1151 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he cometh home,.... The house, or home, to which Christ comes and brings thither his lost sheep on his shoulders when found, is either the church of God, which is Christ's house and home, and into which he himself comes; it is his by gift and purchase, and which he has built, and here comes and dwells as a son over it, as king in it, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be heaven,.... In the church below, and among the members of it; which is sometimes called heaven, especially in the book of the Revelations; or in heaven above, and among the angels there; see Lu 15:10 Over one sinner that repenteth; for the joy in heaven, is not over sinners as such; for as such, they are...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Either what woman, having ten pieces of silver,.... Or "drachmas": a "drachma" was the fourth part of a shekel, and of the same value with a Roman penny; and was worth of our money, seven pence half penny; so that the ten pieces amounted to six shilling's, and three pence: the Ethiopic version renders it "ten rings": this parable is delivered,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends,.... [See comments on Lu 15:6] a parable somewhat like to this, the Jews (x) have on those words in Proverbs 2:4 "If thou seekest her as silver", c. "it is like to a man that has lost a "shekel", (a piece of money,) or beryl rings, within his house he lights up many lamps and many candles, until...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Likewise I say unto you,.... As before, in Lu 15:7 there is joy in the presence of the angels of God; who are the friends and neighbours of Christ: [See comments on Lu 15:6], over one sinner that repenteth; which they have knowledge of, either by immediate revelation from God, or by observation in the church where they attend: the reason of this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said,.... The Syriac and Persic versions read "and Jesus said again"; he added another parable to the two former, at the same time, of the same import, with the same view, and on the same occasion; setting forth the different characters of the Scribes and Pharisees, and of the publicans and sinners; and what little reason the one had to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the younger of them said to his father,.... God's chosen ones among the publicans and sinners, are fitly signified by the younger son, since man, as a sinner, is younger than man as righteous; and since there are instances of God's choice of the younger, before the elder, as Jacob before Esau, c. and the characters and conduct of young men...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,.... That his father had divided to him, all his goods and substance: as soon as a man has any internal substance, any considerable degree of natural knowledge, he immediately sets out from God, and employs it against him, in reasoning against him, against his being, his works, his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he had spent all,.... Sin strips a man of all that is good and valuable; of the image of God, of the knowledge of divine things, of natural holiness, of moral righteousness, and of strength to perform moral good; hence man is in a wretched and miserable condition, he is poor, and blind, and naked: and if man has spent all, and sin has...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country,.... Not to any one of the saints, for they are not citizens of the far country, but of the church of God below, and of heaven above; besides, carnal men do not like the company of such citizens: nor is the devil intended, for though he dwells in this country, he is more than a citizen,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks,.... חרובא, the fruit of the "Charub" tree, as the Syriac version interprets it; and which the Jews (y) say is מאכל בהמה, "the food of beasts": though, according to what is elsewhere said of it, it should be the food of men also. It is said (z) of R. Simeon ben Jochai, and his son, that they...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he came to himself,.... An unregenerate man, whether while a voluptuous man, or a self-righteous man, is not himself; he is beside himself; and is no other than a madman. The man that pursues his worldly lusts and pleasures, promises himself liberty, while he is a slave; he ruins himself, his soul, body, and estate, and chooses to do it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I will arise,.... This is the resolution which at last, through divine grace, he came into: he determines to quit the country, and his companions; he had left his harlots, and his old course of living before, but was in the same country still; for this a man may do, and yet remain unregenerate: but he is now for leaving the country itself, and his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And am no more worthy to be called thy son,.... As all the Jews were; not only by creation, and providential care, as all men are; but by national adoption: and however worthy this man might think himself to be called a Son of God before, and value himself upon it; he now sees, and was ready to own his unworthiness to be called so in any sense;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he arose,.... This shows that his resolution to arise was not of nature, but of grace, by its being put into execution; for it was made and executed, not in his own strength, but in another's. He did not confer with flesh and blood; nor listen to discouragements which might present; as the distance of the way, the danger in it, the cold...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the son said unto him, father,.... Or "my father", as the Syriac version reads; and the Persic version adds, "pardon me": sin lay heavy on him, and he wanted a view and application of pardoning grace, though he seems to be prevented making this request by the kiss he received from his father: I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But the father said to his servants,.... The word "but", with which those words begin, is expressive of much grace, as it often is; see 1 Corinthians 6:11 and signifies, that though the son had behaved so badly, and was now so sensible of it himself, as that he desired to be a hired servant, being unworthy to be called a son; but the "father",...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it,.... By which Christ is designed, in allusion to the calves offered in sacrifice, which were offered for sin offerings, and for peace offerings, and for burnt offerings; and were one of the sacrifices on the day of atonement: so Christ has offered up himself in soul and body, freely and voluntarily, in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For this my son was dead,.... These words contain the reasons of the above entertainment, and of all that spiritual joy and mirth; in which the father acknowledges the returning penitent as his son; though he had behaved so wickedly before, and though he judged himself unworthy of the relation; and this he did, by sending the Spirit of adoption...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now his elder son was in the field,.... By "the elder son" is meant, not angels, as has been observed on Lu 15:11 nor truly converted persons, of some standing in the church; for though these may be said to be elder than young converts, and are more solid and settled, yet they are not ignorant of spiritual mirth; nor of the Gospel sound; nor are...