The parable of]

CHAP. XV.

2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hun dred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy

[the lost Sheep.

shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (H)

11 ¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons:

with all, if necessary, to complete the structure. Or, let no man engage in the Christian warfare, unless he secures on his side that power which alone is equal to the victory. It were better even to give up the contest, and compromise with the enemy, than to carry on the warfare without any just hope of succeeding.

What is said in the close of this chapter with respect to salt which has lost its savour, has been already explained on Matt. v. 13. All that is here necessary is to show its connexion with the context, which we understand thus :-If we engage in Christ's service it must be with all our hearts, or it avails nothing. A heartless, wavering, undecided profession, is as insipid as salt which has lost its savour, and which is neither fit for the land, nor for the dung heap, but only to be thrown away as utterly useless and good for nothing.

CHAP. XV.

(H) Ver. 1—10. The parables of the lost sheep and of the piece of silver.Whether our Lord supped with any company, which the Pharisees were pleased to denominate sinners (probably meaning Gentiles), on the evening after he had dined with the wealthy Pharisee; or whether it was on some other occasion, we know not, nor is it material to enquire. We know that the Pharisees seldom thought any one fit to associate with, but their own party; and we know also that our Lord preferred penitent publicans, sinners, and harlots, before self-righteous hypocrites. Moreover, he frequently inculcates upon them this obvious and important truth, that he was sent-not to call the righteous, as they professed to be, but sinners to repentance; for (as he also told them) "the whole need not a physician, but those only that are

CHAP. XV. Ver. 4. Leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness-or desert. It is certain that in many parts, commonly called desert, in Judea, and even Arabia, there are spots of very fertile pasture, which, as they are not private property, answer to our com, to which any who please may lead their Blocks. Comp. Matt. xviii. 12, and Note.

Ver.7. Just persons, which need no repentance. As there is "not a man upon earth that sinneth not," Eccles. vii. 20, so there can be none who, strictly speaking, "need no repentance:" but as our Lord is arguing with the Jews upon their own principles, be may fairly be supposed to allude to those "who

younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him,

[the prodigal Son.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

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

26 And he called one of the ser vants, 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.

diseased:" it would therefore be throwing away both time and labour to attempt the conversion of persons so good and holy as they considered themselves to be-"Stand by, for I am holier than thou!"

But to attend to the parables before us. A sheep-owner having a flock of a bundred sheep feeding in the pastures of the desert, and missing one only, flies to seek it in the adjoining mountain, and, having found it, naturally testifies more joy in that than in all the flock which had not strayed. So a woman, having ten pieces of silver, and losing one, seeks it with unwearied diligence, and having found it, calls together her female friends and neighbours to rejoice with her; not, surely,

over what she had not lost, but over what it had cost her so much trouble and anxiety to recover. So there is joy in heaven, not over spotless angels that never sinned, but over sinners of the human race brought back to God. This joy is said to be in heaven, in the presence of the angels; but what share the angels take in it is not distinctly stated. In the first place, God himself is represented as rejoicing with sing ing over his redeemed ones (Zeph, iii 17); and when God is pleased to communicate to his celestial hosts, whether saints or angels, that in which he takes delight, there can be no doubt but they must rejoice also, and tune their barps and voices to songs of gratitude and praise.

of which he was considered as the heir of all at his father's death. See ver. 31.

Ver. 15. To feed swine.-This, to a Jew, must be a most degrading and mortifying employment.

Ver. 16. With the husks.-It may be recollected that this was in a time of scarcity.

Ver. 19. Thy hired servants.—We should lay the accent on the pronoun thy; he had been a hired servant in a strange land; he now begs only to fill the like capacity in his father's house.

Ver. 22, 23. Bring forth the best robe.-There is

no need to allegorize these circumstances particu larly. The penitent prodigal came home naked, and was clothed; hungry, and was fed ; and in both case bountifully. He was clothed in the best robe in b father's wardrobe, and fed with the fatted cal These preparations show that he was to be received not as a servant, but a son.

Ver. 24. And they began to be merry-namely with music and dancing, both which were doubtles hired, dancers being professionally employed on thes occasions, as mourners were at funerals.

(1) Ver. 11-32. The parable of the Prodigal Son.-Among the Hindoos it is not only customary, as Mr. Halhed (in his Code of Gentoo Laws) informs us, for a father to divide his inheritance among his children in his life time, but the sons can, if they unite, insist on it. How far such a custom might be known among the Jews we are unable to ascertain; but as our Lord's parables are always in harmony with the laws and customs of the times, we have no doubt but something of the kind, at least occasionally, obtained.

As to the interpretation, that this parable may have a primary reference to the Jews and Gentiles, we shall not dispute; the former boasting themselves of having adbered to the worship of the one true God, and the latter having ran into all the sins and follies of promiscuous and multifarious idolatry, until at last they were reduced to the extreme of moral poverty and wretchedness. We must confess, however, that we consider the design of our Lord as more general, and much in harmony with that of the two short parables preceding, namely, to show the readiness with which the Almighty receives all true penitents on their returning to him.}

"The interesting parable before us (says Mr. Ward, late Missionary at Serampore this interesting parable) relates the history of a profligate youth brought to repent ance. After obtaining his fortune, he wanders from home, and wastes it in riotous living. Thus do men abuse divine mercies, and devote their time, their strength, their faculties, to the service of the great destroyer. Reduced to want, the prodigal is driven to extremity. And thus God frequently afflicts men in order to humble them, and bring them to themselves; that is, to know their state, and the ruin that must follow-I perish with hunger! Sinking almost into despair, the prodigal bethinks himself of his father's house, and

of the happiness of those who are even servants there. When the sinner is thus awakened, he is drawn by the Divine Spirit to look toward an injured and forsaken, though merciful God; and he resolves to try the divine goodness-I will arise, and go to my Father. He not only resolves, but acts up to his resolution. When the returning prodigal was seen yet a great way off, but in the act of returning, the father's bowels yearn over him, and he runs to meet him, and falls on his neck, and kisses him. How is the tender mercy of God here set forth! What encouragement to return, notwithstanding all that a guilty conscience and unbelief may suggest! The sinner brings with him a broken heart, a sense of his errors and of his unworthiness; and the father buries all in immediate, in everlasting oblivion. He puts on him the garment of salvation, the robe of righteousness, and all heaven rings with joy. A soul is rescued from ruin, made capable of happiness, and the divine mercy is eminently glorified." (Reflections, &c. p. 77.)

We must not, however, leave this parable without noticing the conduct of the elder brother, in which we find a lively description of the proud and self-righteous Pharisees. At the time of the prodigal's return, his brother appears to have been at his agricultural labours in the field; and the first intimation he receives of it is by the sound of music and of dancing; but, had it been the music of angels, it would have afforded no pleasure to him when he came to find the cause. The first thing which here strikes us is, the different style in which these brothers address their common parent." Father (says the penitent), I have sinned against heaven and before thee." He becomes now sensible that he had not only offended his earthly father, but his heavenly; and the penitence of a prodigal can never be depended on till he becomes sensible of his sin against God,

Ver. 29. A kid-appears to have been considered as a delicacy, perhaps equal to a lamb. See Levit. 7.6.

Ver. 32. Was dead and is alive again,-A lise of

sin, is a spiritual death; the conversion of a sinner is of course a renewed life, or, in figurative terms, "life from the dead." Compare 1 Tim. v. 6, with Rom, xi. 15.

AND he said also unto his disciples,

There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I am resolved what to do, that,

[steward. when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and

write fourscore.

8 And the lord commended the un

as well as his deficiency of filial duty. As to the father, he is represented as every way amiable and respectable, but he is unhappy in his children. The one profligate, the other proud and haughty; but both disobedient. "This thy son!" said the elder, as disowning him for a brother, however the father might own him as a son. And then he complains that his father, while he had made this rejoicing for his younger son, had shown no testimony of regard for what he was pleased to consider his own meritorious services. This was exactly the case with Scribes and Pharisees. "This man (said they) receiveth sinners, and eateth with them;" but, as for us, he never sits down with us but to reprove us.

The tenderness of the father is no less

conspicuous toward the elder than the younger son. He does not say, as he might have done, I have a right to do as I will with my own,' or threaten to disinherit the angry murmurer; but he attempts to conciliate him by gentle reasoning, as if he had said, Consider, son, it was meet that we should rejoice, for thy lost brother (whom, probably, he had lamented with much hypocrisy) is now found; and he whom we had considered as long since dead-behold, he is now alive! Besides, what is it to bestow a calf or a garment on such an occasion? Thou art always with me, and if thou dost not forfeit it by thy rebellion, remember thou art the eldest son, and all that I have is thine.'

CHAP. XVI. Ver. 2. No longer steward.-He appears, however, to have had time given him to wind up his accounts, which was employed in the artifice here related.

Ver. 3. I cannot dig-that is, I cannot work as a labourer, in the cultivation of the soil; the term not being confined to the use of the spade. The expression was proverbial among the Greeks, and per haps the Jews.

Ver. 6. An hundred measures of oil. — The Gr. Batus answers to the Heb. Baths, or ephas, explained by our translators to contain 9 galls, 3 qts. each; but by Bp. Cumberland (whom we follow), little more than 7 galions.

Ver. 7. An hundred measures of wheat.-This is dry measure, answering to the cor, or chomer of the Jews, which in our margin is valued at 14 bushels and a pottle; or, according to more modern authorities, little more than eight bushels, Winchester measure. Doddr. supposes the measures of oil and wheat to be of nearly equal value.

Ver. 8. Because he had done wisely - Doddridge, "Prudently;" Camp. "Commended the prudence of the unjust steward:" see his note. Abp. Newcome says, "He commended the prudence of the expedient; though he could not but condemn its dishonesty."

Ibid. Wiser than the children of light-Camp, "More prudent."

"Your

A trick of villany very similar to the above is related in Capt. Hadley's Hindostanee Dialogues (p. 79). One addressing the Capt. says, Sirkar's deputy, whilst his master was gone to Calcutta, established a Court of Justice. Having searched for a good many debtors and creditors, he learned the amounts of their bonds. He then made an agreement with them to get the bonds out of the bondsmen's hands for half the debt, if they would give him one fourth. Thus every debtor for a 100 rupees, having given 50 to the creditor, and 25 to this knave, got his bond for 75 rupees. Having seized and flogged 125 bondmen, be has in this mauner determined their loans, and has done this business in your name."

Ver. 9. Mammon of unrighteousness. Mammon is a Syriac word for riches. See Note on Matt. vi. 24. The mammon of unrighteousness," is a Hebraism for unrighteous maminon, or unjust riches, which some explain of ill-gotten wealth (as this was); and others of wealth itself, as being deceitful, or unjust to its possessors. Compare ver. 11, where it is

contrasted with the true riches.

Ibid. That when ye fail-that is, at death, when all are required to give up their stewardship.-Everlasting habitations-Gr.tents," or "tabernacles;" a term used in contrast with the tabernacles on

earth, which are described as temporary and perishing. Comp. Heb. xi. 9.

[of being faithful.

who shall give you that which is your own? (K)

[Omit, and pass to Ver. 19.]

13 No servant can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God

and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees things: and they derided him. also, who were covetous, heard all these 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is

highly esteemed among men is abomina

tion in the sight of God. 16 The Law and the Prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth

(K) Ver. 1-12. The parable of the unjust steward.-This chapter is quite detached from the preceding, and we know nothing of the occasion of this parable being delivered. It gives us an insight, however, into the character of oriental stewards, by no means to their advantage. This man had been accused of neglect, and wasting of his master's property; but it appears he was also unfaithful and dishonest. He therefore forms a combination with his master's tradesmen to defraud him, and secure his own interest. The bills here alluded to were evidently not analogous to our bills of parcels, but rather bonds, or promissory notes, which this unfaithful steward having under his care, allowed his master's debtors to exchange for others of only half the value, on condition (understood at least) that they should afford him an asylum when he became destitute.

This parable has been particularly objected to by infidel writers, as countenaucing the villany of the unjust steward, because he is commended by our Lord; but this is a gross mistake. It is not our Lord, but the lord or master of the servant, who expresses his commendation; not, we may be sure, of the villany, but of the policy and prudence of the villain. In the next verse, indeed, Jesus improves

the incident by setting before his disciples an example, in this respect only, worthy of their imitation, and exhorting them to make a similar provision for another and better world, by so improving their earthly riches as to lay up treasures in that world whither they are going. (See Matt. vi. 19, 20.)

Yet

It is perfectly true, as Dr. Doddridge remarks, that "nothing can be more contrary to the genius of the Christian religion, than to imagine that our Lord would exhort men to lay out their ill-gotten goods in works of charity, when justice required that they should make restitution." there are many cases, in which ill-gotten wealth cannot be returned to the persons from whom it has been obtained, as in the case of trade, legacies, and hereditary possessions: but how noble would it be, for instance, in those who inherit a large property derived from negro slavery, or negro cultivation, to devote some considerable portion of it to promote the civilization and conversion of the negroes. The eloquent Saurin, adverting to this text in bis Sermon on Alms-giving, says, "I recollect an epitaph said to be engraven on the tomb of Atolus of Rheims, He exported his fortune before him into heaven by his charities he is gone thither to enjoy it.' Happy he who has a right to such an epitapli!”

Ver. 13-18.-No servant can serve, &c.-These verses contain independent maxims, extracted from our Lord's sermon on the Mount, and other discourses, as below marked. This verse (13) agrees almost literally with Matt. vi. 24.

Ver. 16. The Law and the Prophets, &c.-Comp. Matt. xi. 12, 13.

Ver. 17. It is easier, &c.—See Matt. v. 18. Ver. 18. Whosoever putteth away his wife-Matt, v. 32; xix. 9.