And he arose
This shows that his resolution to arise was not of nature, but of
grace, by its being put into execution; for it was made and
executed, not in his own strength, but in another's. He did not
confer with flesh and blood; nor listen to discouragements which
might present; as the distance of the way, the danger in it, the
cold reception, if not rejection, he might expect from his
father: but he arose immediately; he arose and stood upon his
feet, in obedience to the heavenly call, being assisted by divine
grace; he arose, and quitted the far country, the citizen, swine,
and husks, and denied both sinful and righteous self;
and came to his father;
his own father; "the father of himself", as in the Greek text,
who was so before he came to him; a sense of which he had, and
was what encouraged him the rather to go to him: and this coming
to him denotes a progression towards him; for as yet he was not
come to him, but was at some distance, as the next clause
expresses; and means not so much attendance on ordinances, as
some inward secret desires after God:
but when he was yet a great way off.
This is not to be understood of his state of alienation from God,
which is before signified by his being in a far country; but the
distance he observed, as conscious of his vileness, and
unworthiness; and the humility he expressed on a view of himself;
and a sense he had of his need of divine grace: and which is
grateful to God; he looks to such that are of an humble, and of a
contrite spirit, and dwells among them, and gives more grace to
them:
his father saw him;
he saw him when in the far country, spending his substance with
harlots, and in riotous living; he saw him when among the swine
and husks; he saw him when he came to himself, and all the
motions and determinations of his heart; he saw him in his
progress towards him, and looked upon him with an eye of love,
pity, and compassion, as it follows,
and had compassion:
God is full of compassion, and pities him, as a father does his
children; yea, as a woman's heart of compassion yearns after the
son of her womb: he had compassion on him, and his heart of pity
moved towards him, he being as one grieved in spirit for his
sins, and wounded with a sense of them, and wanting a view of
pardon, as starving and famishing, and as naked, and without
clothing.
And ran;
to him, which shows the quick notice God takes of the first
motions of his own grace in the hearts of sensible sinners; the
speedy relief he gives to distressed ones; and this points out
his preventing grace and goodness.
And fell on his neck;
expressive of the strength of his affection to him, ( Genesis
45:14 ) ( 46:29 ) (
Acts 20:37 )
and of his great condescension and grace to fall on that neck
which had been like an iron sinew, so stiff and rebellious;
though now, through divine grace, was made flexible and pliable,
and subject to him, and willing to bear the yoke, and to do
whatever he would have him; and this was grateful to his father:
and kissed him;
as a token of love; and as owning the relation he stood in to
him; as a sign of reconciliation and friendship; and was an
admission of him to great nearness to his person; and an
application and manifestation of great love indeed to him; and a
strong incentive of love in the son to him again; see ( 1 John 4:19 ) .