Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 15:11

"And he said, A certain man had two sons:" — Luke 15:11 (ASV)

And he said. Jesus, to illustrate still further the sentiment which he had expressed, and to show that it was proper to rejoice over repenting sinners, proceeds to show it by a most beautiful and instructive parable. We will see its beauty and propriety by remembering that the design of it was simply to justify his conduct in receiving sinners, and to show that to rejoice over their return was proper. This he shows by the feelings of a father rejoicing over the return of an ungrateful and dissipated son.