LESSON IV.—SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1900
11 "AND He said, A certain man had two sons; and the 12 younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of thy substance that falleth to me. And he divided 13 unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous 14 living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty 15 famine in that country; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; 16 and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have been filled with the husks that the swine did eat; 17 and no man gave unto him. But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread 18 enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I 19 have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight; I am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired 20 servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight; I am no more worthy to be called 22 thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his 23 hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf, and kill 24 it, and let us eat, and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." Golden Text: "I will arise and go to my father." Luke 15:18. (1) Who are brought to view in verse 11? (2) What demand did the younger of the two sons make of his father? What did the father do? V. 12. Note 1. (3) What did the younger son soon do? Where did he go? What became of the portion which his father had given to him? V. 13. (4) When he had spent all, what occurred in that land? What was the condition of the young man? V. 14. Note 2. (5) In his dire need, what did he do? What work was he given to do? V. 15. (6) What was the extent of his hunger? Did any one come to him to relieve his distress? V. 16. Note 3. (7) What effect did his condition finally have upon him? What did he begin to say to himself? V. 17. (8) What did he finally declare he would do? What would he say to his father? V. 18. (9) What does he say of his own unworthiness? What was he willing to become in his father's household? V. 19. (10) After making this resolution, what did he do? Who recognized him first? Where was he when his father saw him? How did his father feel toward his erring son? What did he do? V. 20. Note 4. (11) Repeat the humble confession of the erring son. V. 21. (12) But what did the father tell the servants to do? V. 22. (13) What other directions did the father give concerning his son's reception? V. 23. (14) What did the father give as a reason for thus doing? What did the members of the household then begin to do? V. 24. Note 5. 1. He divided unto them his living.—That is, he gave to each the portion that belonged to him. The older son, according to Jewish law, inherited a double portion. The younger would thus, at his father's death, inherit one-third of the property; but he desired his father to anticipate the future and give him his portion then. The householder is our heavenly Father, full of love for His children. The younger son represents the publicans and sinners, the receiving of whom called forth the criticism of the Pharisees, represented by the elder brother. All penitent and returning sinners are the younger son. This parable teaches that the publicans and sinners were brethren of the scribes and Pharisees, and should have been treated as such. 2. When he had spent all.—When his money was gone, his riotous companions had no further use for him; his conscience tortured him; his heart was empty. The world is a terrible desert for the man who has spent all in its service. When we have thrown our whole life and energies into the pleasures of the world, then comes a famine of soul, and the wise man and the wise woman will say as did the prodigal son, "I will arise and go to my Father." To go on in sin is starvation of soul; to return to Father's house means the satisfying of the soul with the bread of life. 3. The husks that the swine did eat.—"These husks15are the pods and seeds of the locust or carob tree, a common evergreen tree bearing an abundant crop of fruit,—long, curved pods, which are used for feeding cattle. They are capable of sustaining human life, like the acorns of the oak, eaten by our Saxon ancestors in times of scarcity. Latin classical authors speak of the locust bean as the food of the most miserable of the people in the last extremity." —Sunday School Times. 4. His father saw him.—When still the son was a great way off, his father saw him. God sees the repentant sinner when he is still a great way off, and recognizes his repentance. When the prodigal turns with real heart yearning after God, real repentance for sin, God meets him with forgiveness, and puts upon him the robe of Christ's righteousness; the ring, showing his acceptance before God; the shoes, showing that he is a member of God's family. In the East, the giving of a ring conferred power, authority. It was worn by men of position or property. It was a sign that the son was re-enstated as a member of the household. Compare Pharaoh's gift of a ring to Joseph. Gen. 41:42, 43. 5. They began to be merry.—"The feast indicates the joy of a forgiving God over a forgiven man, and the joy of a forgiven man in a forgiving God." "The feast sets forth the gladness which reigns in heaven over a single returning penitent." "The angels in heaven forget its glories to sing their songs of welcome over a single sinner that repenteth." "This world can never be wholly dark again to any sinner. There are kisses of peace, feasts of plenty, robes of honor, and infinite love that runs to bring them."