When he came to himself, &c.— That is, to a true sense, through grace, of his present state, and the right use of his reason, which had before been dethroned and extinguished by the mad intoxications of sensual pleasure. When he says, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, means, that God was, (speaking after the manner of men) injured or insulted by his sins; and injured also in the person of his earthly father; and certainly the common sentiment of mankind teaches this, that whoever is insolent or disrespectful to his parents, rebels against God, who, by making themthe instruments of communicating life to their children, has imparted to them some ofhis own paternal honour. Dr. Goodman observes, This was an acknowledgement, that his father's yoke had been so easy, that his throwing it off had been an act of rebellion against God; and it shewed also, that his heart was touched with a sense, not only of the folly, but of the guilt of his conduct; and that the fear of God began to take hold of him. Having the idea of his undutiful behaviour strongly impressed on his mind, he was sensible that he had no title to be treated at home as a Son: at the same time he knew, that it would never be well with him, till he was in his father's family again; so with joy he entertained the thought of occupying the meanest station in it;—Make me, or treat me, as one of thy hired servants; which he mentions, not because such servants fared worse than slaves, but because himself had been a hired servant; and therefore he naturally compared his own condition with those of that rank in his father's family.—Thus while the liberality of the great parent of men is so grossly abused that they run away from his family, the miseries in which theyinvolve themselves, often, through the grace and spirit of God, prevail upon them to return. By the natural consequences of sin, God in his pity and love frequently makes sinners feel that there is no felicity to be found any where but in himsel
Related Commentaries of Luke 15:17
Luke 15:17-19
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.