Luke 15:32

“It was meet that we should make merry, etc.] Both father, son, and servants; (see Gill on “<421523>Luke 15:23”) (see Gill on “<421524>Luke 15:24”) and this elder brother also, because of the relation he stood in to him: and if he had had the same spiritual affection the apostle had for his brethren and kinsmen, according to the flesh, ( <450903>Romans 9:3 10:1) and he would have rejoiced at the conversion and return of sinners by repentance: and be glad; as his father was, and the angels in heaven be; (see <421510>Luke 15:10) for this thy brother, though he would not own him as such, was dead, and is alive again, and was lost, and is found: (see Gill on “<421524>Luke 15:24”) and so the…”

“It was meet--Was it possible he should simply take his long vacant place in the family without one special sign of wonder and delight at the change? Would that have been nature? But this being the meaning of the festivity, it would for that very reason be temporary. In time, the dutifulness of even the younger son would become the law and not the exception; he too at length might venture to say, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee"; and of him the father would say, "Son, thou art ever with me." In that case, therefore, it would not be "meet that they should make merry and be glad." The lessons are obvious, but how beautiful! (1) The deeper sunk and the longer estranged any sinner is, the…”

“This thy brother was dead, and is alive - A thousand of these delicate touches in the inspired writings escape an inattentive reader. In Luk 15:30, the elder son had unkindly and indecently said, This thy son. The father in his reply mildly reproves him, and tenderly says, This thy brother - Amazing intimation, that the best of men ought to account the worst sinners their brethren still; and should especially remember this relation, when they show any inclination to return. Our Lord in this whole parable shows, not only that the Jews had no cause to murmur at the reception of the Gentiles, (a point which did not at that time so directly fall under consideration,) but that if the Pharisees…”

“was meet: Luk 7:34; Psa 51:8; Isa 35:10; Hos 14:9; Jon 4:10, Jon 4:11; Rom 3:4, Rom 3:19, Rom 15:9-13 for: Luk 15:24; Eph 2:1-10 Next: Luke Chapter 16”