Luke · WEB-C
Luke
15
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Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. See also: 1 Timothy 1:15Matthew 9:10-13Luke 5:29-32The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.” See also: Matthew 9:11Luke 19:7Luke 7:39He told them this parable: “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? See also: Ezekiel 34:16Ezekiel 34:11-12Matthew 18:12-14When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. See also: Hebrews 12:2Isaiah 46:3-4Micah 7:18When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ See also: Luke 15:10Luke 15:24Psalms 119:176I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. See also: Luke 15:10Luke 5:32Luke 15:32“Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it? See also: Ezekiel 34:12Luke 19:10John 10:16When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’ See also: Luke 15:6-7Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.” See also: Luke 15:7Ezekiel 33:112 Corinthians 7:10He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them. See also: Deuteronomy 21:16-17Mark 12:44Psalms 17:14Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. See also: Jeremiah 2:5Proverbs 21:17Proverbs 29:3When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. See also: 2 Chronicles 33:11Ezekiel 16:27Hosea 2:9-14He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. See also: Titus 3:32 Timothy 2:25-26Isaiah 1:5He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. See also: Romans 6:19-21Hosea 12:1Isaiah 55:2But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! See also: Ezekiel 18:28Ephesians 2:4-5Luke 15:18-19I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. See also: Lamentations 3:401 John 1:8-10Luke 15:21I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ See also: Job 42:6Psalms 84:10James 4:8-10“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him. See also: Psalms 103:10-13Psalms 86:5Psalms 86:15The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ See also: Psalms 51:4Luke 15:18-19Jeremiah 3:13“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. See also: Genesis 41:42Esther 8:2Revelation 6:11Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate; See also: Matthew 22:2-14Isaiah 25:6Psalms 63:5for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate. See also: Ephesians 2:5Ezekiel 34:16Luke 19:10“Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. See also: Psalms 150:4Jeremiah 31:4Ecclesiastes 3:4He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on. He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’ See also: Acts 9:17Luke 15:30Acts 22:13But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him. See also: 1 Samuel 18:8Genesis 4:5-7Luke 15:2But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. See also: Malachi 3:14Luke 15:7Luke 18:11-12But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ See also: Luke 15:12-13Proverbs 29:3Luke 18:11“He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. See also: Romans 11:1Romans 9:4Mark 7:27-28But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’” See also: Ephesians 2:1-10Luke 15:24Isaiah 35:10
See also: Cross references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), derived in part from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
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Notes · Haydock (1859, public domain)12 notes
Notes in English 19th-century Catholic commentary by Fr. George Leo Haydock, shown as published.
These notes keep the polemics of their time: some speak harshly of the Jewish people or of other Christians. The Church teaches otherwise today. The Jewish people may not be blamed for the death of Christ (Nostra Aetate 4; Catechism 597–598), and Christians of other communities are our brothers and sisters in the Lord (Unitatis Redintegratio 3). Christian unity
Luke 15:4
Ver. 4. What man, &c. Christ left the ninety-nine in the desert, when he descended from the angelic choirs, in order to seek last man on the earth, that he might fill up the number of the sheepfold of heaven, from which his sins had excluded him. S. Amb. — Neither did his affection for the last sheep make him behave cruelly to the rest; for he left them in safety, under the protection of his omnipotent hand. S. Cyril de D. Thoma Aquin.
↑ 4Luke 15:7
Ver. 7. Joy in heaven, &c. What incitement ought it not to be to us to practise virtue, when we reflect that our conversion causes joy to the troops of blessed spirits, whose protection we should always seek, and whose presence we should always revere. S. Amb. — There is greater joy for the conversion of a sinner, than for the perseverance of the just; but it frequently happens, that these being free from the chain of sin, remain indeed in the path of justice, but press not on eagerly to their heavenly country; whilst such as have been sinners, are stung with grief at the remembrance of their former transgressions, and calling to mind how they have forsaken their God, endeavour by present fervour to compensate for their past misconduct. But it must be remembered that there are many just, whose lives cause such joy to the heavenly court, that all the penitential exercises of sinners cannot be preferred before them. S. Gregory, hom. xxxiv.
↑ 7Luke 15:8
Ver. 8. In the preceding parable, the race of mankind is compared to a lost sheep, to teach us that we are the creatures of the most high God, who made us, and not we ourselves, of whose pasture we are the sheep. Ps. xcix. And in this parable mankind are compared to the drachma, which was lost, to shew us that we have been made to the royal likeness and image even of the omnipotent God; for the drachma is a piece of money, bearing the image of the king. S. Chrysos. in S. Tho. Aquin.
↑ 8Luke 15:10
Ver. 10. Before the angels. By this it is plain that the spirits in heaven have a concern for us below, and a joy at our repentance, and consequently a knowledge of it. Ch.
↑ 10Luke 15:11
Ver. 11. A certain man had two sons. By the elder son is commonly expounded the Jewish people, who for a long time had been chosen to serve God; and by the younger son, the Gentiles, who for so many ages had run blindly on in their idolatry and vices. Wi. — Some understand this of the Jews and Gentiles, others of the just and sinners. The former opinion seems preferable. The elder son, brought up in his father's house, &c. represents the Jews; the younger prodigal is a figure of the Gentiles. Calmet.
↑ 11Luke 15:12
Ver. 12. It is very probable, from this verse, that the children of the family, when come to age, could demand of their parents the share of property which would fall to their lot. For these parables suppose the ordinary practices of the country, and are founded on what was customarily done. Grotius thinks this was the common law among the Phœnicians. — The Gentiles, prefigured by the prodigal son, received from their father, (the Almighty,) free-will, reason, mind, health, natural knowledge, and the goods which are common to mankind, all which they dissipated and abused. Sinners who have besides received the gift of faith and sanctification, by baptism, and who have profaned the holiness of their state, by crimes, are more express figures of the bad conduct of this son. Calmet.
↑ 12Luke 15:16
Ver. 16. Husks. This expresses the extreme misery of his condition. There is no need of seeking any other mystery in this word. Horace, by a kind of hyperbole, (B. ii, Ep. 1.) represents the miser as living upon husks to be able to save more.
Vivit siliquis et pane secundo.
— And no man gave unto him; i.e. gave him bread, mentioned before; for as for the husks, he could take what he pleased. Wi.
↑ 16Luke 15:18
Ver. 18. How merciful is the Almighty, who, though so much offended, still does not disdain the name of father. — I have sinned. These are the first words of a sinner's confession to the author of nature. God knows all things; still does he expect to hear the voice of your confession. It is in vain to think of concealing your sins from the eyes of him whom nothing can escape; and there can be no danger of acknowledging to him what his infinite knowledge has already embraced. Confess then that Christ may intercede for you, the Church pray for you, the people pour forth their tears for you. Fear not that you cannot obtain pardon, for pardon is promised to you; grace, and a reconciliation with a most tender parent, are held out to you. S. Ambrose. —
Before thee, &c. By this does our Redeemer shew, that the Almighty is here to be understood by the name of father: for the all-seeing eye of God only beholds all things, from whom even the secret machinations of the heart cannot be concealed. S. Chrys. ex D. Tho.
↑ 18Luke 15:22
Ver. 22. The first; i.e. the best robe: by it, is meant the habit of grace. Wi.
↑ 22Luke 15:24
Ver. 24. Was dead, and is come to life again. A sinner, in mortal sin, is deprived of the divine grace, which is the spiritual life of the soul. At his conversion it is restored to him, and he begins to live again. Wi.
↑ 24Luke 15:25
Ver. 25. His elder son, &c. We have already remarked, that this son represents the Jews. He boasts of having always served his father faithfully, and of never disobeying him. This is the language of that presumptuous people, who believe themselves alone holy; and despising the Gentiles with sovereign contempt, could not bear to see the gates of salvation laid open also to them.
The 28th, 29th, and 30th verses express admirably the genius of the Jewish people; particularly his refusing to enter his father's house, shews their obstinacy. Calmet.
↑ 25Luke 15:29
Ver. 29. I have never transgressed, &c. With what face could the Jews, represented here by the eldest son, say they have never transgressed the commandments of their father? This made Tertullian think that this was not the expression of the Jews, but of the faithful Christians; and, therefore, he interprets the whole parable as applied to a disciple of Christ. But we should recollect, that it is not uncommon for presumption to boast of what it never has done. The whole history of the Jews is full of numberless details of their prevarication and disobedience. Calmet. — A kid, &c. The Jews demanded a kid, but the Christians a lamb; therefore was Barabbas set at liberty for them, whilst for us the lamb was immolated. S. Amb.
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↑ 29License: Notes by Fr. George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), from the Douay-Rheims Bible with Haydock's commentary (first ed. Thomas Haydock, Manchester/Dublin, 1811–1814; New York: Edward Dunigan & Brother, 1859); New Testament notes compiled with Fr. Benedict Rayment. Public domain. Digital text: "The Haydock Bible", Internet Archive (archive.org/details/TheHaydockBible), uploaded 2011 under the Public Domain Mark. · Credits and licenses