in the covenant of grace; and as such were given to Christ, and considered by him, when he assumed their nature, and died for them; and are so antecedent to the spirit of adoption, who is sent to witness their sonship to them; and which is consistent with their being children of wrath, as the descendants of Adam, and their being the children of God openly and manifestatively, by faith in Christ Jesus.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-16 - The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and the Lord's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to him. It full sets forth the riches of gospel grace; and it has been, and will be while the world stands, of unspeakable use to poor sinners, to direc and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, an the beginning of worse, when men look upon God's gifts as debts due to them. The great folly of sinners, and that which ruins them, is, being content in their life-time to receive their good things. Our firs parents ruined themselves and all their race, by a foolish ambition to be independent, and this is at the bottom of sinners' persisting in their sin. We may all discern some features of our own characters in that of the prodigal son. A sinful state is of departure and distanc from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners misemplo their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time an all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinner want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raimen for them, nor any provision for hereafter. A sinful state is a vile slavish state. The business of the devil's servants is to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, and that is n better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constan discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the sense will not even satisfy our bodies; but what are they to precious souls A sinful state is a state which cannot look for relief from an creature. In vain do we cry to the world and to the flesh; they have that which will poison a soul, but have nothing to give which will fee and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead i trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy preven not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, onl faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few ar sensible of their own state and character!
Greek Textus Receptus
ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S δε 1161 CONJ ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM τις 5100 X-NSM ειχεν 2192 5707 V-IAI-3S δυο 1417 A-NUI υιους 5207 N-APM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:11 {Had} (eicen). Imperfect active. Note ecwn (verse #4), ecousa (verse #8), and now eicen. The self-sacrificing care is that of the owner in each case. Here (verses #11-32) we have the most famous of all the parables of Jesus, the Prodigal Son, which is in Luke alone. We have had the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and now the Lost Son. Bruce notes that in the moral sphere there must be self-recovery to give ethical value to the rescue of the son who wandered away. That comes out beautifully in this allegory.
