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18-[Against heaven and thee, &c.] This is a confession of sin against God and man. It is one of the places in Scripture where "heaven," the place where God dwells, is used for God Himself. See Daniel iv. 26; and Matt. xxi. 25.

20.-[He arose and went.] The remark is sometimes made that the prodigal son's boldness in returning to his father's house, arose from the fact that, fallen as he was, he was yet "a son." An argument has been extracted from this circumstance in defence of baptismal regeneration. Alford remarks, "he nowhere gives up his sonship," and then gives the following quotation from Trench, "What is it that gives the sinner now a sure ground of confidence, that, returning to God, he shall not be repelled, nor cast out?-The adoption of sonship which he renewed in Christ Jesus at his baptism, and his faith that the gifts and calling of God are without recall."

I believe the above argument to be erroneous. I cannot admit that the parable before us gives any aid to the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Parabolic expressions must never be strained into proof of doctrines. Those who see baptismal regeneration in the prodigal son's expression, "Father, I have sinned," and tell us to remark that, bad as he was, the young man did not forget his sonship, would do well to remember a twice-repeated expression in the parable. Twice over we are told that before the younger son came back he was "dead." Now to be dead is to be without life, and to be without life is to need being "born again." This is precisely what the younger son went through,-he was dead, but he "lived again." If those who hold baptismal regeneration will only concede that all unconverted sinners, whether baptized or unbaptized, are "dead," we ask no more. But will they do this?

The plain truth is, that parables are not those portions of Scripture to which we must turn for accurately-defined statements of doctrine. To find baptismal regeneration in this parable, is to turn entirely away from our Lord's intention in speaking it.

[A great way off...ran...kissed.] These three expressions are deeply touching. They bring out in strong relief the difficulty with which a sinner turns to Christ, and the readiness and willingness of Christ to receive him.

21.-[To be called thy son.] Let it be noted that the prodigal does not finish the sentence which he had intended to address to his father. The meaning of the omission probably is, that our Lord desired to impress on us the father's readiness to receive him. He did not allow him to finish his words, but interrupted him by expressions of kindness.

22.-[The father said.] Let it be noted that the father does not

say a single word to his son about his profligacy and wickedness. There is neither rebuke nor reproof for the past, nor galling admonitions for the present, nor irritating advice for the future. The one idea that is represented as filling his mind, is joy that his son has come home. This is a striking fact.

[The best robe. Some try to prove that this means that first old robe which the younger son used to wear, before he left his father's house. This is the view of Theophylact and Calovius. The idea is untenable. Our translators have given the true

sense.

A ring.] This was a mark of honour, and confidence, and distinction. See Gen. xli. 42: Ex. iii. 10; James ii. 2.

[Shoes on his feet.] This probably indicated that he was to be regarded not as a servant, as he had thought once he might be, but as a free man and a son. Prisoners and slaves were evidently barefooted. (Isa. xx. 4.)

23. [The fatted calf.] This expression means literally, "the calf —that fatted one," one kept for a special occasion, a sacrifice or a feast.

Stella, the Spanish Commentator, seems to have been much annoyed by allegorical Commentators, in his day. He says on this expression, with much quaint bluntness, "If you ask me what the fatted calf means, I reply that it means a calf, and nothing but a calf."

24.-[Was dead and is alive again.] Let this expression be carefully noted. Though part of a parable, it is worthy of remark as our Lord's language in describing the life of the prodigal son before his repentance, and the change when he repented. The one state was death. The other was life.

[They began to be merry.] The strong contrast between this expression and the one at the end of the 14th verse ought not to be overlooked. Unconverted, man begins to be "in want." Converted, he begins to be "happy."

In leaving this part of the parable, I feel it right to say, that I fully admit that it may be taken in a national sense, and that in that sense it makes excellent divinity. The Gentile nations who departed from God after the flood, and reaped darkness, misery, and hard bondage under Satan, by their departure, may undoubtedly be typified by the younger son.

Their repentance and return to God, through the preaching of the Gospel after our Lord's ascension, may be typified by the prodigal son's return to his father's house. The envy with which the believing Gentiles were regarded by the Jews, may be typified by the conduct of the elder son. The parable would then, as is often the case, be a prophecy.

The words of our Lord are often so deep that they will admit of a double meaning. So it may be here. The parable may be interpreted both of nations and of individuals. All I maintain is, that the individual personal interpretation of it is decidedly the primary one which it ought to receive.

LUKE XV. 25–32.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I

serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

THESE verses form the conclusion of the parable of the prodigal son. They are far less well known than the verses which go before them. But they were spoken by the same lips which described the younger son's return to his father's house. Like every thing which those lips spoke, they will be found deeply profitable.

We are taught, firstly, in this passage, how unkind and ill-natured are the feelings of self-righteous men towards

sinners.

son.

This is a lesson which our Lord conveys to us by describing the conduct of the "elder brother" of the prodigal He shows him to us "angry" and finding fault because of the rejoicings over his brother's return. shows him complaining that his father treated the returning prodigal too well, and that he himself had not been

He

treated so well as his merits deserved.

He shows him utterly unable to share in the joy which prevailed when his younger brother came home, and giving way to illnatured and envious thoughts. It is a painful picture, but a very instructive one.

For one thing, this elder brother is an exact picture of the Jews of our Lord's times. They could not bear the idea of their Gentile younger brother being made partaker of their privileges. They would fain have excluded him from God's favour. They steadily refused to see that the Gentiles were to be fellow-heirs and partakers of Christ with themselves. In all this they were precisely acting the part of the "elder brother.”

For another thing, the elder brother is an exact type of the Scribes and Pharisees of our Lord's times. They objected that our Lord received sinners and ate with them. They murmured because He opened the door of salvation to publicans and harlots. They would have been better pleased if our Lord had confined His ministry to them and their party, and had left the ignorant and sinful entirely alone. Our Lord saw this state of things clearly; and never did He paint it with such graphic power as in the picture of the "elder brother."

Last, but not least, the elder brother is an exact type of a large class in the Church of Christ in the present day. There are thousands on every side who dislike a free, full, unfettered gospel to be preached. They are always complaining that ministers throw the door too wide open, and that the doctrine of grace tends to promote licentiousness. Whenever we come across such persons, let us remember the passage we are now con

sidering. Their voice is the voice of the "elder brother."

Let us beware of this spirit infecting our own hearts. It arises partly from ignorance. Men begin by not seeing their own sinfulness and unworthiness, and then they fancy that they are much better than others, and that nobody is worthy to be put by their side. It arises partly from want of charity. Men are wanting in kind feeling. towards others, and then they are unable to take pleasure when others are saved.-Above all, it arises from a thorough misunderstanding of the true nature of gospel forgiveness. The man who really feels that we all stand by grace and are all debtors, and that the best of us has nothing to boast of, and has nothing which he has not received,—such a man will not be found talking like the "elder brother."

We are taught, secondly, in this passage, that the conversion of any soul- ought to be an occasion of joy to all who see it. Our Lord shows us this by putting the following words into the mouth of the prodigal's father :"It was meet that we should make merry and be glad ; for this thy brother was dead and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."

The lesson of these words was primarily meant for the Scribes and Pharisees. If their hearts had been in a right state, they would never have murmured at our Lord for receiving sinners. They would have remembered that the worst of publicans and sinners were their own brethren, and that if they themselves were different, it was grace alone that had made the difference. They would have been glad to see such helpless wanderers returning to the

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