Lucas 15

1 Y se llegaban a él todos los publicanos y pecadores a oírle.

2 Y murmuraban los fariseos y los escribas, diciendo: Este a los pecadores recibe, y con ellos come.

3 Y él les refirió esta parábola, diciendo:

4 ¿Qué hombre de vosotros, teniendo cien ovejas, si perdiere una de ellas, no deja las noventa y nueve en el desierto, y va a la que se perdió, hasta que la halle?

5 Y hallada, la pone sobre sus hombros gozoso;

6 y viniendo a casa, junta a los amigos y a los vecinos, diciéndoles: Regocijad conmigo, porque he hallado mi oveja que se había perdido.

7 Os digo, que así habrá más gozo en el cielo de un pecador que se enmienda, que de noventa y nueve justos, que no tienen necesidad de enmendarse.

8 ¿O qué mujer que tiene diez dracmas, si perdiere una dracma, no enciende la lámpara, y barre la casa, y busca con diligencia hasta hallarla?

9 Y cuando la hubiere hallado, junta las amigas y las vecinas, diciendo: Regocijad conmigo, porque he hallado la dracma que había perdido.

10 Así os digo que hay gozo delante de los ángeles de Dios por un pecador que se enmienda.

11 Y dijo: Un hombre tenía dos hijos;

12 y el menor de ellos dijo a su padre: Padre, dame la parte de la hacienda que me pertenece; y les repartió su sustento.

13 Y no muchos días después, juntándolo todo el hijo menor, partió lejos a una provincia apartada; y allí desperdició su hacienda viviendo perdidamente.

14 Y cuando todo lo hubo malgastado, vino una gran hambre en aquella provincia, y le comenzó a faltar.

15 Y fue y se llegó a uno de los ciudadanos de aquella tierra, el cual le envió a su hacienda para que apacentase los puercos.

16 Y deseaba llenar su vientre de las algarrobas que comían los puercos; mas nadie se las daba.

17 Y volviendo en sí, dijo: ¡Cuántos jornaleros en casa de mi padre tienen abundancia de pan, y yo aquí perezco de hambre!

18 Me levantaré, e iré a mi padre, y le diré: Padre, he pecado contra el cielo y delante de ti;

19 ya no soy digno de ser llamado tu hijo; hazme como a uno de tus jornaleros.

20 Y levantándose, vino a su padre. Y como aún estuviese lejos, lo vio su padre, y fue movido a misericordia, y corrió, y se echó sobre su cuello, y le besó.

21 Y el hijo le dijo: Padre, he pecado contra el cielo, y delante de ti, y ya no soy digno de ser llamado tu hijo.

22 Mas el padre dijo a sus siervos: Sacad el principal vestido, y vestidle; y poned un anillo en su mano, y zapatos en sus pies.

23 Y traed el becerro grueso, y matadlo, y comamos, y hagamos banquete;

24 porque éste mi hijo muerto era, y ha revivido; se había perdido, y es hallado. Y comenzaron a hacer banquete.

25 Y su hijo mayor estaba en el campo; el cual cuando vino, y llegó cerca de casa, oyó la sinfonía y las danzas;

26 y llamando a uno de los criados, le preguntó qué era aquello.

27 Y él le dijo: Tu hermano ha venido; y tu padre ha matado el becerro grueso, por haberle recibido salvo.

28 Entonces se enojó, y no quería entrar. Salió por tanto su padre, y le rogaba que entrase .

29 Mas él respondiendo, dijo al padre: He aquí tantos años te sirvo, no habiendo traspasado jamás tu mandamiento, y nunca me has dado un cabrito para hacer banquete con mis amigos;

30 Mas cuando vino éste tu hijo, que ha consumido tu sustento con rameras, has matado para él el becerro grueso.

31 El entonces le dijo: Hijo, tú siempre estás conmigo, y todas mis cosas son tuyas.

32 mas era necesario hacer banquete y regocijarnos, porque éste tu hermano estaba muerto, y ha revivido; se había perdido, y es hallado.

Lucas 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Parables of the lost sheep, and the piece of silver. (1-10) The prodigal son, his wickedness and distress. (11-16) His repentance and pardon. (17-24) The elder brother offended. (25-32)

Verses 1-10 The parable of the lost sheep is very applicable to the great work of man's redemption. The lost sheep represents the sinner as departed from God, and exposed to certain ruin if not brought back to him, yet not desirous to return. Christ is earnest in bringing sinners home. In the parable of the lost piece of silver, that which is lost, is one piece, of small value compared with the rest. Yet the woman seeks diligently till she finds it. This represents the various means and methods God makes use of to bring lost souls home to himself, and the Saviour's joy on their return to him. How careful then should we be that our repentance is unto salvation!

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 fully 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 direct and to encourage them in repenting and returning to God. It is bad, and 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 first 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 distance from God. A sinful state is a spending state: wilful sinners misemploy their thoughts and the powers of their souls, mispend their time and all their opportunities. A sinful state is a wanting state. Sinners want necessaries for their souls; they have neither food nor raiment 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 no better than feeding swine. A sinful state is a state constant discontent. The wealth of the world and the pleasures of the senses 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 any 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 feed and nourish it. A sinful state is a state of death. A sinner is dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life. A sinful state is a lost state. Souls that are separated from God, if his mercy prevent not, will soon be lost for ever. The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Yet how few are sensible of their own state and character!

Verses 17-24 Having viewed the prodigal in his abject state of misery, we are next to consider his recovery from it. This begins by his coming to himself. That is a turning point in the sinner's conversion. The Lord opens his eyes, and convinces him of sin; then he views himself and every object, in a different light from what he did before. Thus the convinced sinner perceives that the meanest servant of God is happier than he is. To look unto God as a Father, and our Father, will be of great use in our repentance and return to him. The prodigal arose, nor stopped till he reached his home. Thus the repenting sinner resolutely quits the bondage of Satan and his lusts, and returns to God by prayer, notwithstanding fears and discouragements. The Lord meets him with unexpected tokens of his forgiving love. Again; the reception of the humbled sinner is like that of the prodigal. He is clothed in the robe of the Redeemer's righteousness, made partaker of the Spirit of adoption, prepared by peace of conscience and gospel grace to walk in the ways of holiness, and feasted with Divine consolations. Principles of grace and holiness are wrought in him, to do, as well as to will.

Verses 25-32 In the latter part of this parable we have the character of the Pharisees, though not of them alone. It sets forth the kindness of the Lord, and the proud manner in which his gracious kindness is often received. The Jews, in general, showed the same spirit towards the converted Gentiles; and numbers in every age object to the gospel and its preachers, on the same ground. What must that temper be, which stirs up a man to despise and abhor those for whom the Saviour shed his precious blood, who are objects of the Father's choice, and temples of the Holy Ghost! This springs from pride, self-preference, and ignorance of a man's own heart. The mercy and grace of our God in Christ, shine almost as bright in his tender and gentle bearing with peevish saints, as his receiving prodigal sinners upon their repentance. It is the unspeakable happiness of all the children of God, who keep close to their Father's house, that they are, and shall be ever with him. Happy will it be for those who thankfully accept Christ's invitation.