Luke 15:30

But after your son, this one who has devoured his wealth with prostitutes comes, you killed the fattened calf for him. The prostitutes are the superstitions of the Gentiles, with whom to dissipate wealth is, having forsaken the single union of the word of God, …

Here they raise the well-known question: how is it that the son who in all other respects lived and served his father in a pleasing manner turns out to be envious? But the question will be resolved as soon as one considers why this parable …

Likewise he reproaches the father's clemency, when he adds: But after this son of yours: as if to say: not my brother; just as the Lord said out of indignation in Exodus thirty-two: "Go down from the mountain, for your people have sinned," yours, he …

They are sometimes ranked with harlots ( Matt. xxi. 32 ); here and elsewhere with sinners, such as were openly vicious, that traded with harlots, known rakes. Some think that the sinners here meant were heathen, and that Christ was now on the other side Jordan, or in Galilee of the Gentiles.

A sinner is not only dead in law, as he is under a sentence of death, but dead in state too, dead in trespasses and sins, destitute of spiritual life; no union with Christ, no spiritual senses exercised, no living to God, and therefore dead.

But as soon as this thy son was come,....

This thy son - This son of Thine - words expressive of supreme contempt: This son - he would not condescend to call him by his name, or to acknowledge him for his brother; and at the same time, bitterly reproaches his amiable father for his affectionate tenderness, and readiness to receive his once undutiful, but now penitent, child! For Him - I have marked those words in small capitals which should be strongly accented in the pronunciation: this last word shows how supremely he despised his poor unfortunate brother.

These verses form the conclusion of the parable of the prodigal son. They are far less well known than the verses which go before them. But they were spoken by the same lips which described the younger son's return to his father's house. Like everything which those lips spoke — they will be found deeply profitable. We are taught, firstly, in this passage — how unkind and mean-spirited are the feelings of self-righteous men towards sinners. This is a lesson which our Lord conveys to us by describing the conduct of the "elder brother" of the prodigal son.

These verses form the conclusion of the parable of the prodigal son. They are far less well known than the verses which go before them. But they were spoken by the same lips which described the younger son's return to his father's house. Like everything which those lips spoke — they will be found deeply profitable. We are taught, firstly, in this passage — how unkind and mean-spirited are the feelings of self-righteous men towards sinners. This is a lesson which our Lord conveys to us by describing the conduct of the "elder brother" of the prodigal son. He shows him to us "angry" and finding fault because of the rejoicings over his brother's return. He shows him complaining that his father treated the returning prodigal too well — and that he himself had not been treated as well as his merits deserved. He shows him utterly unable to share in the joy which prevailed when his younger brother came home, and giving away to mean-spirited and envious thoughts. It is a painful picture, but a very instructive one. For one thing, this elder brother is an exact picture of the Jews of our Lord's times. They could not bear the idea of their 'Gentile' younger brother being made partaker of their privileges. They would gladly have excluded him from God's favor. They steadily refused to see that the Gentiles were to be fellow-heirs and partakers of Christ with themselves. In all this, they were precisely acting the part of the "elder brother." For another thing, the elder brother is an exact type of the Scribes and Pharisees of our Lord's times. They objected that our Lord received sinners and ate with them. They murmured because He opened the door of salvation to publicans and harlots. They would have been better pleased if our Lord had confined His ministry to them and their party, and had left the ignorant and wicked entirely alone.

This thy son - This son of “thine.” This is an expression of great contempt. He did not call him “his brother,” but “his father’s son,” to show at once his contempt for his younger brother, and for his father for having received him as he did. Never was there a more striking instance of petty malice, or more unjustifiable disregard of a father’s conduct and will. Thy living - Thy property. This is still designed to irritate the father, and set him against his younger son. It was true that the younger son had been guilty, and foolish, and ungrateful; but he was penitent, and “that” was of more consequence to the father than all his property; and in the joy that he was penitent and was safe, he forgot his ingratitude and folly. So should the older son have done.