The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-24

indicated abovc.l
SUBJECT: THE PARABLE OBJ THE PRoDIGAL
Son.
1. Dat
We have only one account of this parable to
wit, st. Luke, Is: 11-24. flor no other reason,
We might rejoice that st. Luke wrote his
Gospel in order to give us this beautiful par
able. The author wrote in A. ID. 81, at Achaia,
Greece
Says Canon Farrar: Never certainly in
human language was so much-such world of
love and wisdom and tenderness-compressed
into such few immortal words. Every line,
every touch of the picture is full of beautiful,
eternal significance. Put in the one
scale all that Confucius, or Sakya Mount, or
Zor0aster, or Socrates ever wrote or said-and
they wrote and said many beautiful and holy
words-and put in the other the parable of tho
prodigal son alone with all that this single
parable means, and can any candid spirit doubt
which scale would outweigh the other in
eternal preciousness, in divine adoption to the
wants of MANI"
Rev. DIR. Marvin r. Vincent says, in one OF
his sermons on this parallels " If / had to lose
all the Bible but one portion, and could choose
my portion, think it would be this parable.
The whole Gospel is in it," French calls it
the pearl and crown Of all the parallels Of
Scripture"
Rev. DIR. W. w. BattershalI SAYS: "Of all
that marvellous gallery of symbolic pictures,
by which our blessed Lord illustrated the
conrse Of Christian life and trial, IL il the most
familiar az we'll as the most significant.
Someone has said Of this parable that it 10
"a Gospel within a Gospel"
DIR. Talmage declares, when I want to lay
my hand on good text, turn TO the parallels.
There are so good ones in this single parable of
the prodigai SON."
Ralph Wells ask ed poor woman two ques-
tons as 30 the Bible: First, which left on her
mind the most forceful impression and, sec
ondly, from which she derived the greatest
profit. She answered: "That which does all
men good-the story OF the prodigal son. 1t is
so pleasant and so plain. There stands the
his son. 1t Is wonderful, this love of Christ
for the sinner"
2. Time, Place, Speaker, Hearers, Circumstances.
These all agree with the same in the parable
of the Lost Sheep as set forth last week, and
should be carefully reread.
3. The Parable.
This is ordinarily called the Parable Of tho
Prodigal Son. More properly il is the Parable
of the Restored Prodignl, or the Parable of the
Penitent Prodigal. IL is the prodigal repent
ent and on the way to reformation.
The parable is n part of Christ's reply to the
PhRrisees and Seribes who "murmured, sayi ing.
This man fChrist) rocciveth sinners and eateth
with them" tSt. Luke, I5:l.) That COM
plant originated the three parallels; those of
the Lost Sheep, the Lost Corn and the Lost
Son. BY association with Roman tax gat her.
ers tpublicansl and sinners theathen) Jesus did
violence to the principles which governed the
Jewish teachers Rabbis).
To set forth in full Christ's relation to lost
souls there was call for this third parable.
The sheep was lost and could not restore itself
10 the fold. IL was glad 10 be found. Tie
prodigal went of on purpose and did not want
10 DO found. Until he reached q certain point
OF experience the prodigal would not have
responded TO efforts of his father TO have him
return homo. The lost coin could not restore
itself to the wallet, and all anxiety was on the
side of the woman who lost il. 1t could not
respond 10 any sentiment; could not be uneasy
nor happy. IL was simply lost aud then found,
being unconscious Of any feeling. The parable
OF the prodigal gives place for the operation Of
the human will and affections The son was
lost consciously aud gultily seiflost. Feeling
was not all on one side, to wit. tho side of the
father. but was mutual respondent. Owner
ship Is conspicuous IN the parallels of the sheep
and coin, hut relationship is uppeFmOst In the
parable of tbs prodgal The image on the
coin was purely mechanical, but the prodigaI
son bore physical and mental likenesses to the
father. The son could be sensible of obliga-
u
restoration. Hence the parable of the prOdigai
was necessary addition to Christ's answer to
the Phariseos; giving as it does play 10
human reflection, action of will and affection,
participation in joy, etc.
4. The Three Stages Of the Parable.
i. The son at home. He was the younger
brother. lie became impatient of restraint
lilo wanted to see the world, 10 go abroad, to
take journey into far country. At home
he could not DO as free in expenditure of money
In association with fast youth in indulgence of
bad habits. He had some respect aud possibly
some fear OF his father. lie requested his por-
ton of the goods, the part which he could ex-
pect rs an heir. The law gave TO the oldest
son two parts of the fathers possessions, aud
tho younger one part, tho property being prac-
tically divided into two parts, two thirds to
the elder brother and one.third to the younger
tDeu., 2l: I'D Tho law did not provide for
division prior 10 the death of the father, nor
did the law forbid such apportionment We
might suppose tho younger son had some pre-
cedent, since the suggestion was made appar-
emily rs matter of course. Theophrastus.
whose docease occurred b. G. 28S, mentions
such an instance OF division of property by a
father. The act OF the son was perfectly DELHI
crate He remained ut home several DAYS arter
securing his portion, and could have changed
his mind.
- lho son III the lar country" Money
goes fast. fortune will not last long if the
owner be dissipated and idle. worse 30 shows
how tho money was spent. Friends forsake
one when financial resources fail. Famine adds
TO the distress of the youth. In plentiful
times one might get on quite respectfully. The
" far country" WAS occupied by Genties, who
did not observe Jewish laws. Money gone,
something must be done for food 1t is evident
the youth had not worked manually ut home.
and was not used to toll. But hunger is imper-
alive and will not wait. He sought work.
His employer set him to feeding swine This
was an humilitating vocation for anybody, but
especially for Jew. He had a hard master.
His board was SO poor and so scrimpinE as TO
amount that he envied the swine their carob-
pods thusks). On some OF tho Greek islands
these pods arc yet eaten. The carob fruit
grows on "A tree in pods, the seeds within being
tender and swcetish. But the master would
not permit the youth to share the pods with
the swine. The swine-herder had chance to
think. His mind often went back to his homo
in the land flowing with milk and honey
Three courses lay before him. He could con-
tinue, but the vocation was so degrading his
raiment so foul, his appetite so poorly sup
Piled that death would be preferable to such a
lifo. lie might commit suicide. Many man
in such circumstances has taken that course
The third plan was return TO his home But
in what spirit would he go back9 Trusting to
the father feeling bearing with him, he could
return In browbeating attitude, rs though he