The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-08-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST ~.

Subject: The Parable Of the Two
Sons, Luke XIV, 11-32- Golden
Text, Mat. ill, - Memory
Verses ~, is.
l. Leaving home Tvs. 11-13). H.
A certain man. The simple, un-l
pretentious beginning of the most
beautiful of all parallels. The man
IS here the image of God the Father.
Two sons. . The two sons may be-
said to be representatives of man.
Kind, for we have in them examples
OF two great phases of alienation
from God-the elder is blinded by
selI-rig righteousness, the younger de-
-graded by his unrighteousness. 12.9
The younger. He represents OPEN
" wicked persons, such as the pub
leans and sinners. he also repre-
SCENTS the thoughtless, careless youth
~. Not many days He hadi
decided upon his course and hast
sned to be gone This shadows forth
The rapidly I'D Of national and (29a
individual degeneracy. 1Gathered3
All together Sinners who go astray
from God venture their all, Crook
his Journey He was weary Of his
father's government and desired
greater liberty The journey the
prodigal took represents the sinner
In his departure from God He went
INTO far country. far from truth.
II. In deep distress Tvs. 14-16).l
IA. Spent all" He did not stop
until his last dollar was gone. "a
mighty famine. The soul living at
distance from God, and shut out
from intercourse with Him. will very
coon feel its utter emptiness. al
mighty famine will follow. TN
want Real want is soul want.
Is Joined himself to a citizen Z
The same wicked life that before was
represented by riotous living is here
represented by servile living, for sim
ners are perfect slaves. The devil is
the citizen of that country; he is
both in city and country. To feed
swine" This was doubly degrading,
and especially so to Jew.
16. With the husks The husks
were not the pods of some other
iruit, but the fruitof the carob-tree.
used for feeding swine, He was
driven to the extremity of trying to.
satisfy his hunger with the food that
was fit only for swine So sinners
endeavor to satisfy the soul with
earthly and sensual delights.
III. The decision to return home
Tvs. 17-19). IL
II. HE came to himself" Sin
dethrones the reason. A state of sin
is state of folly and madness, but
the madness is in the heart (z1cclg
9;3). Bread enough and to spare
The lowest in my fathers house has
bread to give to the poor. Gods
people are abundantly supplied with
good things. Il perish. Sinners
will not come to Christ until they SEQ
themselves ready to perish. is. Il
will arise" He had left home of his
own free WILL and he must return
in the same way. God compels nc
one to do right. And go, Follow
Ing the decision there must be an eff
fort put forth. In returning to God
there is something to do. Il HAYS
sinned" The first thing to 0S fE tc
make full confession of our sfns
q John 1:9; Job 1927, 2S){
Against heaven. Against God
Every sin is a sin against God 19t
mo more worthy" He is ready to
humble himself He knows that in
Justice his father could shut the door
against him; he pleads for mercy
~. glue lStulA anu tuc WSACCu4q
Tvs 20-24).
20. ~He arose. He Immediately
did all of these things that he had
was coming slowly, in rags, in dis
grace, questioning about his well
come. Father saw him. The
father was ever watching for his re.
turn So God knows when we start
toward Him. And ran, etc. This
represents the readiness with which
God receives returning sinners. I'll
THE son said" He makes his cont
fession; he aliases himself
%. But the father" The faith,
er did not wait until he had finished
his confession In this we see tho
great affection of the father and hid
willingness to forgive. Said to hiS
servants The fathers joy is fun
and he instantly issues orders to
celebrate his return. Bring forth
quickly" tR. V.)--Let us show at
once by our actions that the wander.
er is fully forgiven and reinstateds
Put ring on his hand A sign
Of affection
g. Be merry" Be joyful and
happy. The Bible gives the children
of God license to shout for JOY. "a.
Was dead Lost to all good, given
up to all evil. is alive again" Here
was special cause for rejoicing. Who
would not be partaker of this joy2e
V. The elder brother Tvs. 25-32).
rs. He was angry Our Lord
now holds up to the murmurines
Pharisees a likeness of themselves.
AS the elder brother is angry at the
Joy which welcomes the prodigar
home from his wanderings, SO have
these men murmured at the mercy
with which Jesus has received the
publican and the sinner. tIntreated
him. As Jesus was then entreatinr
the captious Pharisees not to spurn
the repenting outcasts. 20, 80 In
these verses Jesus gives, in parable.
the substance Of the Pharisaic MUIR
murings: We are better than others
and should have great reapect and
Difference paid us; but you have left
us and interested yourself in these
publicans and sinners. 81. ALI
thine. All is within thy reach. II
You do not enjoy my bounty it is be-
cause you will not Notice that the
parabla leaves the elder brother on
the outside, stubbernly refusing to
enter.