Luke 15:29 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Lo, these many years do I serve thee, &c.— This is the young man's own testimony concerning his dutifulness: in which respect it fully represented the self-righteous Pharisees. It is his testimony also concerning the returns which his father had made to him for his services; nevertheless his behaviour on this occasion, as well as that of his father, seems to fix on him the lie in both particulars. Indeed, this branch of the parable is finely contrived to express the high opinion which the Pharisees (here represented by the elder brother) entertained of their own meri