Ceredo Advance

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

International Lesson for April 19, 1896—

The Lost Found—Luke 15:11-24.

[Arranged from Peloubet's Notes.]

Golden Text.—Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:10.

The Section includes the whole chapter, or three aspects of the same great truths. There is no parallel for this parable in the other Gospels; but many passages throw light on the different parts, as of the wandering: Adam from Paradise; the singcoms of Israel and Judah, as shown in the prophets; as on the fruit of sin: Psa. 107; Prov. 1:31, 32; 13:6, 15; Isa. 57:20, 21; Rom. 1:27; Solomon's experience in Ecclesiastes; and as on the welcome home; Isa. 1:18; 55:1-3; 56:7; Matt. 11:28; John 3:16; Rev. 22:17; Rom. 5:8; Ezek. 33:14,15.

Time.—December, A. D. 29, or early January, A. D. 30.

Place.—Somewhere in Perea.

LESSON NOTES.

This is the crown and pearl of parables. It is a world of wisdom and hope and love condensed into a few words. It is a vision of the heart of God. The three parables of this chapter should be studied together, as each one is completed by the others. The misunderstandings which might arise from the presentation of one view are corrected by the others. There is no one view of man's sin and loss, nor of God's love to sinful man, which can possibly present the truth on all sides and in all lights. These parables were a further unfolding of the truth that the Gospel was for all men. It prepared the way for the reception of the Gentiles, and enabled the disciples, when the time came, to see that the welcoming of the Gentiles was a part of the original plan of Jesus.

The first picture we have presented in the parable of the lesson is of the Father and home. The householder is our Heavenly Father, full of love for His children. The two sons represent different characters and classes among them. There is a sense in which only those who believe in Jesus and obey God are His children (Rom. 8:14-17; John 8:39, 42, 44); but in another view God is the Father of all men, though wandering, and defiled, and refusing to act as children, for He has created them in His own image, cares for them, and loves them as His own children; all owe Him honor, love and obedience.

It has been suggested that this parable with equal propriety might be called the parable of the Bereaved Father.

The second picture presented is of the wandering from this Father and His home. The request of the younger son is the expression of man's desire to be independent of God's control and restraints, and to do as he pleases. He is weary of seeing "thou shalt nots" over the gates of so many a temple of pleasure, and thinks he can be happier to yield to his unrestrained lusts and desires. So the younger son "took his journey into a far country," perhaps to Rome or Corinth, where were gathered every luxury and vice.

The third picture is of a wasted life. Some have applied this "riotous living" chiefly to wanton and dissipated sinners. It does apply to them, but it applies also to all sinners; for they do with spiritual things what riotous men do with earthly things. The worldly life is always a wasteful life. It wastes body and soul. It wastes life and health. Sinners waste their Bibles, their Sabbaths, the influences of the Spirit, their religious training, all their Heavenly inheritance, and get nothing but temporary pleasure in return.

The fourth picture of our lesson is of a famine. It was a famine of the soul. The pleasures of the younger son soon failed. His money was gone, his seeming friends left him, his conscience tortured him, his heart was empty, he had none of the good things he had sought.

In the depths! This is our fifth picture. We observe that in this far-off land the prodigal, with all his banquets and his lavishness, had not gained a single friend, so that it was imperative that he should have "joined himself (literally glued himself to, in effect a slave) to a citizen of that country," who sent him into his fields to feed swine. This was the most degrading work a Jew could do. The boasted freedom of sin becomes the most degrading slavery.

Then it was that he came to himself, as one awakening out of an evil dream, or one who has lost his reason, and has been wandering in strange hallucinations, becomes himself again, and sees things as they are. The sinner is like Jonah, sleeping in the storm, dreaming beautiful but unreal and evanescent dreams.

When he had come to himself the first step was to resolve to go to his father, the second step, to act. It needed resolution. Doubtless the battle of conflicting emotions—hope, vice, conscience, father and home against doubt whether he would be received; shame, conscious unworthiness, fear of the taunts of his companions—was very severe. The preposition "to" (came to his father, v. 20) should be rendered "toward." He did not come "to" his father; his father came out to him.

The picture we now have is of the welcome home. We should here note that the robe was that which was worn by Jews of rank; that the ring in the east is the symbol of rank, equivalent to armorial bearings in European countries; that shoes were worn only by freemen, never by slaves. The saved sinner is no hired servant. His service is a service of love. He becomes the son and heir of God.