SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:12
y el menor de ellos dijo a su padre: Padre, dame la parte de la hacienda que me pertenece; y les reparti su sustento.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 15:12
Verse 12. Give me the portion of goods] It may seem strange that such a demand should be made, and that the parent should have acceded to it, when he knew that it was to minister to his debauches that his profligate son made the demand here specified. But the matter will appear plain, when it is considered, that it has been an immemorial custom in the east for sons to demand and receive their portion of the inheritance during their father's lifetime; and the parent, however aware of the dissipated inclinations of the child, could not legally refuse to comply with the application. It appears indeed that the spirit of this law was to provide for the child in case of ill treatment by the father: yet the demand must first be acceded to, before the matter could be legally inquired into; and then, "if it was found that the father was irreproachable in his character, and had given no just cause for the son to separate from him, in that case, the civil magistrate fined the son in two hundred puns of cowries." See Code of Gentoo laws, pr. disc. p. 56; see also do. chap. ii sec. 9, p. 81, 82; xxi. sec. 10, p. 301.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. And the younger of them said to his father , etc.] God's chosen ones among the publicans and sinners, are fitly signified by the younger son, since man, as a sinner, is younger than man as righteous; and since there are instances of God's choice of the younger, before the elder, as Jacob before Esau, etc. and the characters and conduct of young men agree with God's elect, in a state of nature; who are imprudent and ignorant, without any knowledge of divine and spiritual things, and of themselves, their state and condition, and of Christ, and salvation by him; and yet are conceited of themselves, and fancy themselves very wise and knowing, and capable of acting for themselves, independent, and without any assistance or advice; do not care to be under restraints, withdraw from all yokes, and break all bands asunder; and so become children of disobedience, prone to every vice, and servants and slaves to every lust; by which they are deceived, and in which they take a great deal of imaginary pleasure; and are often envious and spiteful, and live in malice, hateful, and hating one another: the request made by this younger son, is to his Father; to God, who was his Father by creation, by providential care, and by national adoption, and by special grace; though as yet he knew it not, nor could he call him so in faith: many call God Father, who should not, and many that should, do not: the request follows; father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me : this portion may be considered, as internal or external; as internal, and such who think the Gentiles are meant by the younger son understand it of the light of nature, and of natural gifts and talents. The ancients generally interpret it, of man's free will: it may intend natural knowledge in general, to which there is in man a natural desire, and in which he is self-sufficient: or rather as external, such as the outward blessings of food, raiment, health, etc. the honours, pleasures, and riches of the world: the good things of this world belonged to men by right of creation, and according the laws and dues of it, but have been all forfeited by the sin of man; and yet this is a portion, which in the apprehension of men, of right belongs to them; and which suits their nature, which is carnal and worldly: and he divided unto them his living ; natural gifts, external privileges, and worldly good things; which of all men in the earth, the Jewish nation shared; (see <19B516> Psalm 115:16, 106:15).
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
και 2532 CONJ ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM νεωτερος 3501 A-NSM-C αυτων 846 P-GPM τω 3588 T-DSM πατρι 3962 N-DSM πατερ 3962 N-VSM δος 1325 5628 V-2AAM-2S μοι 3427 P-1DS το 3588 T-ASN επιβαλλον 1911 5723 V-PAP-ASN μερος 3313 N-ASN της 3588 T-GSF ουσιας 3776 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ διειλεν 1244 5627 V-2AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM τον 3588 T-ASM βιον 979 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. The portion. According to the Jewish law of inheritance, if there were but two sons, the elder would receive two portions, the younger the third of all movable property. A man might, during his lifetime, dispose of all his property by gift as he chose. If the share of younger children was to be diminished by gift or taken away, the disposition must be made by a person presumably near death. No one in good health could diminish, except by gift, the legal portion of a younger son. The younger son thus was entitled by law to his share, though he had not right to claim it during his father's lifetime. The request must be regarded as asking a favor (Edersheim).Unto them. Even to the elder, who did not ask it.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:12 {The portion} (to meros). 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 (#De 21:17) at the death of the father. The father did not have to abdicate in favor of the sons, but " this very human parable here depicts the impatience of home restraints and the optimistic ambition of youth" (Ragg). {And he divided} (ho de dieilen). The second aorist active indicative of diairew, an old and common verb to part in two, cut asunder, divide, but in the N.T. only here and #1Co 12:11. The elder son got his share also of the "substance" or property or estate (tes ousias), "the living" (ton bion) as in #Mr 12:44, not "life" as in #Lu 8:14.
