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here the same word as Paul in Romans, for the word translated "want" and "come short"
is the same (Rom. 3: 23).
And now external circumstances combine against him, adding degradation to
destitution; he descends lower, for he "joined himself" to a citizen of this far off country,
and what this implies can be discerned when we know that Luke employs the same word
here as he does in Acts 10: 28, where Peter refers to the fact that it was unlawful for a
man that is a Jew to "keep company" with one of another nation. The depths of
degradation however are reached when he was put to feed "swine" and would fain have
filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat. Destitute and degraded he now
realizes that he is in a desperate case, for in addition to all this misery come the added
words, "no man gave unto him".
The doctrinal lesson is of course that no man could be of any use to such as he, for "no
man can by any means redeem his brother". When however the prodigal "came to
himself" this failure of both self and man proved to be the foreseen opportunity for grace,
"and He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor;
therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him" (Isa. 59: 16). Coming to himself the
prodigal discovered that he was indeed, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked" (Rev. 3: 17). The home he had left, the blessings he had so lightly esteemed,
now appear in their true light. He thinks longingly of the comforts that even the hired
servants of his father are enjoying, while he was perishing, and so repentance begins.
While repentance is usually accompanied by sorrow and remorse, the word thus
translated here does not mean sorrow, but rather "to think again". The word is matanoia,
meta meaning "after" and noia being derived from nous "the mind". That "repentance"
is to be understood at this point a comparison with the other parables of the chapter will
reveal.
The Parables of
Luke 15:
A1 |
3-6. The parable of the "lost sheep".
B1
| 7. "One sinner that repenteth".
A2 |
8, 9. The parable of the "lost coin".
B2
| 10. "One sinner that repenteth".
A3 |
11-32. The parable of the "lost son".
B3
| 17, 18. "He came to himself", "I will arise".
With repentance the prodigal turns his back on destitution and degradation, he turns
his face to home, to a father's love, to rejoicing and restoration. Even so must Israel
emulate this prodigal before the restitution so long foretold can be enjoyed.